NAPLES - A MUCH MALIGNED ITALIAN CITY BUT A GEM FULL OF ARTISTIC TREASURES

I’VE TRAVELLED ALL ROUND ITALY OVER THE YEARS AND I CAN SAY UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT THERE IS NOWHERE LIKE NAPLES. Though it has a dramatic setting on a wonderful bay with the backdrop of the brooding Mount Vesuvius there are few that would call it a beautiful city. It doesn’t have the grandness of Rome, the picturesque qualities of Florence or the allure of Venice, but what it does have in spades is vibrancy, character and atmosphere. Somehow it easily manages to capture the soul of southern Italy and despite its obvious tattiness and dilapidation its full of treasures – wonderful architecture, great interiors, world class museums and nearby destinations to die for.

Founded by the Greeks, expanded by the Romans, settled by the Normans and later controlled by many other European powers – all have left their mark on its urban fabric. It’s terrible neglect in the years following Unification in 1861 meant the city became a metaphor for the new country’s problems – many of them underpinned by the developing powerhouse of the north withy its associated rising living standards, and the increasing backwardness and peasant characterisation of the south. Decades of lack of investment, high unemployment, pollution, crime ridden streets and the ever-present activities of the Camorra all seemed to propel the city towards a downward spiral, but somehow its ability to survive has seen it through in to the 21st century. Today, there are still many issues, but there’s a new atmosphere round town – investment in the metro, a modern football stadium, upmarket shopping, a modern cruise terminal and better hotel accommodation for visitors.

There’s still work to be done however. A few weeks a go I was sat on a shuttle bus in Corfu port listening to a group of tourists from a large cruise ship docked nearby were discussing the ship’s upcoming visit to Naples. Not one of them had a good word for the place! All were opting for tours to Sorrento, Pompeii and the Amalfi Drive. Having visited Naples recently I felt the need to include some posts on Naples in my Italian blog. In my humble opinion Naples is not to be missed so here are some posts which promote the city as a “must see” destination for visitors to Italy. “VEDI NAPOLI E POI MORI” – “See Naples and Die” is a quote I would happily subscribe to!!