I just spent two days in Naples, and loved it. It’s one of the most fertile, churning, exuberant, and fun cities in all of Europe. And the entire time, I wondered, “Where are the tourists?” Of course, Naples has a reputation of being dangerous. But I think that any reasonable traveler exercising good common sense will feel comfortable here — and will be well rewarded for their adventurous spirit.
Naples’ street plan is 2,500 years old, dating back to the days when it was the Greek city Neapolis. And for all those centuries, an arrow-straight, razor-thin street has cut the city in two. It’s Spaccanapoli, which means “Split Naples.” Exploring it, you become part of this vivid and exuberant stripe of life.
If exploring Naples, you can just park yourself on a street corner and watch the world roll by — much of it on motorbikes. It’s not unusual to see families of three, or even four, all sharing the family vehicle.
A big joy when researching a guidebook chapter on Naples is sorting through all the great restaurants. Characteristic mom-and-pop places cater to locals, serving family recipes at family-friendly prices. My criteria for a good restaurant: in a low-rent location; busy with locals; and with a small, handwritten menu in one language. (It’s small because they’re selling everything they’re cooking; it’s handwritten because it’s shaped by what’s fresh today in the market; and it’s in one language because they cater to locals rather than tourists). Here, pastas and secondi are just €6 (about $8) each. Everything’s delicioso — and I speak from experience.
Naples is a busy cruise port, and the terminal is right in the town center. Adventurous cruise travelers can hop off their ship and venture directly into the urban jungle. I met this American couple deep in Naples, having a great time…with ripped-out pages from my Mediterranean Cruise Ports guidebook. Their big smiles and the way they were using those pages made my day.
I have been to Naples a couple of times, and enjoyed it each time. You just have to stay on the main streets or main areas like any other big city. Yes, there are areas that are dirty, crowded or unattractive, but these are all part of the charm of the City. The Neapolitan is a unique citizen of Italy and they love life. Just like the citizens of other areas of Italy, Rome, Florence, Venice, Arezzo, Cortona, Assisi, etc…and it is so much fun to visit these areas among others to sample their lifestyle. Of course, it does help to have relatives there too.
I can’t wait to see Naples, again.
Unfortunately when we were there it was extremely hot and muggy and it seemed like there was garbage everywhere! So that probably was not a good example.
Have visited Naples a few times and didn’t feel unsafe even venturing well off the beaten path (which to me is what travel is all about). There really is something to explore around every corner of the city. Upon our return home after one visit, the Atlanta Journal Constitution had an article about Naples, comparing the city to a beautiful woman with dirty feet — if you can get past one negative attribute, there is much to admire.