8 Things You Must Do In Naples

Ah - the beautiful chaos of Napoli! I'm in love with this city.

Did you know that Naples is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world?? Bronze Age Greek settlements were established in the second millennium BC. 

lovers and families in Naples

Naples is gritty and raw, and a bit dirty. It is also fast, sexy and very exciting. 

This beautiful city is the gateway to the more refined and subdued Amalfi Coast, the main access point to the incredibly chic Capri, the spa-like island of Ischia, and to one of the 10 most colorful places on earth, the gorgeous and quaint little island of Procida. 

Her suburbs include Pompeii and Herculaneum ( Read my blogpost about Pompeii: Things You Probably Didn't Know About Pompeii)

Naples is a heartbeat city. Alive, vibrant and fun, a city you absolutely need to experience.

On foot. Even with all the miles I have racked up driving the length and breadth of Italy and Sicily you couldn't pay me to drive in the madness that is Naples. Even on a scooter.

A vacation on the Amalfi Coast needs at least a day devoted to Napoli. But once you've spent a day in Naples you will leave itching to get back for more. A week wouldn't be enough time to see it all in Naples!

Here are 8 Things You Must Do In Naples.

1. Drink Coffee. 

Italy has the best coffee in the world, and Naples has the best coffee in all of Italy. Start your day in Naples with a quick caffe or macchiato, and then stop throughout the day to get refueled. 
Neopolitan coffee is very, very strong. It tastes like no other coffee on earth. In a way, it ruins you, because after coffee in Napoli every coffee you drink pales by comparison. Just don't go past 9 in one day...

 News articles have told of unfortunates who drank ten espressi in one day and keeled over dead as a result. 

2. Walk Spaccanapoli

Spaccanapoli, literally split Naples, is a perfectly straight street that dates back 2000 years to Greek times. It runs right through the heart of Naples' historic center. 
Walking Spaccanapoli you experience a sensory overload of everything you've ever thought Naples to be. It is narrow and vertical, built up high with fantastic old buildings. At street level it is teeming with life, a visual explosion of shops and people and restaurants, and, well, life!
The sounds of Spaccanapoli are wonderful and loud. Neopolitans don't talk, they shout. And gesture, and emote. They are wonderful!
Don't forget to look up and see the laundry strung out across the street, drying in the coastal breeze.

3. Eat Baba. 

This light as air cake is smothered in a rum syrup. Or maybe it's pure rum? Who knows - I could swear I got a little buzz from it.

Either way Baba is a must.

4. Walk and walk and walk. 

This is definitely not a city to view from a bus window. Hit the street and make a circuit from the train station down past the university, cut through to the Plaza Plebiscito, walk up through San Carlos,  the mall Galleria Umberto and see the exquisite Buildings being restored to their former elegance. 

From there head up to Spaccanapoli, a lone, narrow road that literally splits Naples in half. There is so much to see here! Santa Chiara and it's amazing  cloisters, the cathedral of San Gregorio Armeno and via San Gregorio Armeno where you can buy the world famous presepi. 

These are nativity scenes and individual items from nativity scenes which are an integral part of the Italian Christmas. Every home has one. 

They are not just the 3 Wise Men and Jesus in the manger, the Neopolitan presepi include everyone who lives  in the village. They are so detailed and spectacular and special!You can buy entire nativity scenes to bring home, or individual Christmas decoration pieces. 

One thing I found amazing about spending time in Campania in December was the presepi set up on random little streets by members of the community, replete with hundreds of individual pieces, some of them very very old. 

part of a presepi outside on the street in Salerno

No one stole any pieces, no one damaged any of it, stray cats didn't knock anything over. They were just there for everyone to enjoy. I can't imagine one lasting one night here in America.

5 Visit subterranean Napoli. 

Beneath the heart of the espresso-fueled madness of the city is a geothermal zone called Campi Flegrei, full of fascinating tunnels, catacombs and caves, galleries, Roman roads, early Christian burial sites, frescoes and mosaics. Take a tour and see the galleries the Romans used for their engineering works, see ruins of a Roman theater and typical Neopolitan houses called basso. 
After the volume life is lived at up above you will welcome the almost silence here below. 

Discover the best hotels in Naples

6 Visit The Veiled Christ

The Veiled Christ at Cappella Sansevero will take your breath away. 
How on earth did Giuseppe Sammartino do that? 
Sculpted in marble in 1753, the veiled Christ is considered to be one of the world's sculptural masterpieces. The veil actually brings out the body even more than a regular sculpture (did that make sense?), the shroud or veil adhering perfectly to his form, somehow making Jesus' suffering and the pain in his face palpable. 
Don't be surprised if this statue brings you to tears. And don't miss it if you are in the Naples area. ( the Cappello Sansavero is closed on Tuesdays, so work your entire trip around being in Naples on any other of the 6 days of the week).

7 Visit The Caravaggios.

Caravaggio lived and painted for a little less than 4 years in Naples. After murdering a man in Malta he returned to Naples, where he in turn was murdered to avenge the Maltese.

Of the three remaining Caravaggios in Napoli, perhaps the most spectacular is the Seven Acts Of Mercy, a life sized dark and chaotic piece housed in Pio Monte Della Misericordia.
This is art historian Andrew Graham Dixon's favorite painting by his favorite painter. Hearing him speak about it, or reading his book on Caravaggio (A Life Sacred And Profane) will turn you too into a devotee. If you only see one Caravaggio while you are in Naples, make it this one.

8 Eat Pizza

Of course you know you have to eat pizza in Naples! This is the best pizza in the world.

A couple of notes on Napoli

The best way to arrive and depart Napoli is by sea.
I have arrived by overnight ferry from Sicily at 6 in the morning, and I have sailed to Sicily from Naples as the sun was going down.
The Bay of Naples is really beautiful.
Arriving by car or by train you have to traverse endless awful suburbs crawling with run-down housing projects that bring to mind every mafia story you have ever heard. It can be unnerving.
First impressions stay with you forever, so make your first view of Naples be the staggeringly beautiful view from the bay as your boat arrives. You will see the city, the mountains, and Vesuvius lazing menacingly to the side. 

watching the sun set over Naples from the deck of our boat

Leave your jewels behind, or if you have to bring them with you, don't wear them in Naples. Naples is known for having wily pickpockets and con artists who excel at separating tourists from their diamond rings and Rolex.
The police have cleaned things up massively, so crime is down, but don't tempt fate.
I was always told to wear a cross-body bag in Naples so that boys racing past on scooters couldn't grab it and be in the wind.
I haven't had any problems there, and haven't seen anything going on, but may err on the side of caution.

I met the most fantastic people in Naples. Loud, gregarious, warm, fun and friendly - I can't wait to go back.

Discover Caserta

View of the palace from halfway up the gardens

Did you know that the largest royal palace in the world sits just 37 kilometers outside Naples? 

On the morning of January 20th 1752 the first stone of Caserta Palace was laid for Charles VII of Bourbon, King of Naples and Sicily. 
The Bourbon King had decided to build the largest palace in all of Europe, a palace to rival the beauty of Paris' magnificent Versailles, and the Schonbrun palace in Vienna. 
In an odd twist of fate Charles VII never lived in Caserta, instead abdicating the throne in 1759 to become the king of Spain. His third born son, Ferdinand IV became king of Naples and Sicily, lived in Caserta, and in 1768 married Maria Carolina of Austria, who grew up in the Schonbrun Palace, and who's sister Marie Antoinette would marry Louis XVI of France two years later and move to Versailles, the very palace that Caserta was designed to beat.
Makes your head spin, non?

Aerial view of Caserta Palace (image via google)

The Palace of Caserta is massive. It has more than 1200 rooms, stands 42 meters (45 yards) high and 250 meters (273 yards) long, taking up 44,000 square meters.

the uppermost end of the gardens

The fountain of Diana and Actaeon

The gardens are 3.5 kilometers long, with a central waterway and 6 fountains, surrounded by a tree filled park. 

Statues enjoy a break from the sun, tucked away in the shade of the trees. 

They also line the walkways.

And adorn the bridges. The statues are a celebration of the arts.

You can take a horse and carriage ride through the grounds, rent a bike, or just stroll.

The park was nearly empty on this Monday afternoon in December

pathways in the palace gardens, Caserta

In 1997 Caserta became a UNESCO World heritage site.

For years and years I had wanted to go to Caserta but it never fit in with the trips I was on, whether I was private tour guiding or traveling with friends. 



This past December I was lucky enough to be able to sneak off to Italy for a week, during which I was able to finally go visit the spectacular Palace of Caserta.

See inside the royal apartments at Caserta Palace here

The palace and the grounds are nothing short of spectacular.
No matter how prepared you think you are, once you walk onto the palace grounds the sheer size of Caserta is staggering.  
In it's day it must have been magnificent.

But basically no one bothers to go see it. You would think the largest royal palace in all of Europe would get great tourist traffic, but Caserta gets around 500, 000 visitors per year compared to Versailles 5 million.

Unfortunately Caserta is sorely lacking in funds and as such is a little run down. The palace has been used as a training facility for the Italian Air Force, which along with the Carabinieri still has offices there. Movies including Star Wars, Mission Impossible and Angels and Demons have shot there. Palace security is apparently lacking, and despite the Air Force and the Carabinieri both being in residence there have been problems with theft, most notably recently $100, 000 worth of copper being stolen from a lightening conductor on the roof.

There is something incredibly sad about this once majestic palace and it's enormous gardens. Just the thought of Hollywood descending on it and stomping around disrespectfully all over the grounds and the rooms while they make their movies makes it feel desecrated.
And yet because hardly anyone bothers to go visit Caserta it also feels like your best kept secret. 
Other than my friends who live in the area I don't even know one person who has been there before.

If you are in the Amalfi Coast/Naples area Caserta is well worth a visit. The train station is right outside the palace, so you don't need to rent a car.

Just One Day In Procida

I have been to Capri many times, and loved it.
But lately Capri has felt less like the jet-set world of Jackie O, and more like the hellish realm of a disgorged cruise ship.

Capri is definitely chic. No question. But it has become horribly touristy. There is invariably a cruise ship or two in the harbor, and during the day the piazzetta can be a nightmare crush of humanity that you have to wade your way through in order to get anywhere. Somewhere along the way I started losing interest.

When I was planning this year's Glam Italia Tour, which included a week on the Amalfi Coast I just couldn't face taking anyone to Capri. I know I will go back at some point, but for now I have a new island love, and that love is called Procida.

Arriving in Procida

Procida is the smallest island in the Bay of Naples' Campanian Archipelago, at a mere 3.2 km long. 

incredibly colorful arrival in Procida!
I found this picture on pinterest,
because my own weren't vibrant enough!

One of the 24 most colorful places in the world, Procida has attracted movie directors over and over as the setting for their films, so much of it may feel familiar to you.
(The movie Il Postino was shot on Procida and on the Aeolian island of Salina).

Marina Corricella, Procida

You get to Procida by ferry or hydrofoil from Naples, and the "wow" factor on arrival is just staggering. Out of the blue, blue ocean, set against the blue, blue sky erupts an explosion of color in the form of bright yellow and pink fishermen's houses, that will take your breath away.

morning sun in Procida

Procida feels authentic. A weekend retreat for the people of Naples, it doesn't have the manic tourism and outdoor mall feel of nearby Capri.

Where to stay on Procida

I did spot one Tshirt shop while there, and I'm sure there must have been a couple more, but as you walk around town you feel as though you have stepped into some secret slice of shabby-chic Italian island life that hasn't been polluted by major retailers and Chinese manufacturers. 
It looks and feels real.

narrow streets of Procida

The streets are narrow and windy and in some places steep. You can spend hours just wandering around and exploring. 

pink houses in Procida

The perfect day trip to Procida would start by taking the very first ferry or hydrofoil from Naples. 
Walk around the port area and have an espresso or two, then take your time and discover the streets as they weave and wind up the hill, working your way over to Corricella. 

socks hanging out to dry on shutters

Marina Corricella, is a darling and picturesque sliver of a bay that backs onto a cliff made out of fisherman's houses. 

fishing nets drying in the sun, Corricella, Procida

Fishing nets lie out to dry along the waterfront and fishing boats moor against the sea wall - did I mention it feels authentic??

fishing boat moored in Marina Corricella

Marina Corricella is the perfect place to stop for lunch. There are several oceanfront restaurants to choose from, but we wound up taking in the view from Bar Graziella. The hilarious and engaging owner Vincenzo opened Bar Graziella in 1964, and apparently was the first restaurant in Corricella.
The food is bountiful and inexpensive. We ordered a platter of seafood antipasti and a salad, supposedly an order for one person, but there was more than enough for 4! 

Lunching under the umbrellas at Bar Graziella, Corricella, Procida

After lunch walk along the eastern shore from Corricella to Chaia beach. You'll take a long flight of stairs to the sand but you need the walk to burn off lunch.

streets of procida

When you are done beaching head either on foot or by bus up to Terra Murata and Abbazia di San Michele. You can check out the walled fortress which was at one time a monastery and until recently a prison, take in the stunning panoramic views of the Bay of Naples. Here from the highest point on the island you can walk down through the two stone gateways into the still inhabited idyllic settlement of Terra Murata. Wander around some more, and make sure you visit the art filled, romantic little church, Abbey of St Michael.

selfie in Celine sunglasses in Procida

Sightseeing done, make your way back to the port and enjoy a locally made gelato before boarding your hydrofoil back to Napoli.

Limon Gelato, Procida

My only regret about the Glam Italia 2 Tour is that I allowed just one day in Procida. 
Although the island is small, it is the perfect place to escape to. You can stay here for days on end doing nothing much at all. Evenings on Procida are said to be magic. This is the ideal spot to sneak away to with your Italian lover, or to plan a little romantic getaway.

Another place to stay on Procida (check out these photos!)

From nearby Ischia it is 30 minutes by boat, from Naples 40 minutes by hydrofoil.

All images in this post apart from the one noted, were taken with my iPhone during the Glam Italia 2 Tour. Please do not use any of them without written permission from me.

Things You Probably Didn't Know About Pompeii

I've been fascinated with Pompeii for as long as I can remember.
Until I was 14 I desperately wanted to be an archaeologist, and from the very moment I first heard about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, all roads lead to Pompeii.

Most of the bodies were gone this trip, on loan to museums and Expo

I absolutely love going to Pompeii, but every time I'm there it feels like I need more time, and I make plans with myself to go back for days on end, which so far has never happened.

The Corinna B's World Glam Italia II Tour was just in Pompeii a couple of weeks ago with me doing the tour guide thing. 

Tour guiding in Pompeii on an incredibly hot, sweltering, humid day.
No chance of looking glam!

I love teaching people about Pompeii, especially the things that most people don't know, so today on the blog I'm giving you 18 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Pompeii 

1. In A.D 62 a massive earthquake severely damaged Pompeii. The city's rebuild was getting its finishing touches when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in A.D 79

2. There were no wealthy areas in Pompeii - rich and poor lived side by side. The city was designed to allow all citizens to live in comfort, regardless of income or social standing.

3. There was free bread for all - no one went hungry in Pompeii. To ensure against popular discontent the powers decided on "Bread and Circuses" or bread and games for all. Not only could citizens live without worries about food, they also were given free entertainment in the form of gladiator fights, with events happening up to 100 days per year. 

People had free time to do other things, including creating great art.

4. Pompeii had a clever 3 tiered water system. One tier took water into the wealthier private homes, giving them running water. A second fed water into the city for sanitation, and a third fed the fountains. If there was a drought or if water was running scarce they would shut off the tier to the private homes first, then the sanitation water second, so that there would still be the third channel running, keeping water available for everyone to drink.
The problem was there was no sewer system, so waste flowed down the streets.

Some of the water fountains in Pompeii are still working. You can refill your water bottles as you meander around.

5. There were 42 water fountains in Pompeii, ensuring that no citizen had to walk more than 1 minute from home to get fresh, cool water. Some of them are still working, enabling visitors to fill their water bottles while walking around.

6. The big homes had elaborate, huge bathrooms.

Taking long, relaxing baths was considered to be one of the greatest pleasures in life, and as such bathrooms were designed to be beautiful, with mosaic floors and frescoes walls.

Looking down a street in Pompeii.
In A.D. 79 there would have been bold colors painted on the houses, and lush foliage all around.

7. Houses were 2 stories, and we're actually very well built.

8. Much is known about life in Pompeii through the graffiti on the walls. Paper was not widely available, so people would scratch messages into the walls with nails. Love notes, meetings, political aspirations, public announcements, missing persons notices, notes to neighbors, running bar tabs - all were perfectly preserved on the outdoor walls. 

9. The citizens of Pompeii had no idea that Vesuvius was a volcano - it hadn't erupted in 1800 years. Prior to the eruption there was no crater at the top of Vesuvius, instead it just looked like every other mountain in the area. Vesuvius had extremely fertile land which was well farmed, and had many communities living on it.

10. The wine shops/bars in Pompeii stayed open all night long.

11. There was 18 hours of pumice and ash raining down on Pompeii before the lava flowed.

12. This volcanic ash sealed bodies where they fell and then hardened, creating perfect human shaped forms. As the bodies decomposed they left hollow spaces in the hardened ash. Archeologists poured plaster into the hollows, creating casts that are so detailed you can see the moment of death in their faces.

13. Pompeii's population was estimated to be between 15, 000 and of which it is estimated 2, 000 were killed. Which means most of the town's people escaped in the days leading up to the eruption.

14. At the time of the eruption there was no word for volcano in latin.

15. Pompeii and it's stretch of coastline were a popular resort area where wealthy Romans had their summer villas. The exuberant sex lives of the Romans, which were well documented in local art, lead the area to be known as the "Love Coast". (I only recently read this last part, but if it is true, it's pretty funny).


16. There were 40 bakeries in Pompeii, and by many accounts 30 brothels. This has been questioned however as any building with erotic art has been labeled a brothel. 
The main brothel was the Lupanare, which features paintings of the many different sexual positions available to customers.

On the menu at the Lupanare, Pompeii

17. Pompeii was full of erotic art.

18. In the 16th century letters written by Pliny the Younger were discovered, describing the eruption as viewed from across the bay at Misenum where he watched with his uncle, Pliny the Elder. These letters give us an in depth account of how the events of the day progressed, including Pliny The Elder's attempt to rescue friends from the beach at Herculaneum, which ultimately led to his death. 

Pompeii is a suburb of Naples and is easy to access by train. You can make a day trip from Rome, or visit for a few hours from Sorrento or Salerno on the Amalfi Coast.