The town of Naples, (Napoli in Italian) took its name from the Greek word for new city, Neapolis. It is far from that. It is an old port town, with a lot of charm and some great museums, artistic and cultural traditions and gastronomy.
The historic city is characterized by many churches. You often find several of them in one street among Baroque style palazzi of aristocratic families and antique residences. Naples’s most important church is the San Gennaro (St. Januarius) Cathedral, where each year the famous Miracle Blood ceremony takes place. The Gothic churches, San Lorenzo Maggiore and San Domenico Maggiore, as well as the Baroque church, Gesù Nuovo , are worth a visit.The San Severo Chapel is fascinating because of its mysterious anatomic machines, two skeletons that are inexplicably covered with a system of fossil veins and arteries. In addition, you can see beautiful Baroque sculptures from the 17th and 18th century. A wonderful place to take a rest is the garden of the Santa Chiara Convent with its columns, little benches, and walls that are wainscoted with beautiful colorful majolica. On Via San Sebastiano, you can find music stores that, because of their vicinity to the conservatory, still sell mandolins. Nearby is the street of the booksellers, Port’ Alba, where you can buy delicious pizza at the street counter of the pizzeria of the same name and eat it right away.
A trip to the underworld, which is entwined by mysterious legends, is a special experience and has in the meantime become an important part of the city tours.Underneath modern Naples is an 80-kilometer-long labyrinth of caves hidden, which lies up to 40 meters underground. The individual caves were created when people mined the yellow tufa that was used to build the houses that stand above each of these caves.
Via Partenope is the beginning of the seafront road where Castel dell’Ovo (Egg’s Castle) rises on an island that is connected to the mainland. From the castle, you have a fantastic view of the Mount Vesuvio as well as the quarters Mergellina and Posillipo.
At the picturesque marina you find excellent restaurants and bars. A little further, Villa Comunale, a big park with palm trees, chalets, and beautiful fountains, extends along the famous seafront road, Via Caracciolo. The walk along the seashore to the touristic harbor of Mergellina is very romantic. Close by the harbour, fishermen sell their freshly caught fish.
Posillipo is probably Naples’s most beautiful and exclusive quarter. On a hill, there are gorgeous villas tucked away between trees, and small, intricate trails lead to the sea. From the steep coast, you have the most breathtaking panoramic views.
Virgiliano Park is located at Naples’s furthermost tip, Capo Posillipo. From there, you can enjoy wonderful views over the city, the Gulf of Naples and Pozzuoli as well as the islands Capri, Ischia, and Procida. It is a terraced park with many blooming plants and trees. This is the place, where artists paint the well-known panorama of Naples. The park is open 14 hours a day and is lighted during the evening.
Easy to reach is the Vomero, a quarter whose hill and castle, Castello Sant'Elmo, rise over Naples and offer a beautiful view over the sea, Mount Vesuvio, and the lively city. At the foot of the castle is the convent complex of Certosa di S. Martino , which houses the National Museum of San Martino with one of the largest exhibitions of nativity scenes worldwide. From the terraced gardens, you have a stunning view of the Gulf of Naples.
“O’ caffè” represents more for the Neapolitan than just an aromatic and stimulating beverage. A Neapolitan is generally very critical when it comes to judging a coffee. It is said that Naples has the best Italian caffè, even though “de gustibus non disputandum est” or “There's no arguing taste”. When Neapolitan say caffè, they always mean “a tazzulella 'e cafe”, a coffee in an espresso cup.
Pizza is a worldwide phenomena that has ancient roots. However the original and best pizza still comes from Italy in traditional ovens still used in placed like Naples.
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Napoli music