Napoli - That's Amore

My 22-day NCL cruise ended in Barcelona. A quick sightseeing tour and I was back at the airport waiting to catch a flight for the next leg of my travels. I knew it would be hot. I knew it would be crowded with tourists. I knew it would be expensive, but my heart guided me to the Mediterranean. From June - September I will be exploring Italy, Greece, Turkey and France.

Italy is a large and complex country divided into 20 distinct regions. From the mountainous areas of the dolomites in the far north to the rolling hills of Tuscany to the Italian Riveria in the far south. But vino was on my mind, beaches in my soul and pizza in my heart. I settled on Campania, an area in southwest Italy known for ancient ruins and dramatic coastline. Home to Naples, Amalfi Coast and Mt. Vesuvius.

"Naples is the flower of paradise. The last adventure of my life." Alexandre Dumas

Highlights of 48 hours in Naples

Making the most of my time, I wanted to stay in the heart of the city within walking distance to the metro and the major sites. I chose the Quartieri Spagnoli area. With bags dropped off, I found a quick restaurant and pub.

Old Town Walking Tour - The Old town is filled with amazing architecture, historical buildings, churches, catacombs. Piazza del Plebiscito is the largest square in Naples. Construction started under the orders of Joachim Murat, brother-in-law to Napoleon. Neglected after the war and restored in the late 1990's. The Piazza contains the Royal Palace and the Church of San Francesco di Paola. Just outside the piazza is the San Carlo Theatre, the main opera house of Naples and the Galleria Umberto, built around 1890.

Walking around the Spanish Quarter - The area is the beating heart of Naples. Narrow streets lined with murals, souvenir shops, pizza restaurants and limoncello stores. Just take in the sounds and smells of this exhilarating part of Naples. I spent an entire afternoon walking down all the narrow alleys.

Tour of the Catacombs - There are two main catacombs in Naples. They are very different from each other and both are worth seeing. The Catacombs of San Gennaro is a burial site and housed the remains of saints, bishops and nobility. The one I visited was the Napoli Sotteranea or Underground Naples. It features a network of tunnels and chambers that was used as a WWII bunker. There are over 250 miles of passageways that snake underneath the current city streets. Archeologists have dated the caverns to 2500 - 3000 BC. They were originally constructed as cisterns to house the city's water supply and transported to different parts of the city via aqueducts. In 1884 the water supply was contaminated with the cholera bacteria and the water had to be pumped out. Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea) Guided Tour 2025

Take a pizza making class - Naples is famous for many things but it is the home of pizza. Take a small amount of dough, roll it until it flat, add San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, a couple of basil leaves and a small drop of olive oil. Bake in a wood fired oven for only 90 seconds and enjoy. Simple but ohh so good. Authentic Pizza Making Class in Naples with Appetizers and Drink 2025