|
|
|
 |
Pompeii |
Herculaneum |
Sorrento |
Naples, |
Salerno |
Positano |
Amalfi City &
Coast |
Ischia and
Capri.- the famed islands in the Bay of Naples
|
Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park
|
Mount Vesuvius |
Paestum Greek temples |
unified public
transport ticket
Campania Unico. |
Ferry during summer
months from
Salerno,
Naples,
Positano,
Amalfi |
National train lines go
from
Naples to
Salerno |
Salerno is an ideal
stopping off point on the way to
Paestum,
Pompeii or
Positano, or the
Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, which is a
lesser known
UNESCO World Heritage site. Placed as it is at one
end of the
Amalfi Coastline, it is an important passing point
for the local tourism scene. |
Campania is a good base for exploring other
regions of southern Italy such as
Basilicata,
Calitri,
Calabria and
Apulia, as well as
Sicily. |
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|
|
A package deal to island of
Ishia in 2006
Under Vesuvius @ sottoilvesuvio.it
Around Naples in English by Jeff Mathews
Public Fountains
The Cavern of Mithra
now a parking garage.
Learn more about Mithras who was a lot more of the Roman in
"Roman Catholic" than people realize
agrituris
moseliano.it
cooking classes near Pasteum |
|
The stunning Divina Costiera (Divine Coast) harbours ancient and
charming fishing towns such as Sorrento, Positano, Ravello and Amalfi.
The region's white cliffs and azure waters make this one of Italy's most
popular tourist destinations
Naples
Guide |
The metropolitan area of Naples is the second
most populated in Italy and one of the largest in all of Europe
with around 3.8 million people. In the central area.
Naples, south of Rome in the Campania region, is the third
largest city in Italy with a
population of around 1 million people. It is
like nowhere else in Italy which the locals are
proud to admit. A city in which culture, art and light mix
with the obscure darkness of a hidden, underground world
many millennia in the making. Naples is
also on the way up as a visitor destination. The government has
been successful in reclaiming the streets and now can point to
greater outdoor dining, busy piazzas and a growing number of
visitors all in inverse ratio to the decreased crime.
However, extra caution is
still in order as pick pocketing remains relatively common.
Besides contributing the invention of pizza to
the global culture it is also very proud of its
Neapolitan
musical heritage including the invention
of the romantic guitar and the mandolin as well as strong
contributions to opera and folk standards. There are popular
characters and figures who have come to symbolise Naples, this
includes patron saint of the city Januarius, Pulcinella
and the Sirens from epic Greek poem the Odyssey.
Naples is called the Parthenopaen City because
according to legend the Siren Parthenope gave
her name to the
 |
the original nucleus of
the city called Parthenope originated near the
tomb of the young siren who had lived in the seas around
the Sorrento peninsula. Today Naples is still a
fascinating siren who never ceases to enchant visitors
to her shores. |
town. In fact, its origins are greek: It
was conquered by the Romans in the 4th century B.C. Rich
inhabitants of Rome like Virgil, Augustus, Tiberius, Nero used
to spend the winter there, but the Neapolitans themselves
retained the Greek language and customs until the decline of
Empire.
The French Pope Clement VI called Charles I of
Anjou to the throne of Naples. His son, Charles II and is
grandson, Robert I, succeeded him. Robert the Wise, whose
brother Louis became Bishop of Toulouse and was canonised,
attracted poets, scholars and artists to this court.
The gritty port city is often overlooked by
visitors but it has many worthwhile attractions with many
walkable from the main passenger pier. Enjoy the best pizza in
Italy in the city where it was invented and be sure to order
insalata Caprese with Buffalo Mozzarella as most of the
production of the mozzarella occurs here in the region of
Campania
Via Toledo , the
main street of the city, edges the old centre from the
Palazzo Reale up to the Museo Nazionale Archeologico
and the heights of Capodimonte ; to the left rises the
Vómero , with its fancy housing and museums, and the
designer-clad streets in the neighbourhood of Chiaia , beyond which lies the long
green boulevard of Riviera de Chiara , stretching around
to the districts of Mergellina and Posillipo. Wandering
down Spaccanapoli, the historic artery of the old town,
try to see something of the subterranean Graeco-Roman city that
lies underneath modern Naples.
For the best view of Naples' sprawling metropolis, travel to the
hilltop suburb of Vomero - an elite neighbourhood
separated from the never-ending hustle and bustle of the city
below.
 |
"Some
parts of the Campania region are covered with vineyards, such
as, for example, the Avellino area. This area produces some
famous wines: Greco di Tufo DOC, Taurasi DOCG and
Fiano di Avellino. The latter is ideal as an aperitif and
for accompanying fish dishes. Other wines to note are Lacryma
Christi del Vesuvio that can be white, red or rosé and
Aglianico del Taburno." |
 |
"Naples (Napoli) is
Italy's most controversial city: You'll either love it or hate
it. Is it paradiso or the inferno? It's louder, more intense,
more unnerving, but perhaps ultimately more satisfying than
almost anywhere else in Italy. |
|
Cappella Sansevero: The beauty of the Veiled
Christ is really astonishing, as well as the one of the
Disinganno and Pudicizia. The symbologies of the marble statues
are endless: from the noble family, passing to catholic,
arriving also to illuminati/Masonic meanings. The two body blood
reconstruction then is a real piece of great science.
- Address: Via Francesco di Sanctis
19, Naples Phone: 081/5518470
- Open: Mon. and Wed.-Sat. 10-6, Sun.,
10-1:30
- Metro: Dante
Cost: EUR 6
|
 |
"The city offers the tourist a perfect blend
of traditional, warm hospitality and a modern range of
facilities and, unlike other cities which are in themselves
museums, display cases for their art but with no real heart,
Naples is famous for the character and drama of its everyday
life which is played out by the people who have lived and worked
in the historic centre for centuries. |
Places to Eat |
most restaurants are family-run places used by locals
and as such generally serve good food at very reasonable
prices
|
Alberto's Ristorante Pizzeria [Via
Ferdinando Del Carretto 22] The
portions are huge. Anyway, incredible food no matter if you
choose pasta, meat or pizza!.......Il
Delicato Via Manzoni, San
Giorgio a Cremano... Neapolitan
people love their sweets. So it's obvious that Gran Bar
Riviera [Riviera di chiaia,
next to Mergellina]
should be open 24/ 7....
.Da
Michele: The best Pizza of Napoli -> best in the world....Brandi:
The best pizza
This pizzeria is historical and a must
see. It's the birthplace of Pizza Margherita. ...
Leon d’Oro [Piazza
Dante 48 metro is Piazza Dante]
our favourite of the
restaurants we tried in and around the Piazza Dante. It isn’t a
fancy place, but I loved its genuine feeling |
|
Nightlife |
Naples is now
becoming popular with a younger generation, especially
those from countries to the north. Undeterred by reports
of unfavorable conditions, they flood into the city and
lend it a new vitality.
The old part of the city is crammed with bars ;
the best thing to do is head for one of the lively and
glamorous central squares where the local ragazzi
hang out.
The hippest scene is at the
bars and cafes on Piazza Bellini, near Piazza
Dante.or Piazza Gesù
Nuovo. Bear in mind though, that things don't really
get going till at least 9pm.
 |
"English speaking staff. You can
find all types of people at Botany's,
from hippies to posh....La Mela is
supposed to be one of the "coolest" places to be
in Naples. People come just to show off and not
to have fun. ,,,Neapolitans aren't exactly
people that like to stay up all night long and
dance.
Arenile
di Bagnoli
A lot of
stylish Italian people dancing all night!....the
Piazza Bellini became our favourite spot
in which to end (and on one occasion to start!)
every evening. Quite near the university, it
attracts something of an intellectual crowd, and
the bars and cafés have a little of the feel of
Paris’s Left Bank One bar, Intra Moenia,
became a firm favourite" |
|
|
Pozzouli |
Pozzouli: Straggling westwards, the City of Naples
absorbs the neighbouring town of Pozzuoli, encompassing on the
way a (now) little-visited landscape of fumaroles and bubbling
craters and the grave of the great Roman poet and author of the
Aenad, Virgil Not many tourists venture to the Campi
Flegrei region – literally "fiery fields" – yet it is a
phenomenal area. This large volcanic tract lies west of Naples,
extending from what is now the suburb of Solfatara and into the
town of Pozzuoli and beyond. The Greeks first established a
settlement here; the Romans rebuilt and added to the development
with thermal baths as well as villas, theatres and more.
Pozzuoli contains some remarkable archaeological zones
including:
- Anfiteatro Flavio at Via Terracciano
(open 9am until sunset daily except Tuesday;), which is the
third largest amphitheatre in Italy;
- Rione Terra quarter at Largo Sedile di Porto
(open weekends only, 9am-6.15pm; ). At this excavated Roman
settlement, you head underground, beneath the current street
level of Pozzuoli, to walk along an ancient road dating from
194BC where you will see the remains of shops and taverns.
For more details on the Campi Flegrei sites, see
www.infocampiflegrei.it.
The most extraordinary of the sights is the
- Solfatara Crater
(the entrance is at Via Solfatara 16; open daily
8.30am-7pm;, which is a geothermal wonderland of hot
spitting mud, jets of sulphurous steam and bubbling sands.
|
Amalfi Coast Guide |
the Land of
Mermaids
along the Divina Costiera |
The Amalfi Coast, which begins at
Vietri sul
Mare and ends in Sorrento, is a succession of curves, small inlets,
romantic beaches and hidden bays, which offer breathtaking views.
From Sorrento: A short bus ride over the ridge south from Sorrento brings you
to the breathtaking Amalfi coastline. A bus was definitely the
way to see the sights here, because any driver on the
switchback-filled route must pay full attention to the road as
you hang in space above the crystal blue Mediterranean waters
till you arrive at the vertically inclined village of Positano.
Stairs and steep streets descended from the main route to the
fishing village’s main piazza, beach, and harbor. A nice place
for a day of swimming, sunning and shopping concluding with a
relaxing beachside dinner at a restaurant terrace.
Go diving a Li Galli
in the Punta Campanella Marine Reserve or take in the sun as you
stretch out on a towel at the Marina Grande Beach.
Find
a small patch of sand or pebbles for your towel at Positano,
Atrani, Maiori and Minori, or explore one of the many tiny
coves reached only by boat or rickety stairs down the cliffs.An
Amalfi Coast holiday should also include a visit to the historical and
artistic towns of Positano, Praiano and Massa Lubrense.
Amalfi:
A great place to start your Amalfi coast vacation is in the
picturesque seaside resort of Amalfi. Visit the 6th century Duomo,
containing the remains of St Andrew the Apostle. See the famous bronze
door and the stunning collection of mosaics that decorate the Duomo. and boasts arguably the most
beautiful cathedral in southern Italy.
The town of Amalfi was once a great naval power but was largely
destroyed by an earthquake in 1343,Chronologically, Amalfi is Italy's
first Maritime Republic. In Amalfi's heyday it rivalled Venice, Pisa and
Genoa, trading across the Mediterranean. Amalfi was the home of Flavio
Gioia, the inventor of the compass for the western world and codified
maritime law with its Tavole Amalfitane.
Conca dei Marini is best
known for the nearby Emerald Grotto (Grotta dello Smeraldo). This
is a deep cave in the cliffside, now invaded by the sea, in which the
water acquires a bewitchingly intense emerald green colour, when the sun
filters through inside. Also of great interest is the ceramic crib, 4m
below on the grotto bed and the stalactite and stalagmite formations.
Positano,
with a population of less than 4000, is a vertical rather than
horizontal town and has a charming facade of ice-cream coloured houses.
Luxury hotels and top class restaurants sit side by side with
innumerable boutiques, many specializing in the famous Positano fashion.
Traffic is excluded from much of the town, whose flower-bedecked narrow
alleys and steps create a unique and intimate setting and atmosphere.Summer dusk lasts till
almost 9pm.
Ravello: The
serene, traffic-free town of Ravello has charmed numerous writers,
musicians, actors and painters over the years, including Arturo
Toscanini, Leonard Bernstein, Virginia Woolf, D.H. Lawrence and Greta
Garbo.. It was here which inspired Wagner to write his opera Parsifal. Ravello is known as the
city of music and has always been a high class tourist destination for
those looking for tranquility. Along with
Positano, it is Ravello that defines the Amalfi Coast in most visitors'
minds. The view of the twin church towers and single pine from the
terrace of the Villa Rufolo is probably the most photographed on the
Amalfi Coast. Ravello is perched 350 metres above the sea, where cooling
breezes temper the summer heat
Praiano:The most secluded and unpretentious town along the Amalfi Coast is Praiano. Praiano is an ancient fishing village with a great past
located away from the most touristy areas and thus offering relatively
good value for this otherwise very expensive visitor zone.
Ferries:
Amalfi is well connected to Naples and Salerno and with the inauguration
of “Metro del Mare” it is possible to reach Cilento and the bay of “Baia
Domizia”. From Amalfi you can take a direct ferry to the islands of
Capri and Ischia and Positano. |
Salerno
Guide |
Further south, the port of Salerno
is an inviting place and gives access to the Hellenistic site of
Paestum and the uncrowded coastline of the Cilento
just beyond. A province capital in Campania, Salerno's history
dates from its establishment as a Roman town in about 194 BC
after the wars with Hannibal the Great.
Behind the city is a high rock surmounted by
an ancient castle, the Castle of Arechi, which dominates your
view while offering its own spectacular view overlooking the
city and the Bay. The Archeological Museum contains a rich
archive of documentation relating to the entire Province of
Salerno covering the pre-historic period up to ancient times
By Car: Take
highway A3 from either the south or the north and Exit at
Salerno.
By Train: Salerno, being one of the larger towns in Italy is
well-serviced by hourly trains going to and from any number of
cities.
By Ferry: Salerno ferry port operates services to Grimaldi,
Valletta, Malta and Palermo, Sicily. There is a ferry that runs
in the summer months from the Almafi Coast's Positano, Amalfi
and sometimes Minori. This is a much better way of enjoying the
journey, and you will arrive with a smile on your face. |
Pasteum |
- ancient
sister city to
Athens when the Greeks
ruled the Mediterranean sea |
Paestum was founded as a colony by the Greek city of Sybaris
around 600 B.C. and was first named Posidonia, in honor of the
god of the Sea. It flourished
with the rest of Magna Graecia through the 6th cent. B.C.
becoming the 2nd most important city during the golden age of
Greece. The ruins included a theater, centre square, and
even a basillica. The Basillica and the temple of Apollo were
the biggest in the world next to the Parthenon in Athens.
The Romans took the city in 273 B.C. and called it Paestum.
It is said these ruins are in better shape than any ruins in
Greece. Some find the grandeur of Paestum to be even more
awe-inspiring than Pompeii. The three Paestum temples are
all in the Archaic Doric style with heavy columns and capitals.
They are thought to be dedicated to the city's namesake Poseidon
(known to the Romans as Neptune), Hera and Ceres. The temples of
Neptune and Hera are located next to each other at the southern
end of the site, while the smaller Temple of Ceres is at the
northern end. You can walk up close to the temples, but they are
roped off to prevent interior access.
Originally called Poseidonia, the city of Neptune, (later
becoming Paestum under the Romans), the ruins are located on the
alluvial plain of the River Sele in the heart of Magna Grecia.
This area of southern Italy was colonised by the ancient Greeks
in the 6th century BC, when Doric temples were constructed to
honour the patron gods of the town: Neptune, Hera and Athena.
The most impressive of the three temples is the one dedicated to
Neptune at the southern edge of the site. Built in the 5th
century BC, it is the largest of the three at 60 metres long and
24 metres wide, with 14 fluted columns at the side and six at
the end. Its stone is golden and when it catches the evening
sun, the columns and entablature glow pink.
Northwest of the forum is a small Roman
amphitheater, of which only the southern half
is visible. In 1930, a road was built across the site, burying
the northern half. It is said by local
inhabitants that the civil engineer responsible was tried,
convicted and received a prison sentence for what was described
as wanton destruction of a historic site.
|
Address: Via
Magna Grecia 887
Phone: +39 0828
811 016
Website:
http://www.infopaestum.it
Location: 1 hr south of Salerno, 15 min from Agropoli, SW
Italian coast, Campania, Italy Hours: Site: daily 9am-1
hr before sunset;
Museum: daily 8:45am-7pm, closed 1st & 3rd Mon. Cost: €4 for
site or museum; €6.50 for both
From the motorway A3 SA-RC,
exit Battipaglia or Eboli,
then procede along the SS18 in direction Paestum. |
Capri
Island
Guide |
Rich in history, the island welcomes to its
famous Piazzetta Umberto I, those who love luxury and a
worldly lifestyle, and has a first rate range of hotels, all of
them luxurious and immersed in enchanting scenery where you live
life on the edge at cliff amidst Roman ruins.
Capri's most colourful square is Piazza Umberto, where you can
watch the many rich, famous and "beautiful" people passing by to
access the transit options on the car-free island.
Shop
for jewelry or designer fashion on the Via Vittorio Emanuele
or gaze out at the stunning view of the sea over a steaming
plate of Ravioli Caprese.
It’s CAH-pree, not
Ca-PREE |
Affectionately known as "the Blue Island" all around the coast of Capri
you will find hidden bays, almost totally immersed in semi
tropical vegetation, some of which can only be reached by boat,
superb rocky terraces carved out of the cliff face, tiny
sheltered pebble beaches, and sun soaked platforms, all just a
stone’s throw away from the Faraglioni rocks, the Blue Grotto or
the Punta Carena lighthouse.
The Blue Grotto is a partially submerged rock
cave where refracted sunlight turns the water and walls a
luminous blue. The cave was formed naturally, but Romans carved
out a small landing stage and nymphaeum at the back of the cave.
You enter through an opening that can be impossible in rough
seas in a small row boat. In theory, you can swim in, but the
fearsome rowboat operators don't look kindly on this, and it's
only really advisable when they're not around, before 9:30 a.m.
or just before sunset.
Gardens of Augustus
Ten minutes distance from the celebrated Piazza there is a
wonderful panoramic view of the island, where you can admire the
Marina Piccola Bay and the Faraglioni Rocks. It
was constructed at the start of the 1900 by the german steel
magnate Alfred Krupp.
From Anacapri take the Chairlift for a ten minute
ride where you will arrive at the top the mountain Solaro for a marvelous panoramic view
In Roman times, Capri was the preferred home
of the emperors
Augustus and Tiberius, for whom its isolation
offered a measure of protection from would-be assassins.
Tiberius' magnificent villa can be visited today, its sheer
scale and evident luxury never ceasing to amaze the modern
visitor
The glamour island of Capri off Italy's west coast in the
Tyrrrhenian Sea is accessed from the mainland town of Sorrento.
Budget travellers should make the crossing on the slower but
cheaper and more scenic ferry instead of the Capri hydrofoil.
The island is just six kilometres long. Cars are not allowed,
only porter buggies, taxis and buses and the ever present
scooters.
Villa Rentals
http://www.capriimmobiliare.it
www.trialtravel.com |
Ischia Island
Guide |
the "Green Island" |
 |
Ischia is large at 47 sq.kms. and a
relatively sparse population of 50,000
inhabitants. Its territory is divided into six
municipalities: among them the main one is the town of Ischia, |
therapeutic mud |
The Italian Ministry of Health produces a document that
has updates on which waters and muds are suitable for
therapeutic treatments and illness and diseases which
can be treated. According to this document, disease
which can be treated are: rheumatic diseases such as
arthrosis; respiratory diseases; dermatological diseases
such as psoriasis, atopical dermatitis, eczema (except
for exudative bladdery forms), chronic seborrhea;
gynecological diseases such as pelvis tissue sclerosis;
diseases of the gastroenteric apparatus such as
gastroenteric or bilious dyspepsia, and intestinal
disorders associated with constipation. |
Ischia is the largest island in the Golfo di
Napoli. For more than 2000 years people have been heading
there to take advantage of its therapeutic, mineral-rich
volcanic springs. The hot waters contain high levels of mineral
salt, sulphur and magnesium, and are said to cure arthritis,
asthma, infertility and a host of other ailments.
The town of Ischia, has two different centers: Ischia
Porto and Ischia Ponte. Ischia Porto is the commercial
center of the island and is named after the main port. Ischia
Ponte ("ponte" meaning "bridge" in Italian) is named for the
area surrounding and including the footbridge that was
constructed to connect the Castello Aragonese with the
island.
The harbour of Ischia was inaugurated on September
17th, 1854 by the King of Naples Ferdinand II of Bourbon, who
also built a small natural lake with an old volcanic crater.
They drained a marsh and built a thriving fish-breeding
enterprise. The king built a large villa and began entertaining
guests featuring the healing treatments of the geothermal
springs. In the 20th century, the island became favored for
building weekend getaway homes for the middle classes.
The main harbour features the church of Santa Maria di Porto
Salvo (Our Lady of Safe Harbour), also built by Ferdinand the
Bourbon. Not far from the port is a tram or Funicular leading to
the top of the hill called Montagnone (Big Mountain) where is a
lookout terrace from which you can look over the whole centre of
Ischia Porto, with Procida and the Phlaegrean
Fields in the background.
Mount Epomeo is the island’s highest mountain. It was
once an active volcano, you can now do the 3km hike to its top.
The spa town of Casamicciola retains
its Art Nouveau architecture. Sink into a spa in bubbly Ischia with its geothermal
springs:
67 fumaroles, 103 springs and 29 thermal spas that can help to
cure illnesses, tone up your body and spirit or simply help you
relax.
Popular among German tourists in particular. The island is a 45
minute ferry ride from Naples.
Pozzuoli The Cumana railline operates from Montesanto in
Naples and follows the coastline for approximately 20 km before
ending in Torregaveta (Bacoli). To reach the Pozzuoli harbour
you get off at the stop for Pozzuoli. The harbour is five minute
walk away.
|
Phlegraean Fields (Campi Flegrei) |
The Naples area is one of continuing intense
volcanic activity. Campi Flegrei is a volcanic area of intense
geological instability. Due to the bradyeyism (the slow upward
and downward movement of the earth's crust) in the whole area,
many Roman ruins are under water. It is the site of a mega
volcano. A huge ancient caldera is made up with approximately 40
ancient volcanoes, some of which are now filled with lakes such
as Lake Avernus. Ancient people thought this volcanic lake was
the entrance to the underworld, or Hades (Lago di Averno,
according to Homer and Virgil). Of these ancient volcanoes, the
Solfatara of Pozzuoli is without doubt the most interesting with
its bubbling mud pools and steam vent fumaroles. In many places
the ground is still hot. It is this, which gives this area its
Latin name, meaning the "Burning Fields".
Since Imperial times, the ancient Romans
already knew of Solfatara. It is said that the The Phlegraean
Fields' long history of dramatic ground movements is unsurpassed
anywhere in the world. Since Roman times, the ground level of
the caldera floor has varied by more than 12 meters. The floor
rose by at least 4-5 metres, in the 48 hours before the most
recent eruption in 1538 (Monte Nuovo). |
Procida Island
Guide |
Procida is the smallest and locally most
loved island of the three in the Bay of Naples.
The Avalos Palace, also named the Castle, is the
first landmark you see coming to Procida from Naples by ship. It
rises on the edge on the steep cliff of tufa, apparently
isolated but it hides on its back the whole old centre of Terra
Murata. The Avalos, noble and powerful family from Spain, had
the feudal domain over Procida since the early years of 16th
century and ruled the island up to the Bourbons came in 1734. Up
to 1500, the whole population of Procida was concentrated in the
old city centre of Terra Murata. Under the Spanish reign
of the Avalos an era of peace and prosperity resulted in a
population increase. Corricella, was settled as a
fishing village.
Sancio Cattolico on North side grew up around the harbor.
www.infoischiaprocida.it
. |
Sorrento
Guide |
Terraced gardens, mountains with
elegant steep cliffs and amazing
villas has been attracting visitors from all over the world for
many centuries if not millennia. From the Mediaeval Period to
modern times, it has been conquered by the Normans, Angevins,
Aragonese and Spanish. Visible signs of these cultural invasions
are still evident in the religious
and
civil architecture of the town. Later in the 1800s, tourism,
inlaid woodwork and embroidery were to become the new economic
activities.
Sorrento sits atop cliffs directly across the bay from
Naples. Although only a 90-minute ride away on the
Circumvesuviana train route circling the bay, Sorrento is a
world apart from Naple’s hustle and bustle. The town’s center of
cobbled streets stretches for a kilometer westward and a
half-kilometer northward from Piazza Tasso with its ring of
terrace caffes. The lively main thoroughfare, Corso Italia, has
a large selection of restaurants and small shops displaying
Sorrento’s leather goods and signature multi-pieced wood
engravings. Aromatic lemons cultivated in
fragrant gardens grow to a considerable size due to the mild
climate and there is a charming orchard in the center of town
whose future likely includes city sponsored development as it
evolves away from its role as a major package-holiday
destination.
In the network of lanes around its small old town area,
you can look in on studios engaged in the local, traditional art of
intarsia, or inlaid woodwork; visit the lovely 13th-century cloisters of
the church of St Francis (open daily 8am-1pm and 2pm-7pm; free); and, on
Via San Cesareo, pause by an open-sided frescoed cupola, known as the
Sedile Dominova, which now functions as a flamboyant working-man's club
but was originally the meeting point of the local nobility.
Sorrento overlooks the Bay of Naples with Mount Vesuvius
and the Phlegraean Fields all in view. This beautiful town of sunsets
and gardens can easily captivate you with the thought that there may be nothing finer
in this world than enjoying a drink with loved ones from an
elegant hotel terrace as the sun goes down in Sorrento.
|
sorrentotourism.com
Local tourist offices at Sant'Agata Sui Due Golfi, Massa
Lubrense and Sorrento (00 39 081 807 4033; will supply free
maps. |
sorrentotour.it ||Museums
||
Monuments ||Restaurants
||Shopping
||Nightlife
||Activities
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History
of Naples |
The history of the city can be traced back to
the 7th century BC when inhabitants of nearby Greek colony Cumae
founded a city called Parthenope, Cumae itself had been founded
by people from Euboea, Greece.[ The exact reasons for doing so
are not known for certain, but the Cumaeans built Neapolis
(meaning New City) next to the old Parthenope, around this time
they had held off invasion attempts from the Etruscans.[5] The
new city grew thanks to the influence of powerful Greek
city-state Siracusa and at some point the new and old cities on
the Gulf of Naples merged together to become one.
The city became an ally of the Roman Republic against Carthage,
the strong walls surrounding Neapolis stopped invader Hannibal
from entering. During the Samnite Wars, the city now a
bustling centre of trade, was captured by the Samnites, however
the Romans soon took it off them and made Neapolis a Roman
colony.The city was greatly respected by the Romans as a
place of Hellenistic culture, the people maintained their Greek
language and customs. Elegant villas, aqueducts, public baths,
an odeon, a theatre and the Temple of Dioscures were built, many
powerful emperors and Senators chose to holiday on the Bay.
Scipio the African, Silla, Tiberius, Caligola, Claudius, Nero,
Brutus and Lucullus found respite while Cicero, Horace, Pliny
the Elder and Virgil found inspiration. The Romans respected and
encourage the continuation of the genius of Greek synthesis of
Mediterranean culture into a what was becoming the cornerstone
of Western civilization.
It was during this period that
Christianity came to Naples; apostles St. Peter and St. Paul are
said to have preached in the city, also St. Januarius who would
become Naples' patron saint was martyred there |
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Fast Facts |
In Caserta, you
may want to take a gander at the 18th Century Bourbon palace
and gardens that some say are on par with Versailles.
Caserta is also famous for silk mills.
Avellino wineries can be visited, as well as Montevirgine,
a church that houses a painting of the Holy Mother said to have
curative powers. There is also an ancient Lombard castle there. |
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Volcano
of Vesuvius |
Journey and Ascent: |
By car: From Naples with
the A3, take the Torre del Greco or Ercolano exit.
By Circumvesuviana (train) : Get off in Ercolano and
drive by bus to the car park. A road leads you up through
beautiful vineyards, lava fields and the valleys Valle del
Gigante and Valle dell'Inferno. One can smell the typical smell
of broom bushes between May and August.
By bus: Buses run to this departure point
from outside Ercolano Scavi station, with tickets costing €7.60
(£5.80) for the 35-minute trip, or from Piazza Anfiteatro in
modern Pompeii (just outside the archaeological zone) for €8.60
(£6.60) for the 90-minute journey (
www.vesuvianamobilita.it ).
On foot the ascent leads you from the 1000m high parking
spot with its Souvenir and refreshment stands over a gravel road
to the top. When the weather is fine visitors can enjoy a
fantastic panoramic view. The ascent takes about half an
hour, with admission to the path costing €6.50 (£5) from the
Parco Nazionale de Vesuvio ticket office (
www.vesuviopark.it/grancono ; open 9am-5.30pm and until
6.30pm during the summer). The price includes the services of a
(mandatory) guide.
Sightseeing:
The ascent to the edge of the crater costs ca. 6 Euro. It closes
between 15 and 18 hours depending on the season. It is
recommendable to visit the Vesuvius on working days, as locals
like to visit it on weekends and this can lead to traffic jams. |
Churches |
Near Piazza del Gesù and Piazza S.Domenico
Maggiore is the New Jesuite Church
is among the most extravagant Baroque churches in the world!
Across the street you will find the Santa Chiara Monastery
[santachiara.info]. It is worth a visit for its beautiful garden decorated
with frescos and coulorful columns.
If you continue towards S. Domenico Square you will pass by the St Angelo on the Nile
Church with its Donatello's altar. The Sansevero Chapel
nearby is also well known for its marble sculptures of veiled
figures.
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Under Naples |
Beneath the lovely French Gothic church of San Lorenzo
Maggiore, at Via dei Tribunali 316, several ancient streets have
been excavated and, complete with the discernible remains of a
bakery, winery and laundry, are open to the public (Mon-Sat
9am-5.30pm; Sun 9.30am-1.30pm; ). |
Museums
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Naples National Archaeological Museum,
It contains an
unprecedented collection of Roman-Greco antiquities from
Pompeii, Stabiae, Herculaneum and other archaeological sites
located in and around the region of Campania. Other collections
of interest are the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, the Temple
of Isis in Pompeii and the Egyptian collection.
The Farnese Collection donated
by Charles of Bourbon contains many wonderful sculptures and
gems found at the
Baths of Caracalla in Rome.
National Archaeological Museum of
Naples
Piazza Museo 19, 80135 Napoli
Tel. 0814422149 - Fax 081440013
www.archeona.arti.beniculturali.it
Every day from 9 am to 7.30 pm
Closed on Tuesdays
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Museo Nazionale di
Capodimonte
The museum is located in the Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte, which
sits in an idyllic park on a hill overlooking Napoli. It
contains one of Italy’s finest painting collections.
Capodimonte Palace, built in the 18th-century in the time
of Charles III .
Via Miano,2 - Parco di Capodimonte
Tel. 0817499111
Every day from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm
Closed on Wednesdays
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Museum of San Martino
The Museum is in the large monastery complex St. Martin's
Charterhouse, that includes a church, a charterhouse, beautiful
monastery yards and a terraced garden, from which the visitor
has a breathtaking view on the Gulf of Napoli. Remarkable to see
is the Presepe Cuciniello, one of the finest nativity scenes in
the world.
Piazzale San Martino, 5
Tel. 0815788418
Every day from 8 am to 2 pm
Closed on Wednesdays |
Royal Palace
The eight statues on the façade are
of Neapolitan kings. Located in the heart of the city, the
square on which the palace stands is one of Naples's most
architecturally interesting, with a long colonnade and a church,
San Francesco di Paolo, that evokes the style of the Pantheon in
Rome. Visit the royal apartments. Charles de Bourbon, son of
Philip IV of Spain, became king of Naples in 1734 and was a
great patraon of the arts and science
Piazza del Plebiscito, 1
Tel. 081400547
Every day 9 am - 7 pm
Closed on Wednesdays |
Carthusian Monastery
of San Martino (Certosa di San Martino) & National Museum of San
Martino (Museo Nazionale di San Martino
Magnificently
situated on the grounds of the Castel Sant'Elmo, this museum was
founded in the 14th century as a Carthusian monastery. Now a
museum for the city of Naples, the church displays two
stately carriages, historic documents, ships' replicas, china
and porcelain, silver, Campagna paintings of the 18th and 19th
centuries, military costumes
Sant'Elmo Castle
Via Tito Angelini, 20
Tel. 0815784030
Every day 9 am - 7 pm
Closed on Wednesdays |
Castel dell'Ovo
This
2,000-year-old fortress overlooks the Gulf of Naples. It's said
that Virgil built it on an enchanted egg of mystical powers
submerged on the floor of the ocean. Legend has it that if the
egg breaks, Naples will collapse.By the 5th century, the villa
had become the home in exile for the last of the western Roman
emperors, Romulus Augustulus.
GETTING THERE:
Porto Santa Lucia (follow Via Console along the
seafront from Piazza del Plebiscito to Porto Santa Lucia; Castel
dell'Ovo is at the end of the promontory)
Borgo Marinari
Tel. 0812400055
Mondays - Saturdays 8.30 am - 5 pm. Sundays 8.30 am - 2 pm
Closed on Wednesdays |
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City Museum of Castel Nuovo (Maschio
Angioino)
Piazza Municipio - Napoli
Tel. 0817955877
Every day from 9 am to 7 pm - ticket office closes at 6 pm
Closed on Sundays
Museum Diego Aragona Pignatelli
Cortes
Riviera di Chiaia, 200
Tel. 0817612356
Every day from 8 am to 1.30 pm
Closed on Wednesdays
Industrial and Arts Museum
Piazzetta Salazar, 6
Tel. 0817647471
By booking only
Closed on Sundays
Arts Museum Donna Regina (Madre)
Via Settembrini, 79
Tel. 0815624672
Open on Saturdays and Sundays only, from noon to 8 pm
Museum of San Gennaro's Treasure
Via Duomo, 149
Tel. 081294980
Weekdays 9.30 am - 8.30 pm. Sundays and holidays 10 am - 7 pm
Closed on Mondays
Sea Museum
Via Pozzuoli, 5
Tel. 0816173794
Every day 9 am -1 pm / 3 pm - 7 pm
Closed on Sundays
Santa Chiara Museum
Via Santa Chiara, 49
Tel. 0815521597
Mondays - Saturdays 9.30 am - 5.30 pm. Sundays 9.30 am - 1.30 pm
Pan - Palazzo delle Arti Napoli
(Arts Palazzo of Naples)
Palazzo Roccella,Via dei Mille ,60
Tel. 0817958605 - 7410067
Weekdays 9.30 am - 7 pm. Sundays and holidays 9.30 am - 2 pm
Closed on Tuesdays
San Severo Chapel
Via Francesco De Sanctis, 19
Tel. 0815518470
Mondays - Saturdays 10.30 am - 5.30 pm. Sundays and holidays 10
am - 1 pm
Closed on Tuesdays |
in
Sorrento |
MUSEO CORREALE DI TERRANOVA
SORRENTO - Tel. 0818781846
Monday - Sunday: 9 - 14
Closed on Tuesday
MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO GEORGES VALLET
PIANO DI SORRENTO Tel. 0815341050
Tuesday - Sunday: 9-13 e 16-19
Closed on Monday
MUSEUUM WORKSHOP OF WOODEN TARSIA
SORRENTO Tel. 0818771942
Tuesday - Sunday: 9.30/13 - 17/20
Closed on Monday
MINERALOGICAL MUSEUUM
VICOEQUENSE - Tel. 0818015668
Tuesday - Saturday: 9 - 13 e 17 - 20
Holidays: 9 - 13 - Closed on Monday |
Royal Palace at
Caserta |
For many years, and especially
under the Bourbon kings, Naples was one of the great capital
cities of Europe. It reached its cultural zenith during the
reign of Charles IV, who later became Charles III of Spain. He
built Caserta to rival Versailles. A 45-minute train ride from
Naples Central station. The palace was the last great building
of the Italian baroque, with 1200 extravagant and exquisite.
rooms. The majestic main staircase, whose 116 steps were all
carved from one gigantic block of ston.
We also owe to Charles we
owe the magnificent Teatro San Carlo, Italy's largest opera
house, which you should visit on a morning tour; during his
reign Herculaneum and Pompeii were discovered, the palaces of
Portici and Capodimonte were built and the Archeological Museum
was founded. |
Pizza |
The Neapolitans take
their pizza very seriously.
Purists,
like the famous pizzeria “Da Michele” in Via C.Sersale (founded:
1870) consider there to be only two true pizzas – the
“Marinara” and the “Margherita” and that is all they serve. The
Marinara is the oldest and has a topping of tomato, oregano,
garlic, extra virgin olive oil and usually basil. It was named
“Marinara” not, as many believe, because it has seafood on it
(it doesn't) but because it was the food the fishermen ate when
they returned home from fishing trips in the Bay of Naples. |
Mt. Vesuvius |
. It can be visited quite
easily; the road approaches to within about 200 metres of the
summit, leaving only about 30 minutes walk on a good track to
reach the crater rim. The barren landscape at the summit
contrasts with the lush vegetation on the lower slopes, where
some of the most ancient vines in Italy flourish in the rich
volcanic soil. Steam emanating from fissures in the rocks
provides the only clue to the immense energy that lurks beneath
the surface. A surreal environment that demands to be
experienced. |
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