Naples, Italy: It’s More Italy
We got to spend uh uh two full days three nights in Naples and you know what after you’ve been to Rome you go to Naples makes Rome look really chill cuz holy smokes do the folks drive with a wild abandon in Naples the Vespas uh if you hear travel writers especially Rick
Steves who warns watch out for VAs they’re not kidding those folks don’t stop they go on sidewalks it just doesn’t matter so it’s on The Pedestrian to be watching out so you don’t get hit the ambulances were always going and I think it’s cuz folks were getting whacked by Vespas it’s a fascinating
City it’s super cool seeing folks living in those little narrow streets with the washing hanging and the street is the living room super fun the food the pizza go to antika Pizzeria Delle the very first Pizzeria ever anywhere you’ll love it at least I did all right hope you enjoy Naples W oh there’s the Naples underground Spanish quarters yeah Naples it’s 12 bucks sounds Good yeah there’s a you want to say about your spot NOP what do you think that is no it’s a magic wand that you turn on oh maybe it’s with water I think it’s a portable bedet maybe huh not sure you know I think that’s very
Refined but just not used to it kind of weird I don’t know if it’s weird I think it’s just one of those things we’re not used to in North America you know what I mean very very nice bathroom something you don’t always see above the bed the chandelier well you know something that
We never do this time we did is stay in one of those holiday rental apartments cuz it does take away from the housing stock for local people and don’t like that however I couldn’t find a hostel in Naples to save me life so we had already
Booked a flight I thought a hostel would be no issue it was like 7 months ago and there wasn’t a hostel to be had I think there’s some football or something going on so I didn’t know that at the time and I couldn’t find a hostel so we’re in a uh a holiday
Rental is what it is it is pretty it’s right on the water there is a hostel in this building and if we come back to Naples and I think we will we will do our best to get in a hostel here and have a look at what that’s like cuz same
Location same view but you’re in a hosel might not be quite as spacious but that’s okay too fore check out all the antennas He continue on to Via Santa Teresa dley schaly He he
Naples, Italy
It’s more Italy!
After spending 3 days in Rome, we hopped the fast train (300 km/hr) to Naples for two days to check out the Southern part of Italy, and more importantly to visit the very first pizzeria on planet Earth. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele. Rick Steves calls Naples “Italy intensified”, and he isn’t kidding. We’ll include Rick Steves video on Naples below – it is well worth checking out for the history of the area. Keep in mind that Rick Steves has a degree in art history, and his book, Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveller, is accessible for a solid overview of the history of art in Europe starting from the early Greeks through to the Renaissance. We were not able to find a hostel that wasn’t already booked in Naples, so we ended up having to do something we never do – for many reasons (see the link below) – and we found ourselves renting a vacation rental in Naples. It was nice enough; we just don’t like being part of the problem when it comes to housing affordability for residents. We didn’t plan this as well as we usually plan, and as a result all the hostels were sold out. Turns out there is a soccer game as well as labour protests throughout Italy with many travelling to Rome. Next trip to Naples – and there will be a next trip – we will be sure to book further in advance. Turns out the building we are in has a hostel, which will be our destination next time as it is right by the Bay of Naples. Naples is amazing on many levels. The images of narrow streets with laundry hanging from small balconies and people living in the streets as their living rooms is alive and well here. The stereotype of Italian drivers is also alive and well – the Vespa scooters as well as many cars drive right up on the sidewalk. You really do need to have your wits about you in Naples. We saw many people on crutches, and we heard many ambulance sirens – the majority likely attributed to people getting whacked by scooters. It is a lot of fun, and it is very chaotic. One of the attractions we checked out is the “Catacombe San Genarro”, the (unofficial) patron saint of Napoli. This is well worth doing – the catacombs are 4 levels down with the lowest level having been started in the 4th century B.C.E. The most recent levels date back to the 4th – 5th centuries A.C.E. The tour guides are very good, and the history of the area is also part of the discussion as the catacombs are in the poorest area of Naples (was cut off from the main part for centuries due to the absence of a bridge) – called, ‘Rione Sanita District of Napoli’. Naples was a lot of fun, and we are so happy we stayed here for a couple of days. We could have easily spent 4 days in Naples alone with side trips to Mt Vesuvius, Pompeii and the Amalfi coast nearby.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
https://www.anticapizzeriadamichele.co.uk/ (featured in the movie, “Eat, Pray, Love”)
Catacombe San Genarro
Vacation Rentals – a discussion
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/canadians-are-being-crushed-by-a-housing-crisis-are-short-term-rentals-to-blame-1.6911344
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/4-reasons-airbnbs-are-partly-to-blame-for-the-housing-crisis
https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/nhs/nhs-project-profiles/2020-nhs-projects/impact-short-term-rentals-canadian-housing
Rome to Italy Fast Train
https://www.italiarail.com/pages/routes/rome-to-naples