Get caught up in the passion of Naples 🇮🇹

A look at this soulful southern Italian city and how you can soak up its considerable charm.

View in browser PICTURE YOURSELF IN… Naples So much passion… and also pizza.🍕 I’m not sure there’s any city in Italy that feels more alive than Naples.  The first time I visited, all of the following happened within the first 24 hours:  ✔️ I listened to a fishmonger sing a song on a street corner. ✔️ Had a transcendent experience gazing at tiny solid-gold ornaments that once decorated the gown of a woman in ancient Pompeii. ✔️ Was given an impromptu tour of an 18th-century baroque church by its custodian, simply because I was standing on a sidewalk and looking confused while holding a map.  ✔️ Was told by a complete stranger, “You are my future widow.”  I also ate pizza. Pizza-eating is a must-do in Naples, as any guidebook – including ours – will tell you. But the charm and beauty of this city is in its in-between moments, in its bustling market and honking mopeds, its dust-covered streets and bottomless blue waters. Maybe it derives its sense of sheer passion from Mt Vesuvius, a looming reminder of past (and possibly even future?) danger. When you visit, gaze up at its gently steaming summit, raise a glass of guarnaccia – or maybe just espresso –  in deference to its somnolent power, and drink deep of this wonderful city. Here’s more about Naples from our Italy writer Virginia DeGaetano.   Laura Motta Senior Director of Content       FEATURED STORY The absolute best places to eat in Naples Yes, there is pizza. But there is also Michelin-starred pasta, fresh seafood, organically grown produce and so much more. Here’s where to enjoy all of it. Read more Immerse yourself Here’s how to save time, energy and money on your trip to Naples. When to visit Naples These are the best times to experience Naples, whether you’re seeking the best weather or the smallest crowds. Read more  Local Tip: Head there between November and March for mostly empty museums and archeological sites. Best things to do when you get there This city heaves with “once-in-a-lifetime” attractions, and that’s before you even get to Pompeii. Read more  Local Tip: Rewind to the 2nd Century at the vibrantly frescoed Catacombs of San Gennaro. What to know before you go Breeze through this complicated, bustling city like a pro with these easy-to-remember guidelines. Read more  Local Tip: Small shops may not accept cards and prefer to be paid in cash. Getting around Naples How to avoid traffic jams and make the most of public transportation in busy Naples. Read more  Local Tip: Taxi fare from the airport is fixed. Check current rates before you ride. WHERE TO GO WHEN The best places to visit in March No matter what you’re looking for, it’s a rewarding time of year to hit the road.   Read more Ask an Insider Lonely Planet writer Virginia DeGaetano's family hails from Nocera Inferiore and Pagani, two towns in Campania that are very much tied to Naples; they emigrated to New York City in the 1900s. She can't recall how many times she's visited Naples, but describes it as a place where she has felt most like herself.  What should people do in Naples right when they arrive? I always tell people to walk – through the Quartiere Spagnolo, Chiaia, Montesanto, Vomero. See something that will become yours. I could tell you how one of the most perfect moments of my life happened in the Bosco di Capodimonte, but you could never replicate it. Let it find you. Naples will take care of the rest. Naples has a reputation for being gritty and unsafe. Thoughts on this?  Walter Benjamin talked about how the streets of Naples were like a living room, and I think that’s still the case. I have never felt unsafe there, and I think it’s an incredibly welcoming place. But I’m from New York; people seem to think the Bronx is a no-man’s land. But for me, it’s home.  “I have walked through Naples and understood exactly what love is.” – Virginia DeGaetano Everyone talks about pizza, but what else should people eat in Naples? Look, there’s a reason everyone talks about pizza in Naples: it is transcendent. But it’s certainly not the only thing. The coffee is sublime, and if you’re not sampling the sfogliatelle in Naples then I’m not sure what purpose there is in life.  Naples is such a passionate city. How have you experienced this in your time there? I have walked through Naples and understood exactly what love is, that feeling that is very nearly beyond words and can only be sensed when you’re holding the arm of someone who means everything to you. Naples is the very essence of lyrical humanity. What’s something new – or newish – that visitors should consider seeing in Naples? I love to go through the Toledo metro station, which was designed by Oscar Tusquets Blanca and completed about 10 years ago after some legendary delays. And Naples has some of the greatest street art in the world, so you really just need to wander around and look up (or down, or left, or right). Love travel inspiration in your inbox? Share with a fellow travel-lover by forwarding to a friend. Did someone share this email with you?  Subscribe by clicking here.  This email was sent to you by: Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 © 2022 Lonely Planet Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy