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The city is rich in age-old history and contradictions. As a tourist, you have to decide which of its many attributes you want to focus on, the mysterious and fascinating aspect which has its roots in legends, or whether you prefer to focus on the city’s more brutal and violent side, which is just as intriguing and displays the wounds of its turbulent history.
A minute of History:
The area surrounding Naples has a Greco-Roman history that makes the city look like the new kid on the block. The Greeks set out to Hellenize Italy's boot in the 6th and 7th centuries BC by settling here at Cumae. Later, the Romans used the area as one giant playground. Both groups left ruins for modern-day explorers to peruse.
Where to go:
ANFITEATRO FLAVIO: Despite the wear and tear of the millennia and the loss of some of its masonry to lime-making in the Middle Ages, the site (seating capacity, 40,000) is one of the marvels of Roman architecture in the Campi Flegrei area.
ANFITEATRO FLAVIO:
Despite the wear and tear of the millennia and the loss of some of its masonry to lime-making in the Middle Ages, the site (seating capacity, 40,000) is one of the marvels of Roman architecture in the Campi Flegrei area.
Attractions:
HERCULANEUM (ERCOLANO):
A visit to Herculaneum neatly counterbalances the hustle of its larger neighbor, Pompeii. And although close to the heart of the busy modern town of Herculaneum -- indeed, in places right under it -- the ancient site seems worlds apart, and you have the sensation of being catapulted back into the past
Activities:
The tourist who lands in Naples finds themselves immediately immersed in the scenery of Il Piazza Municipio which is itself dominated by the impressive mole del Maschio Angioino or Castel Nuovo; Teatro San Carlo, the splendid Galleria Umberto I° and the spectacular Piazza del Plebiscito behind the façade of the majestic Palazzo Reale,the semicircular colonnade and the domes of the splendid Basilica di San Francesco di Paola are all close to one another and just waiting to be seen. Heading down towards the sea, you’ll come upon Santa Lucia and then Borgo Marinaro where the Castel dell’Ovo stands in all its glory.
Alternative Activities:
To the east of Naples around the bay lie Pompeii and Herculaneum (Ercolano), the most completely preserved cities of classical antiquity, along with their nemesis, Il Vesuvio. Ash and mud from Vesuvius preserved these towns almost exactly as they were on the day it erupted in AD 79. The ominous, towering profile of the volcano is inseparable from the Bay of Naples area, and the ferocious power it can unleash is so vivid that you may be overwhelmed by the urge to explore the crater itself.
Gastronomy:
It may take a while before pizzerias around the globe actually hang the logo in their windows. But the city of Naples wants it to eventually be a sign of quality as distinctive as the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata, or denomination of controlled origin) on wine labels. The logo will be blue, with Mt. Vesuvius in the background, a red pizza with mozzarella in the center, and Pizza Napoletana written across the foreground. Make sure you're the first to spot it!
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