Naples, Italy
June 17-20See photos below
Naples is a place that I didn’t know much about, beyond boasting some of the best, if not the best, pizza on the planet. Two things struck me as we flew in and landed; the sheer size of the city and the intense heat as we stepped off the plane. We quickly made our way through the airport to locate a bus that could take us into the city, as we needed to get a connecting bus to our accommodation. Our lodging would be a bit different than usual since so many hostels and hotels were booked or ridiculously inflated in price. Instead, we decided to check out Homestay, which is exactly how it sounds. Local people put a room up for short (or long) term rent, and they are usually living in the same flat or house as the guest. We were excited to see the spot, but we had to make our way there first. The bus ride up the hillside to her apartment was stunning, offering sweeping views of the sea, the city, and the omnipresent stratovolcano; Mount Vesuvius. Hopping off the bus in a small square surrounded by outdoor cafes, we walked up a small hill and turned right onto a narrow residential road flanked by walls overflowing with ivy and bougainvillea. When we arrived at the front entrance, we were met outside and showed into the building, then into our room. We rented from a sweet, older Italian woman who knew about ten words of English. Since we only knew about five words in Italian, there wasn’t much speaking going on unless it involved Google Translate. It was warm in the flat, but bearable. The large bedside window let in a slight breeze, and sounds of the buzzing city beyond. We were eager to set out and explore.
Stepping back out into the midday heat, we decided it wise to make our way down to the sea front to feel the breeze off the water. As we started down, we realized the path was much longer than expected, so we decided to save that excursion for another day. Starting to get hungry, we walked to a nearby market to grab a snack and some simple foods for breakfast and lunch. After arriving back, we decided to stay in and cool off a bit. The apartment itself was quite nice, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, a large living room and glass door that connected to the long patio overlooking the back garden. It was a lovely place to sit, so we decided to plop down on a few chairs and read, soaking up the green foliage and terracotta tiles around us. This proved to be a relaxing daily routine, and I am quite jealous of that Italian woman, for she gets to sit out there every day. The light alone is something to write home about, blanketing everything in sight with its soft golden glow. I could stare for hours. Later that night, after some restful hours on the patio, we again took to the streets for a sunset stroll on the hunt for one thing and one thing only; pizza. After about thirty minutes, we stumbled on a quiet place nestled near a residential area, off the main road. We sat down, the only two in the restaurant. We were promptly served, and within ten minutes we had two beautiful Neapolitan pizzas in front of us. The one in front of me was a nice almost-perfect circle while Ashley had a pie in the shape of a heart. They were hands down one of the best pizzas either of us have ever had. As an indecisive person it can be hard for me to categorically rank things, so in no specific order it is in my top three pizzas of all time. Feeling satisfied we walked back to the apartment, taking in the late night views looking out over the water.
Rising early the next morning, we made it down to the water before the heat was too intense. We found shade at an outdoor cafe overlooking a small pier full of sun chairs and sun bathers. We each ordered a coffee, realizing we had most likely been scammed after seeing how much the bill was. €8 for two small cappuccinos definitely didn’t seem right, especially since every other coffee in country had been €1.50 or less. Nevertheless, the view and time to chill was well worth it. As we made our way back up the hill, we ran into a huge street celebration full of confetti, fireworks, and a life-sized Jesus being carried on a pedestal. We joined the procession and walked with the crowd which ultimately ended at a church. With hundreds of people packed into the tight streets, each person could be seen trying to get a view over the heads of those in front of them. Also, Jesus Christ should not be confused for the Jesus-like figure and soccer icon Diego Maradona, who played for FC Napoli in the 80’s and 90’s and who’s face is plastered around the city in every imaginable way. It might be easy to mistake the two. When things started to wind down, we made our way to a park that overlooks a large section of coastline. Walking into the de facto entrance, it was obvious that the place had been neglected and was in need of a facelift. We wandered past an inoperable fountain following a path that looped us around to a grassy section with benches looking out to the sea. Plenty of families were out enjoying the beautiful day just as we were. We sat and read, played a few games of cribbage, and relaxed in the shade happy to be avoiding the sun. It was a nice reset. After a few hours, we continued our walk in search of a nice dinner. Ashley had seen a unique restaurant online called Tufo where a massive, flaming cheese wheel was brought into the dining room and pasta was cooked directly inside. It was then portioned in the middle of the room and handed out, fresh out of the wheel. We couldn’t pass that up. During the meal, we struck up a conversation with an Australian couple sitting next to us, which added a nice touch to our evening. It was quite an experience, with extremely delicious pasta to boot. By the time we finished eating it was dark, and my hankering for gelato had revealed itself. On the way back to the apartment I couldn’t resist a cone of stracciatella. The cherry on top of a wonderful day.
We made sure to make the most of our last full day, with our sights set on the Stairs of Naples. A zigzag of over 600 (large) stairs and 650 meters high, the stairs lead from the city center up to Volmero, which has panoramic views of Naples and beyond. When we started, we didn’t know what to expect as the stairs duck and turn around corners and through alleys the whole time. It was a tiring but gratifying walk as we strolled past houses and apartments that were practically a part of the stairs. Arriving at the top nearly an hour later, we were drenched in sweat and thirsty as hell. We sat and admired the view for a little while before making the journey again, this time in reverse. We took the bus back to the apartment to shower before it was time to get our new favorite pizza one last time. This time instead of one heart shaped pizza, we were blessed with two. This time we ordered to go, soaking in our last night in a friendly strangers’ home. We offered her pizza, but she politely declined and brought us a big bowl of fresh cherries instead. Before long, the boxes were empty and we were out on the deck standing in silence, listening to the sounds of the city that we both grew to love in only a matter of three days. The next day would be the ultimate travel day, but that’s a story for another time.
