| While Rome may be the most popular city for some in Italy, many
travelers feel Naples better reflects the true feeling of the
country. As with most Italian cities, Naples possesses a very
storied history and is well known for its wide variety of culture,
arts, music, architecture, and cuisine. The ancient city is
actually one of the oldest in the world and was originally founded
back in the eighth century by the Greeks. No matter who’ been
running it, Naples has always been a major cultural center, it still
is and always will be. In fact, its city center, which is the
largest in Europe by area, is listed as a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO.
Italians love the city as much as the tourists and it’s the most
densely populated major city in the land. However, there’s plenty of
room to enjoy yourself without having to worry about overcrowding on
the city streets.
While Naples is quite well off in terms of economic strength and
its port is one of the busiest in Europe, its charm comes from the
thriving cosmopolitan vibe it gives off. Yes, there still are quite
a few large businesses there, such as the media giant Center Rai,
and a NATO base. But most people prefer the cultural and historic
sites it has to offer, such as Villa Rosebery, which is one of the
Italian President’s three official residences.
Walking around Naples, it’s hard to imagine it was the most
bombed city in the country during the Second World War. Its business
district known as the Centro Direzionale was rebuilt with several
impressive skyscrapers.
You can’t go to Naples without trying its world-famous pizza,
which was introduced there back in 1889, and it’s hard not to visit
the opera at Teatro di San Carlo, which is the largest and oldest in
Italy. You can’t walk around the city either without running into a
series of interesting fountains, castles, churches, monuments, and
ancient buildings. Many of these structures feature architecture
from the Medieval, Baroque, and Renaissance eras. If you’re worried
about missing church during your trip, there’s no need to as the
city is home to about 450 historical churches.
Most people gather around the Piazza del Plebiscito, which is the
main square. The Royal Palace lays to the east of it and the church
of San Francesco di Paola to the west. If you’re more interested in
doing some shopping, you can visit Galleria Umberto to check on the
deals and soak in the Neapolitan social life.
Other well known and impressive sites include: Castel Nuovo,
Castel dell'Ovo, and Sant'Elmo as well as a host of historical
museums, which include The Naples National Archaeological Museum,
the Museo di Capodimonte, the Palazzo Como, and the Pietrarsa
railway museum. If you’d like to do some reading, you should visit
the Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III, which is one of
Italy’s national libraries.
You will also be fascinated with what takes place underneath the
ground in Naples as there are numerous structures and caves which
form part of an underground geothermal zone. There are also ancient
Greco-Roman reservoirs as well as miles of tunnels which can be
accessed from the Napoli Sotteranea, which is located in the city
center Via dei Tribunali.
Gardens, public parks and villas are also plentiful when you’re
back above the ground and you’ll find scores of restaurants and
hotels that fit all budgets. There is so much to see and do in the
30 quarters sections of the city and you’ll be treated to a
Mediterranean climate while you’re exploring them.
When you’d like to visit some of the outer areas of the city,
there are excellent highways to take you there. In town, you can
easily get around by the many buses, trams, trolleys, and
funiculars. The Naples Metro is a fine underground system and there
are several train and bus routes. If you’d like to go down to the
water, there are ferry, hydrofoil, and catamaran operations in
service.
It’s virtually impossible to enjoy everything Naples has to offer
in just a few days, unless you plan on exploring the city 24 hours a
day. Which is very tempting indeed.
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