How Napoli is cleaning up in the tourist trade

AKA ‘Notes from Naples’

It’s said to represent the best and worst of Italy, and whether or not that’s some kind of back-handed compliment depends entirely on your point of view, but one thing’s for sure is that Naples – or Napoli, which even most non-Italians now prefer – is an assault on the senses like no other. And there’s nothing back-handed whatsoever about that compliment.

It’s been ten years since I visited this most unique of cities. Back then it stood out even in Italian terms, a nation where every place has an identity all of its own. A chaotic mess it most certainly was, but effortlessly charming with it. I’ll also admit it was slightly overwhelming, but like Napoli itself, I’ve changed since then.

Whatever, there’s no denying that it wasn’t everyone’s cup of cappuccino, and maybe still isn’t, but it’s cleaned up its act remarkably well. If you’re expecting the manicured streets of Vienna, you may want to have a rethink. Security is ever-present as soon as you arrive, and crossing the road isn’t the art form it once needed to be (although it’s still not to be taken too lightly). The train station has expanded into a mini-retail paradise, and there’s a thriving row of ristorantes lining the left-hand side of the Piazza Garibaldi as you exit.

Speaking of which, food is life here in true inimitable Italian style, and in Napoli pizza is everywhere. Almost as ever-present is the late footballing icon Diego Maradona, but pizza was here first so it’s only fair he’s beaten narrowly into second place. If you happen to be an England fan still sore about that goal in Mexico ’86, you might want to avoid Napoli; yes, Maradona is truly everywhere.

And if it’s pizza you’re after (and let’s face it, why wouldn’t you be?) you’ve come to the right place. The most famous of all is Pizzeria da Michele, and reckoned by many to be the best in the world. Is it? I had to find out for myself, and the verdict was good but not as phenomenal as I was lead to believe. Too much on the soggy side for my liking, which is apparently due to the extra whey in the mozzarella, but I guess that’s personal preference. Anyway, at five euros and fifty cents it’ll cost you next to nothing to form an opinion of your own.

But in true Travel Man style, with almost exactly a mere 48 hours before I had to catch the bus to the airport (a bargain of a journey at five euros), time was of the essence and so I made sure to make my choice of activity a memorable one. Enter the Teatro San Carlo and the opening night of Madame Butterfly. For myself, an opera virgin, what a show and overall experience it was. World-class performers doing their thing in a theatre that’s been standing since 1737, all for the princely sum of 35 euros? It’d cost you more to watch a game at the City Ground – scandalous when you put it that way. ‘Supertitles’, which is basically opera speak for subtitles, were also provided throughout the show in Italian and English. Apparently, this is the done thing due to the libretto (script) being one of the four integral components of such shows, but they’re best ignored even though it’s impossible not to be drawn to them at times.

If you fancy a day outside of Napoli, or a little longer, the Circumvesuviana subway means that Pompeii, Sorrento and even the stunning island of Capri are a mere hop, skip and jump away. You could easily spend a fortnight in this part of Italy and enjoy a wide range of experiences without getting at all travel-weary. By Southern Italian standards, English is spoken but still not so abundantly that some basic volcabulary doesn’t go amiss. A city tax, something Venice has only just cottoned onto, has long been a thing here, but at six euros who really cares?

So that’s a quick rundown of Napoli for you – well, I was only there for 48 hours. It’s definitely a case of “I’ll be back” and a city not to be missed, whilst certainly more representative of the best of Italy these days. Have you visited, or are planning on visiting the jewel in Campania‘s crown? Give us your thoughts below.