Introduction to Naples

Chaos: the one word to describe the largest city in Southern Italy. I don’t mean all chaos is bad; it can be good chaos too. I’ve done my extensive research before deciding to base myself in Naples, and was well aware of the bad reputation of the crimes, the trash and the lack of glitz and charm unlike her northern sisters, Florence and Milan. Nonetheless, I arrived in Naples with a ‘come what may’ attitude and a small luggage, ready for the next four days.

Getting to Naples

I arrived into Naples Capodichino Airport via Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci on Alitalia. It was no-frills 40-minute flight where the crew don’t even get off their seats to serve you anything. You just sit in your seat and try to get some shut eye from take off to landing.

From the airport to the city, I took the Alibus – the airport shuttle to the central train station and the Porta di Massa and Molo Beverello ports in Naples. The one-way ticket costs €5 and could be purchased on board. The bus runs daily every 20-30 minutes. The journey took around 30-40 minutes depending on the traffic.

I got off at the second and final stop of the shuttle. A large cruise ship docking at Porta Di Massa greets you on the left, while on the right were a crowd of people waiting for hyrdrofoils to the neighbouring islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida.

Where did I stay?

I found this lovely B&B in the heart of Via Toledo, one of the main shopping streets in Naples. It’s a 3-minute walk away from Toledo metro station and I found, to my dismay, Bershka, Pull and Bear and H&M just a stone throw away. Guard your wallets, ladies – I mean from excessive shopping, and from pickpockets.

Roberta was a lovely lady who’s warm and friendly. She’s also always reachable on whatsapp in case if you’re a silly girl like me who accidentally left the keycard in the room, locking herself out. Like, girl, this ain’t the big, chain hotels you’re so used to where there are people on deck 24/7 to cater to your whims. Super grateful none the less.

My room at Il Centro B&B was spacious, modern and had a balcony with views of other buildings, nothing too spectacular. But what makes up for the lack of view was the excellent service. Room was cleaned every day, sheets were stripped, and towels were changed every two days even though I hadn’t minded using them for the whole four days I was there. One of the nights I came back to a basket of peaches (or were they apricots) and cherries, what a delight!

The B&B did not provide in-house breakfast, but they had a tie-in with two cafes nearby where you could enjoy some cappuccino and a sfogliatella (pronounced: sfo-lia-TELL-le). It is a shell-shaped pastry native to the Campania region. Layers and layers of thin pastries resembling stacked leaves give a loud, satisfying crunch when bitten into. Coupled with a cold custard middle… mmmm, delicious. Wash it all down with a strong cappuccino and you’re good to go.

Getting around Naples

Toledo Metro Station

If you’re based in Via Toledo like me, and have no agendas to get out of the historical district, you mostly walk. Google Maps told me that it was a 15-minute walk from Molo Beverello port to my hotel, and thought I ain’t walking. Asked an idling taxi driver to take me there, and he told me it’s better if I walked! He explained it’s not worth spending €25 on a taxi getting stuck in traffic, so I walked.

The metro is another alternative to get around. I’ve only taken the metro twice, once just to see the inside of Toledo station, the most beautiful station in Europe, and the other to a restaurant. The trains are clanky old tin cans with no AC, but gets you from point A to B efficiently.

On a hilltop accessible by a funicular is Vomero district. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Napoli, and enjoy the panoramic views from the top, Vomero is the way to go. The funicular from Centrale line runs daily from 0600 – 0030 except Monday and Tuesday when it closes at 2200. It serves four stops, starting from Augusteo to Corso Vittorio Emanuele and then to Petraio, ending at Piazza Fuga. Castle St. Elmo is a 15-minute walk away with easy directions.

Naples at night

Shops closed pretty early in Naples, while the restaurants and bars open till late. Aside from street vendors and people asking for alms, and the occasional weirdo or two, I’ve been lucky not to run into any trouble during my time there. In Via Toledo, the security is tight.

The Italian military has their armed soldiers standing guard among the shoppers in the busy street. They’re basically there to keep the tourist hotspot safe from terrorists. They don’t do much, but some were really nice to look at.

There are also the occasional police patrols up and down the street, even on the roads where cars don’t normally go. Just keep your belongings close to you, be aware of your surroundings and you’ll be fine.

What to do in Naples?

That I shall cover in my next post. Do stay tuned!