How could we visit Italy and not go to the city that invented pizza--Naples? It was an easy train ride (56 km or 35 mi) that took about an hour. The main station in Naples was the biggest one we'd seen since Rome. Our apartment host provided a driver from the station to our place and after a bit of hit-and-miss (he didn't speak a lot of English and you already know how much Italian I speak) we finally made it to our place for the next few days.
Kitchen
Dining/Living Area
Main bedroom. They had champagne, roses, and hearts throughout the place which was nice, but I'm sure they do for everyone. I don't think we give off the newlywed vibes anymore.
View from our bedroom window
View of Vesuvius and the skyline from our balcony
It was laundry day.
This was a coffee/pastry shop in the grocery store down the street--which I visited the next day. This is pushing me over the border of my borderline diabetes.
The next day we set out to explore the city. Naples does have a subway, but we didn't use it--shocking, I know--because it wasn't really convenient to where we were or where we wanted to be. I bought each of us an all-day bus ticket and we used that system since there was a bus stop near our apartment. Head up, though--traffic in Naples is bad and the buses can get crowded. Anyway, we took the bus downtown and started walking.
Looking up at the ceiling
Church altar
Fe and I outside
We had booked a tour online called "Naples Underground" which sounded interesting. What we didn't know was that there was more than one and we went to the wrong on first. But they kindly gave us directions to ours.
The Underground Naples entrance. There were two lines: one in Italian and one in English (which was shorter).
The stairway down
This was one of the first things we saw--an art installation of a tank and soldiers. These underground cisterns and passages (from the Roman era) were used by the locals to hide from Nazis when they took over after Italy surrendered in 1943.
An area where some of the people stayed. It was very crowded and they stayed underground for months at a time without going out. Think about it.
An underground reservoir
A cistern. On the right, can see the jar the residence above this used to get water. Our guide said this meant the house was for a rich person. Most people had to go to a community well and bring water home.
Naples was built on a lot of history. This area is a walkway in a buried amphitheater.
More Roman passageways
Our guide said that these 16th Century (?) homes were built on top of the amphitheater and that on the other side of the small doorway at the top was an Air BnB's bathroom.
I'm glad we did this tour. It took about 90 minutes (maybe less) and I learned a lot. Just a word of warning--walking around down here could get very dark and very cramped in places, so keep that in mind if you're at all claustrophobic.
By this time it was after 1pm and we were hungry. We passed a restaurant earlier during the tour that looked interesting and we stopped there for lunch.
Fe's meal--shellfish and pasta. I had lasagna, but I usually start eating before taking pictures which I'm told ruins it. Everything was delicious and the staff was great. A' Lucianella was the name of the place.
Fe and I in the Vico del Fico al Purgatorio, or Alley of the Fig Tree of Purgatory. Naples has some weird placenames.
Pulcinella, the lucky charm of Naples. We rubbed his nose like everyone else does.
Street view--Via Francesco del Giudice
Street view--Via dei Tribunali
Galeria Principe do Napoli. We came here because I saw online that it was something easy to see, but it was more rundown than the picture implies. They're working on it and I could see the potential.
The next day was our flight out from Naples airport--and it was early. The same guy who picked us up at the train station took us to the airport. I know it was early for him, so we tipped him well, which I don't think he was expecting. I was glad to do it though because there was no way to the airport this time in the morning.
We weren't the only ones opening up the airport!
This was going to be a long trip home--first a layover in Madrid, then Philadelphia, then Harrisburg, where Kyle was picking is up to go home. Luckily, we had no issues (other than exorbitant prices for airport food and water).
I wish we'd have had more time in Naples. Two days isn't enough to do it justice--there were things we missed like the Castel Sant'Elmo or the Sansevero Chapel--but (I hate to admit it) we were both a bit tired by this point and ready to sleep in our own bed and use our own shower. I know we'll be back to Italy though.
No comments:
Post a Comment