#8 / Naples, singularly seductive
I can’t wait to show you the next stop on our imaginary journey.
Ready? We’re off to Naples today!
Naples is in fact singularly seductive, particularly given its position at the center of a Gulf that seems to embrace the sea, with the distant Vesuvius on the horizon. The volcano, which has been dormant since 1944 - and everyone hopes it will continue to sleep - is actually formed of two craters: Mount Somma and Vesuvius itself, more recent and created by the eruption of the main volcano. Can you see them? In fact there are two "summits"...
To enjoy this spectacular view of the Gulf, we’ll be climbing up to San Martino, where we can feast our eyes on the "hugs", volcanoes, "summits" and... the rest of Naples. The city is at our feet, like our virtual pair of MarcoMoreo.
Naples is splits in two by the famous Spaccanapoli, a road that runs like a long, narrow corridor from east to west, established in Roman times as the so-called Decumanus. In actual fact, although everyone believes it is a single artery, it consists of 7 different streets, each following on from each other.
Traveling along it is a journey through the history of the city and its many souls: Naples is in fact many different cities combined into one: the popular Spanish Quarters and Sanità district, the bourgeois Vomero on the hill and the well-to-do Naples of Posillipo and Via dei Mille... do you know how many steps it will take to discover it all?!
Best to stop for a break, as walking around Naples involves a lot of climbing up and down hills, one staircase after another. Instead of the usual oven-baked pizza, I suggest you a montanara, the perfect snack to enjoy on the move: a piece of pizza dough, deep fried in oil and then seasoned with tomato, mozzarella and obviously basil.
OK we’re ready to resume our journey. Off we go!
Next stop the nearby and stunning Amalfi Coast. Stay tuned!
