Naples, south of Rome in the Campania region, is the third largest city in Italy and has a lot to offer to the traveler. Naples is a lot of fun, Sunny, lively, sassy and simply unforgettable. Superbly positioned on a bay, Naples has a little – and often a lot – of everything. It pulsates with noisy street markets and their colourful characters. Naples is music, theatre, Vesuvius, coffee, pizza and the sea… all those colors, sounds and aromas that capture your attention, win you over and seduce you.

All Rights Reserved – Trey Ratcliff – From Stuck In Customs

Naples is a mixture of heart-stopping beauty, life-threatening chaos and a strong sense of life being lived to its limits, right in your face. If Milan is Italy’s ego, Naples is its id. Squeezed in between Europe’s second-largest active volcano on one side and the sulphurous springs and boiling mud pools of the Flegrean fields on the other, all hemmed in by the blue bay around which the city clusters.

Arrival By plane: Naples Capodichino Airport (NAP) is about 8km northeast of the city centre, it is southern Italy’s main airport, linking Naples with most Italian and several major European cities. For getting to or from the airport, there are two possibilities: ANM bus 3S (30mins, every 15mins) from Piazza Garibaldi, or the Alibus airport bus (20mins, at least hourly) from Piazza Municipio. Alternatively you can get a taxi.

By train: The central station of Naples is very well connected to the rest of Italy by a very frequent train service. The city is served by regionale, diretto, Intercity and the superfast Eurostar trains. They arrive and depart from Stazione Centrale (tel: 081 554 31 88) or Stazione Garibaldi (on the lower level). There are up to 30 trains daily to/from Rome.

The Ferrovia Cumana and the Circumflegrea (tel: 800 00 16 16), based at Stazione Cumana on Piazza Montesanto, 500m (0.3mi) southwest of Piazza Dante, operate services to Pozzuoli (every 22mins) and Cuma (six per day). The Circumvesuviana (tel: 081 772 24 44; Corso G Garibaldi), about 400m (0.25mi) southwest of Stazione Centrale (take the underpass from Stazione Centrale), operates trains to Sorrento via Ercolano, Pompeii and other towns along the coast. There are about 40 trains daily running between 05:00 and 22:30 with reduced services on Sunday.

By bus: Most buses for Italian and some European cities leave from Piazza Garibaldi in front of Stazione Centrale. Check destinations carefully or ask at the information kiosk in the centre of the piazza because there are no signs. Maco (tel: 080 310 51 85) has buses to Bari (3hrs); Miccolis (tel: 099 735 37 54) runs to Taranto (4hrs), Lecce (5.5hrs) and Brindisi (5hrs), while CLP (tel: 081 531 17 07) serves Foggia (2hrs), Perugia (3.75hrs) and Assisi (4.75hrs).

You can buy tickets and catch SITA (tel: 081 552 21 76; www.sita-on-line.it, Italian only) buses either from the port, Varco Immacolatella, or from Via G Ferraris, near Stazione Centrale; you can also buy tickets at Bar Clizia (Corso Arnaldo Lucci 173). Within Campania, SITA runs buses to Pompeii (40mins) and several other towns on the Amalfi Coast, and Sa lerno (by motorway). Casting wider, it also links Naples with Bari (3hrs) and operates a service to Germany, including Dortmund via Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf. You can connect from this service for Berlin and Hamburg.

By boat: Ferries and hydrofoils leave for Capri, Sorrento, Ischia, Procida and Forio from Molo Beverello in front of the Castel Nuovo. Longer-distance ferries for Palermo, Cagliari, Milazzo, the Aeolian Islands (Isole Eolie) and Tunisia leave from the Stazione Marittima, next to Molo Beverello. Alilauro and SNAV also operate hydrofoils to Ischia, Procida and Capri from Mergellina. Tickets for shorter journeys can be bought at the ticket booths on Molo Beverello and at Mergellina. For longer journeys try the offices of the ferry companies or travel agents.

By car: Naples is on the major north-south Autostrada del Sole, numbered A1 (north to Rome and Milan) and A3 (south to Salerno and Reggio di Calabria). The A30 skirts Naples to the northeast, while the A16 heads northeast to Bari.

When approaching the city, the motorways meet the Tangenziale di Napoli, a major ring road around the city. The ring road hugs the city’s northern fringe, meeting the A1 to Rome and the A2 to Capodichino airport in the east and continuing towards Campi Flegrei and Pozzuoli and the west.

City Transport An energetic walker armed with a streetmap can see most of central Naples on foot. However, Naples is a large, sprawling city, so sooner or later it’s recommendable to use the means of public transport which includes buses, trams, funiculars and Metro trains. Most city ANM buses depart from Piazza Garibaldi. The mostly above ground underground, Metropolitana, runs from Gianturco, just east of Stazione Centrale, via Piazza Garibaldi and Bagnoli to Pozzuoli. Funicular railways connect downtown with Vomero.

The public transport ticket is the same no matter which way of transport you use, you can buy it at counters in the metro/train/funicolare stations, tobacconists and in all the shops that show the logo Gira Napoli – Napoli Pass. A ticket is valid for 90 minutes of unlimited travel by bus, tram, Metropolitana, funicular, Ferrovia Cumana or Circumflegrea. A daily ticket is good value. These tickets are not valid to Pompeii or Ercolano on the Circumvesuviana train line.

Bus: Most city ANM buses operating in the central area depart from and terminate in Piazza Garibaldi. To locate your stop you’ll probably need to ask at the information kiosk in the centre of the square. There are four frequent routes (R1, R2, R3 and R4) that connect to other (less frequent) buses running out of the centre. A night bus operates from 24:00-05:00 (hourly departures) from Stazione Centrale through the city centre to the Riviera di Chiaia and on to Pozzuoli, returning to Stazione Centrale.

Funicular: Three of Naples’ four funicular railways connect downtown with Vomero: Funicolare Centrale ascends from Via Toledo to Piazza Fuga; Funicolare di Chiaia travels from Via del Parco Margherita to Via D Cimarosa; and Funicolare di Montesanto climbs from Piazza Montesanto to Via Raffaele Morghen. The fourth, Funicolare di Mergellina, connects the waterfront at Via Mergellina with Via Manzoni. Giranapoli tickets are valid for one trip only on the funicular railways.

Metro: You will find that there are 2 metro networks. One starts from the Gianturco passing by Napoli-Piazza Garibaldi, the railway station, and goes to Pozzuoli, the local call this just Metropolitana or “Metropolitana di Piazza Garibaldi”. This serves the hystorical centrum and is the one you’ll most likely use as tourist. Be a bit careful when using the Metropolitana, specially in the dead hours. The second and newest line serves for the moment the newest part of the city leaving from Piazza Vanvitelli and going to Secondigliano, in the near future also this metro should arrive to Napoli-Piazza Garibaldi. The local call this Metropolitana Collinare to distingush it from the previous one.

Tram: Adding to the array of public transport options in Naples are trams. Tram 1 operates from east of Stazione Centrale, through Piazza Garibaldi, the city centre and along the waterfront to Piazza Vittoria. Tram 29 travels from Piazza Garibaldi to the city centre along Corso G Garibaldi.

Taxi: Official taxis are white, metered and bear the Naples symbol on their front doors, but they don’t seem to respond to the classic kerbside hail. There are taxi stands at most of the city’s main piazzas. Be prepared for an extraordinary range of extra tolls on top of your fare, such as luggage in the boot, airport tolls and travelling on Sundays. Because of traffic delays, even a short trip may end up costing more than you anticipated.

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A point of embarkation for emigrants in the past, Naples now has a large traffic of merchandise (petroleum, carbon, cereals) and passengers. In the vast urban area one can distinguish many different neighborhoods: the old center, characterized by buildings closely crowded together, is bordered on the west by the new administrative district and on the east by the business district, into which flows almost all the road and rail traffic. Other neighborhoods, with narrow climbing streets, rise around the base of the San Martino and Capodimonte hills. These neighborhoods have experienced intense development, typically of the simpler kind, in contrast to that of the residential neighborhoods that stretch out comfortably along the Vomero and Posillipo hills.

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Today Naples is a filthy, large, overbearing and crime-infested city – but in all these things lies the city’s charm. Although the living circumstances for most of Naples’ inhabitants are low, they know how to survive and to enjoy the joys of live.

Naples is a surprisingly large city, and a sprawling one, with a centre that has many different focuses. The area between Piazza Garibaldi and Via Toledo, roughly corresponding to the old Roman Neapolis (much of which is still unexcavated below the ground), makes up the old part of the city – the centro storico – the main streets still following the path of the old Roman roads. This is much the liveliest, most teeming part of town, an open-air kasbah of hawking, yelling humanity that makes up in energy what it lacks in grace. Buildings rise high on either side of the narrow, crowded streets, cobwebbed with washing; there’s little light, not even much sense of the rest of the city outside – certainly not of the proximity of the sea.

But the insularity of the centro storico is deceptive, and in reality there’s another, quite different side to Naples, one that’s much more like the sunwashed Bay of Naples murals you’ve seen in cheap restaurants back home. 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 smug neighbourhood of Chiaia , beyond which lies the long green boulevard of Riviera de Chiara , stretching around to the districts of Mergellina and Posillipo : all neighbourhoods that exert quite a different kind of pull – that of an airy waterfront city, with views, seafood eaten al fresco and peace and quiet.

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Capri is positioned off the Sorrentine Peninsula. On the south side of the Gulf of Naples, it has been a celebrated beauty spot and resort since the time of the Roman Republic. The features are a litany of postcard views: the Marina Piccola (Small Harbor), the Belvedere of Tragara, which is a high panoramic promenade lined with villas, the limestone masses that stand out of the sea (the “Faraglioni”), Anacapri, the Blue Grotto (“Grotta Azzurra”).

Arrival Plane The Naples Capodichino Airport offers connections to all Italian cities and major European destinations with traditional or low-cost airline companies. From the airport the Alibus shuttle service takes you directly to the port of Naples.

Train The Central Station of Naples is well connected to all of Italy. For times consult the Trenitalia site. When you reach the station you must continue by taxi or bus to Beverello Wharf to board.

Sea: You can reach Capri by ferry or hydrofoil from either Naples or Sorrento. From Naples is available either at the port of Mergellina or Molo Beverello; however, it is much more convenient to depart from Molo Beverello because of the greater frequency of departures and larger selection of ferries and hydrofoils. From Naples, the ferry takes about 80 minutes, the hydrofoil takes about 40 minutes. From Sorrento, the ferry takes about 40 minutes, while the hydrofoil takes about 20 minutes. The schedule changes frequently; call the individual companies or the tourist office for more accurate times.

History and Culture According to the Greek geographer Strabo, Capri was once united to the mainland. This has been recently confirmed both by geological surveys and archaeological findings. Capri consists of two plateaus, separated by a fertile plain. The city was inhabited since very early times. The first findings of human settlement were already discovered during Roman age. The island has been inhabited since the 8th century B.C., when the Greeks and Phoenicians settled there. However, the first person to really appreciate Capri was the Emperor Tiberius, the man who took control of Rome after Augustus. In around 30 A.D., he built a series of villas at Capri, the most famous of which is the Villa Jovis, one of the best preserved Roman villas in Italy..

After the end of the Western Roman Empire, Capri returned to be a dominion of Naples, and suffered for various attacks and ravages by pirates. meaning that the population had to move away from the coast, seeking refuge on the plateaus that rise up in the center of the island. This caused a sort of crash in the island’s economy, which primarily relied on fishing, but also led to the creation of the two urban settlements of Capri and Anacapri (1200).

In January 1806, French troops occupied the island. The British ousted the French troops in May of the same year. Capri was turned into a powerful naval base (a Second Gibralter”), but the building program caused heavy damage to the archaeological sites. Joachim Murat conquered back Capri in 1808, and the French remained there until the end of the Napoleonic era (1815), when Capri was returned to the Bourbon ruling house of Naples.

In the 2nd half of the 19th century, Capri became a popular resort for european artists, writers and other celebrities. John Singer Sargent and Frank Hyde are among the prominent artist who stayed on the island around the late 1870s.

Churches and Museums Church of San Costanzo This pretty little Byzantine style church was probably built before the year 1000 and is dedicated to the Patron Saint of Capri, Costanzo. The church is painted in white throughout and is located near Marina Grande, in a very attractive setting.

Charterhouse of San Giacomo The Charterhouse’s foundations date back to 1371 and it is believed that it was built on the remains of previous Roman buildings and the sixth villa of Tiberius. It is a splendid example of Capri-style architecture and was built in the 14th century by Count Giacomo Arcucci, adviser to the queen of Naples, Joan I of Anjou. Today, this is home to a museum holding a number of large statues from the Roman Age which were recovered from the sea floor of the Grotta Azzurra, cave in 1964. It also contains a number of canvases by the German painter Wilhelm Diefenbach. The Charterhouse is also the current site of the Communal Library and has recently undergone further restoration work.

Historical buildings and monuments Villa Jovis This is the most imposing of the 12 villas built on the island by Emperor Tiberius in around 30 A.D. Villa Jovis overlooks the sea from the top of Monte Tiberio, with a truly spectacular view that embraces the entire Bay of Naples. The Villa covers around 7000 m_ and has several floors. The enormous cisterns, located at the center of the complex, are considerable and were used supply the emperor and his following with rainwater for drinking and bathing.

Castello Barbarossa Of Byzantine origin, the castle became famous in around 1500 because of Barbarossa, the Saracen pirate responsible for violently sacking the island. The castle stands at around 400 meters above sea level.

Villa San Michele The Villa San Michele was built around the turn of the 20th century, by the Swedish physician, Axel Munthe, on the ruins of the Roman Emperor, Tiberius’ villa. Its gardens have panoramic views of the city of Capri and its marina, the Sorrentine Peninsula, and Mount Vesuvius. The villa and its grounds, sit on a ledge at the top of the Phoenician Steps, between Anacapri and Capri, at 327 meters above sea level. San Michele’s gardens are adorned with numerous relics and works of art dating back to ancient Egypt and other periods of antiquity.

Places of Interest The Blue Grotto About 3km northwest of Anacapri is one of Capri’s great tourist attractions, the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), which can be reached either by boat from Marina Grande or by the Via Pagliaro (3km) from Anacapri. This, the most famous of Capri’s caves, was carved out of the rock in prehistoric times by the constant battering of the sea, and as a result of the sinking of the land is now half-filled with water. The entrance, only about 1m high, can be negotiated only by small boats when the sea is calm. When the sun is shining it is filled with an extraordinary blue light (at its best from 11am to 1pm). Punta Carena This spot is located at the westernmost tip of the island and is home to a lighthouse, the second most important lighthouse in Italy after that in Genoa. The jagged rocks overhanging the sea, the luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation and the lighthouse itself make Carena Point one of the most beautiful spots on the island.

The Piazzetta Piazza Umberto I is otherwise known as the legendary “Piazzetta” which, from the white columned terrace of the funicular railway, opens out on to a fabulous view of Monte Solaro. The Piazzetta is the center of the island of Capri for tourists and locals alike. The town hall is on one side of the Piazzetta, opposite the flight of steps. In the courtyard of the town hall there is the trunk of a column and a fragment of a circular marble base, discovered in the 1920’s during the construction of the port, and probably belonging to the Villa Augustea of Palazzo a Mare. The Piazzetta was the center of local life, where vegetable and fish markets were held and, where, very infrequently considering the rarity of the product in times past, meat was sold. It was not until 1938, when the young Raffaele Vuotto decided to place a few tables in the square, that the Piazzetta began to take on a more fashionable appearance. From that moment onwards the Piazzetta became the focal point of island social life, which had previously been carried out predominantly in the town’s hotels and in private houses.

Events Festival of Sant’Antonio – July 4th On July 4th every year, the patron saint of the town of Anacapri is celebrated with a large rustic festival.

Festival of San Costantino – July 30th On July 30th every year, the patron saint of the town of Capri, San Costantino, is celebrated.

International Folklore Festival – August During the 1st week of August, Anacapri plays host to a range of events in its squares, featuring musical bands and folk dance companies.

Settembrata Anacaprese – September A large rustic festival for celebrating the grape harvest: 10 days of celebration dedicated to the island’s typical produce, including shows, competitions and games.

Capri Film Festival – December Every December since 1991, Capri has hosted an international festival dedicated to the cinema. The event attracts Italian artistes, Hollywood stars and independent filmmakers keen to present their works in this exclusive location.

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Naples, located southern Italy is a vibrant city with many historical places of interest. When staying in this large city which has a charm all its own, notwithstanding the noise and pollution, graffiti on monuments & trains, and unemployment protest marches, there are so many things worth visiting. Among the must-see places is the Archeological Museum founded by Ferdinand IV in the 18th century, which offers a massive showcase of awesome ancient statuary that is considered an important archeological collection. This was mainly acquired from the Roman Farnese family. There is also the Duomo, a Gothic-style cathedral consecrated in 1315, and has seen many changes. By visiting Duomo, visitors can gain access to the age-old ChristianBasilica of St. Restituta, and the Chapel of San Gennaro (Cappella di San Gennaro). Another place worth checking out is the Spaccanapoli, which is characterized by a neopolitan atmosphere. Spaccanapoli, expect to see a sequence of streets that wend their way to the heart of the city’s historical center. Famed sites that may be seen are the church of Gesú Nuovo and the Santa Chiara church, to name some. The inner courtyard of the Santa Chiara monastery complex is quite interesting. History records that during the period 1739 until 1742, Italian painter and architect Domenico Antonio Vaccaro designed a colorful garden with majolica benches and pillars.

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Naples is one of the oldest cities in Europe and is noted as a World Heritage city. For the first time traveler raring to experience first hand the allure of , it’s best to get settled first and check in at a hotel with s superb location. A good option is the Piazza Garibaldi, which happens to be one of the most beautiful squares in the heart of Napoli. It is where one can find the Palazzo del Comune , a massive brick building designed way back in 1632. Another good option may be a nice hotel along Naples bay. There’s a hotel which offers a splendid view of the gulf and Mount Vesuvius.

Other artistic places to visit while in Naples are the Teatro San Carlo, whose acoustics is considered the best in Southern Italy; the Via San Gregorio Armeno, Christmas market stalls never fail to attract people on the lookout for tiny trinkets and other special items. Near the Teatro di San Carlo is the Piazza del Plebiscito, began by the Bonapartist King Joachim Murat and finished by the Ferdinand IV. Indeed, Naples is a destination that fascinates – then and now. It’s a place that has been conquered by the Romans, utilized as residence of emperors and famous personalities likeVirgil and Nero, and dominated by people of diverse nationalities, all of whom have left an imprint of their cultural heritage. Roberto is a marketing consultant providing Bed and Breakfast Napoli accommodations tips and resources to spend exciting weekends in the earth of ancient Napoli, living in cheap but confortable B&B Napoli rooms, located in the center of the city.. Visit Discover the Artistic Treasures of Historic Naples.

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There is a saying in Italy that goes ‘vedi Napoli e poi muori’. Translated, this means ’see Naples and die’. The actual meaning of this refers to being overwhelmed by what a beautiful and an incredible city Naples is. (although some may argue that what it really means that Naples is such a dangerous and chaotic city that it will kill you!)

Love it or hate it, Naples really is a city and a half. It is full of life and the life is full of passion. And yes, you may have heard some negative things about Naples, but there are so many more positive things about Naples, it would be a shame to make a judgement without ever having visited the place yourself. In my opinion, it is probably the most colourful, vibrant and magical city in Europe, if not the World.

True, Naples could be considered as chaotic, with cars and vespas racing around the city not paying attention to traffic lights -and in some cases, especially around the historical centre, there are no pavements, but long narrow roads in which to accommodate both traffic and people. It could also be considered as corrupt or dangerous by some, with gang warfare by the Camorra (Neapolitan Mafia) still operating here, and teenage street boys that mug people by snatching their bags while scooting past on vespas (Not to mention stories circulating such as a woman who went into a shop to buy some clothes, but never came out….when the police were alerted by her husband she was apparantly found in the old city ruins underneath the shop being smuggled to god knows where……)

But one thing that Naples could NEVER be considered is….BORING!

Yes there are some bad points, but there are considerably many more good points than bad. The whole point of Naples is that the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ contrast each other to such an extreme it is breathtaking. The long, narrow, dusty, cobbled roads that can be found, especially in the historical centre (centro storico) can be found filled with washing hanging from balconies and washing lines, vespas constantly beeping their horns and scooting around, street urchins (or ’scugnizzi’ as they are called) playing football in the street, stray dogs or cats rooting around the streets for food, and shady characters selling contraband cigarettes by the side of the road-but turn the corner or just happen to glance upwards from all the chaos and confusion and you could suddenly find yourself looking at the most beautiful church you have ever seen, or a view of the amazing Amalfi Coast and Vesuvious overlooking the sea.

You just never know with Naples. That is the beauty and the magic of it. Beautiful churches, museums and architecture are to be found all around the city, many forgotten about, because there are just simply so many. The city is full of history, culture and art. I once brought a friend to Naples, and she said she could ‘feel’ the history. This was such a great statement, as you really can feel the history; there is just so much art and culture around. Most of the buildings in the centro storico are the original buildings and palazzi which date back to the 12th or 13th century, with very high ceilings and original paintwork. Most original palazzi that used to belong to Neapolitan Aristocracy or Royalty are now just family homes or bed and breakfasts. There is also an underground city in Naples, (you can go on an organised tour) and some Greek ruins to be seen in Port’Alba (an area in Naples in centro storico that used to be frequented by poets and students, and is still quite bohemian), which there are still stories of people using this network for smuggling.

As mentioned before, it is the contrast of things which can sometimes be so amazing. For example shopping in the market in Via dei Tribunali which is deep in the historical centre, you notice the poverty, the chaos, the ‘dustiness’ of the city. Yet five minutes walk down the road you find yourself in Piazza Plebiscito; one of the most beautiful piazzas I have ever seen. Absolutely huge, with beautiful architecture, from which you can see the sea and 3 of the Italy’s most visited tourist destinations; Sorrento, Ischia and the beautiful island of Capri… It is also next to the very grand Gran Caffe`Gambrinus, a very famous bar and restaurant thats been open since the 1860’s, and used to be frequented by Oscar Wilde when he spent time in Naples in 1898 (he once had a vision of a ghost there ). It also marks the beginning of the Chiaia district which is one of the most desirable districts of central Naples, with designer shops, bars and restaurants.

Another contrast that is very apparant is the people themselves. Neapolitans are very passionate and expressive people, and can talk like there’s no tomorrow. They talk with their hands a lot and quite often raise their voices, which can be mistaken for arguing-but once you get to know the people, you will realise that what seems like an argument, is usually just a ‘discussion’! (about football, or how to cook a certain pasta dish). As Naples (and indeed in the rest of Italy as many other countries with warm weather) has an ‘outdoor’ culture, you will often see many people, teenagers and children just ‘hanging around’ or having a walk or passeggiata, talking about things. You might see people arguing one minute, and then people singing the next so don’t be alarmed!

Vedi Napoli e poi muori….discover for yourself!

Juliana de Angelis is a travel writer about Italy…read more articles, travel guides and information about Italy, its people and culture at her website: http://www.madaboutitaly.com/

Book flights, hotels and shop for Italian products at http://www.italianshopsonline.com/

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Naples, Napoli in Italian, is the third most-populated city in Italy and the biggest city in Southern Italy. Its close proximity to many interesting sites, such as Pompeii and the Bay of Naples, makes it a good base.

Naples is a lively and vibrant city, full of wonderful historical and artistic treasures and narrow, winding streets with small shops, making it worth at least a few days visit. The name comes from the Greek Neapolis meaning new city.

Set around the beautiful bay of Naples and lying in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, . One of Europes most densely populated cities, it is chaotic, overcrowded, dirty and noisy. And yet this is part of its unique charm.

With charismatic narrow streets overhung with endless rows of washing, ancient churches, a medieval university, noisy street markets and hundreds of cafes, bars and restaurants, Naples is an unforgettable experience.

Visit the citys grand cathedral the Duomo, Originally dating from 1272, it has undergone numerous alterations. The Chiesa dei Girolamini, a beautiful baroque church with two facades, lies directly opposite.

Dont miss the Chiesa del Gesu Nuovo on the piazza of the same name. Dating from the 16th century, the church is one of Naples finest examples of Renaissance architecture. Wander north of the Spaccanapoli district and visit the Museo Archeologico Nazionale.

Naples has one of the best New Year’s Eve fireworks displays in Italy. During Christmas, hundreds of Creches decorate the city. There are many decorations for Easter, too, and a huge parade. Two huge religous festivals are held in September, the Festa di Piedigrotta on the 7th and San Gennaro on the 19th. During the summer, there are music festivals, too.

It boasts one of the most comprehensive collections of Graeco Roman artifacts in the world, including some discovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum. It also houses the Borgia collection of Etruscan and Egyptian relics.

Subterranean Naples consists of old Greco Roman reservoirs dug out from the soft tufo stone on which, and from which, the city is built. Approximately one kilometer of the many kilometers of tunnels under the city can be visited from the well known Napoli Sotteranea situated in the historic centre of the city in Via dei Tribunali.

There are also large catacombs in and around the city and other visits such as Piscina Mirabilis, the main cistern serving the bay of Naples during Roman times. This system of tunnels and cisterns cover most of the city and lies approximately thirty metres below ground level. Moisture levels are around 70%. During World War II these tunnels were used as air raid shelters and there are inscriptions in the walls which depict the suffering endured during that time.

A Quality Article From: http://articledesk.info

Douglas Scott works for The Rental Car Hire Specialist. and is a free lance writer for The Naples Rental Site

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Praiano might not be the most beautiful town on the Amalfi coast (Costiera Amalfitana) with the competition it faces from the world renown Positano and Amalfi, which has actually given the name of the entire coastline, but it still carries the typical relaxed and full of bright colours atmosphere of one of the most beautiful coastlines in Italy.

And its strategic location allows you to enjoy the entire cost, reach every place you would like to visit and yet have upscale and affordable accommodation, while enjoying some of the best sea-food you have ever tried. And here is how:

We arrive at Praiano in an early afternoon in the beginning of August. Already with a hotel recommendation from friends who have been there before us and go there every year. The hotel or rather “pension“ as we see written on the illuminated sign in front of it, is called “Pellegrino“. Looks beautiful from the outside and we have the assurance of those who recommended it to us that all the rooms have a view towards the Mediterranean.

This whole thing of hotel vs. pension did mix me up a bit, since at the cross-road before entering Praiano, where most of its hotels are listed with their respective directions, I did see “Pellegrino“ with one star next to it. And yes, the standard of stars varies from country to country and from place to place, but to be honest I have never until now stayed in a 1 star hotel. Being open and positive I did take it with a sense of humour and said to myself “Let us see what the Universe is going to surprise us with!“

And we were in for a real surprise, because once we reached “Pellegrino“, which is located 200 meters after Praiano and so in case you are headed there don`t turn back as we did asking for directions or if we have missed it. So once we reached it and the owner Luigi met us and showed us to our room and this is when the big surprise came. Because this was definitely not a room, but a suite. And we had not one, but two terraces both facing the sea and both accommodated with sun beds.

I do travel a lot and I love travelling and yes I have never stayed in a 1 star hotel until now, but then I have never stayed in such an enormous suite for which you pay as if it is a room either! Probably the 1 star comes from the fact that it is a pension and not a hotel, but seeing the rooms I decided that from now onwards I am really prepared to stay only in 1 star hotels if they are all like this one.

And then we were in for more surprises, because when we asked Luigi`s sister at the reception how to get to the beach and she just said “I will take you there“. And she got into a car and waited for us to get in, to drive us to the best access to the beach. And while in the car she also gave us advice on which way to climb down, because you do need to climb down an impressive number of stairs before you actually reach the beach called “Gavetella“. And then she also told us how instead of climbing back, which can be really exhaustive and to get on one of the boats which go to the other side of Praiano where there is another beach with no stairs to climb and told us “give me a call and I will come to pick you up“. Makes you think about the service quality hotel chains are always trying to improve and how open and ready to help people, who do it from their heart can actually be!

The other surprise awaited us next morning when we went up the stairs on the third floor of the “Pellegrino“ to have our breakfast. Just imagine a terrace covered with flowers with 10-15 tables all facing the morning sea. And when breakfast came there was fresh fruits and yogurt and home-made marmalade and orange juice and real Italian cappuccino or coffee of your choice. And while enjoying the freshly toasted bread with those delicious marmalades (peach being my favourite as I discovered) you can watch how the sun is slowly taking over the mountain and the colours of the houses are waking up with the sun rays.

Praiano is really well located along the coast, because if you decide to go to Positano you do not need to take your car and face a parking challenge there and since the coast is really well connected with both public transport and “the orange busses“ as the locals call them, with which you need no more than 15 min to reach Positano and encounter another of the Amalfi coast marvels. But that, as well as where to go in Praiano for dinner and what Italian sea food delicacies to savour is to follow in another article.

Useful information:
If you are headed for the Amalfi coast and decide to have Praiano as your tourist headquarter on the cost, here are the contact details of the Pensione “Pellegrino“ tel: 0039 089 874-186, 0039 089 874-186 or go to www.pensione-pellegrino.it

To move between Praiano and Positano and from there to Capri and do take the “orange busses“ which belong to a company called Flavio Gioia and then buy your Capri Jet tickets from the key of Positano. As for the timings of both and do ask at the reception.

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Capri in the summer is not for the faint hearted, and the hustle and bustle is quite overwhelming, but the second we went through the gates we were immediately in an oasis of calm and total luxury. I also loved the way the crowds on the street all stopped to look as the gates opened, it made me feel like a film star!!

Greeted with complimentary champagne, snacks, and towels, quickly shown to the Venetian Room, which certainly did not disappoint. It was beautifully furnished with a wonderful terrace, which we were to make great use of during our stay. It also had a Turkish bath which was well used by us.

A nice touch was the complimentary fresh fruit plate, indeed the first of many complimentary offerings we were to receive at the Villa le Scale. Already we could see why this is rated one of the best European honeymoon destinations, and one of the most romantic hotels in Europe.

We had breakfast on the terrace every morning amidst the perfumed jasmine and the gardens. I also had a couple of massages on the terrace-highly recommended!!

Lunch by the pool was another delight, but one of the outstanding memories were the staff who could not have been more helpful.

There are many nice hotels where the staff can be a little churlish when you want to eat out, but not so here, so we were able to enjoy the Aurora for dinner in Capri and da Paolina where you eat under the lemon trees.

Get Marcello to take you on a boat trip so you can swim in the grottos, and explore the island with a chauffered car.

Wait until the evening before you go into Capri, because all the day trippers will have gone, and it will be cooler.

All in all we loved the Villa le Scale, the quality of everything from the food, to the service was unsurpassed. We were made to feel like friends and not like paying guests
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by Sheila Gibbs: Sheila Gibbs contributes to http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com and uses it herself to check out unusual holiday destinations

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Italy hosts a number of small cities; one among them is the city of Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast. There are many historical places in the world, but few are like Sorrento. There is much evidence of the ancient Greek and Roman influence in the architecture of Sorrento and this has been preserved in the development of the town.

Many of the older sights have been well preserved and even with the advances of modern living, the roots of the past are still evident throughout this wonderful city. In essence, Sorrento is a gateway between the past and the present. It has been a place that has been the source of philosophy and technology combined.

The town is easily accessible from Naples and the Pompeii. It also over looks the bay of Naples. With its breath taking views, and beautiful green hills, this has been a land of resting and pleasure right from the time of the Roman rule. The Romans were so enthralled by the beauty of the place that they chose this land to be their holiday destination for their Patricians.

Tourists from all over the world plan their excursion in the land to Capri, Pompei, Ischia, Amalfi, Ercolona, Positano, and the Vesuvius.

Mythology states that the land was named after a creature half woman and half fish called Sirens. The name later evolved to be Sorrento. These creatures sang for the sailors in the deep seas.

The city of Sorrento has also gone to huge lengths protect the sites of historical interest from the effects of weather and the pollution damage. This is something that can be seen in the sites of the ancient past that have been uncovered from as far back as 1000 A.D. that were once the foundations to modern thinking.

This makes the city of Sorrento a hot spot not just for tourists, but also for those that are seeking to learn more about where we came from and in some ways the direction of where we are heading to.

The beauty and the greenery of the place has drawn a number of people to Sorrento; among them were poets, men of literature, painters, musicians and in the recent years photographers of high esteem.

To name a few, people like Goethe, Stendhal, Lamartine, De Bouchard, Ibsen, and Douglas of literature have been here. Musicians and painters who were inspired by the place are Rossini, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Wagner, Pinelli, Lindstrom and Fernet. The most noted among them being the Soviet Writer Maxim Gorky.

With the inflow of tourists the place saw a boom in the growth of villas and hotels for residential purposes. It is believed that there are more than some fifteen thousand accommodation facilities for tourists alone in the small city.

There are many places of interest in and around Sorrento that are not to missed. The Basilica of Saint Antonino (dedicated to the Saint Antonino where he is laid to rest, is the place of preserve of some ancient paintings and has pieces of an ancient

Majolica tiled floor), is a cathedral built in the fifteenth century with ancient wood work. Others include the Sedil Dominova (a monument where meetings took place to discuss the developments of the city), the Saint Francis Convent, Marian Grande, the Correale Museum, The Sorrento Cape and the Marina Puolo.

Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing listings for bed and breakfasts, apartments, hotels and villas in the Amalfi Coast

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Amalfi, in the province of Salerno, in Italy, lies surrounded by cliffs and coasts. It is quite close to Naples, and shares with that town some dramatic history, and beautiful scenery. Amalfi is the major town on that part of the coast, called costiera Amalfitana, and as such has become an essential tourist destination (and is justly famous for its Limoncello liqueur).

The Amalfi Coast is very rich in Caves, grottoes, and even a little fjord, created by water erosion, which is a testament to the Amalfi Coast’s maritime history. The area all around Amalfi was once an independent state, and its economy was based upon shipping. Sadly, little of this remains, and only the fantastic Cathedral of Amalfi is testament to the immense importance of what is now only a small coastal community.

Tourists to the area should definitely pay the Cathedral a visit, if only due to the fact that it is made up of two churches, linked by a specially widened nave. During repairs to the church, its Byzantine style front was re-discovered, and it was decided to preserve this instead of the 18th century front that had previously been there (A good choice, the original church front is a truly amazing sight).

If you begin your holiday with Amalfi, then you can walk (or hike, to be truthful) to some of the other very attractive towns along the coast, such as Ravello. This is a very awe-inspiring walk, with an overview of the whole valley. It can be a bit of a walk for some though, and there are shorter paths to neighbouring towns. In the event that you should feel like cheating, there are buses and ferries that will be able to take you to all of the major tourist attractions along the Amalfi Coast.

While Amalfi is an early medieval town, the mountainous town of Ravello is very definitely a Romanesque community. It is seen by some as a ‘garden’ town, luscious and green. Its villas are certainly worth seeing, and the views from the top of the valley are breathtaking.

One of the best towns to visit along the Amalfi Coast is the small town of Atrani. Like many of the towns in the area, Atrani was founded by Roman aristocracy, and still retains some of the appearance of a Roman town. It is a very quiet and untouristy place, possibly because if really only opens up to the beach, and is relatively inaccessible even now. It has a great beach and sea-front, and has begun to open itself up to tourists, via a few bars in the town square, making Atrani a welcoming and cosy little town.

A tourist interested in history may also want to visit the fascinating town of Positano. It is mentioned in ancient Roman documents, but discoveries have been made in the town itself which link it to the Palaeolithic Era, making Positano one of the oldest towns along the Amalfi Coast. It is also one of the most well known to tourists, often coming to visit the medieval church and its collection of religious works from the Renaissance period. Positano boasts one of the best hotels in the Amalfi Coast, although there are a number of others that can also claim to be luxurious and within easy reach of transport.

The hotels in the whole Amalfi Coast area can lay claim to being magnificent and full of Italian tradition, as you would expect from such a quiet and religious province. However, if you are looking for something a bit more economical, there are plenty of Bed-and-Breakfast accommodations, including the ‘Rooms with a View’ B&B in Atrani, which is only a few minutes walk from Amalfi, and boasts (as the name implies) magnificent views of the surrounding hills.

For those who are not interested in even this level of comfort, you can choose to arrange a hostel stay in Agerola. Staying here means that you have a head start on everyone attempting the ‘walk of the Gods’, a hill-top hike that ends in Positano. Agerola also boasts magnificent local produce which is well worth trying. Even in this location, Amalfi and the rest of the Amalfi Coast towns are never more than a short walk away.

As well as walks, sights and hotels, the Amalfi Coast area also boasts some great night-life. The area has just started springing into life as a tourist attraction, so many of the bars and clubs are untried. One thing that has been tried and tested (several times), is the Lo Spuntino Sandwich Bar in the main square of Amalfi. This bar means that you do not have to queue for a table in the middle of summer, and it also serves take-away sandwiches, ideal if you want to begin your walks without waiting for lunch. If you are a vegetarian, and this goes for most of the Mediterranean, don’t expect a wide choice of menu; it doesn’t exist.

Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing listings for bed and breakfasts, apartments, hotels and villas in the Amalfi Coast

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