We spent a day in Naples. We decided to do a Rick Steves audio walking tour. If we thought Rome and Bari were busy and hectic – they had NOTHING on Naples. We emerged from the train station into a bustling, chaotic downtown. The streets are narrow, often barely wide enough for a car and a scooter to squeeze past each other. Drivers zip through traffic seemingly immune to lane markings or speed limits. Honking horns are constant, and scooters weave through gaps that hardly seem possible.
The tour took us through the Centro Storico’s maze of cobbled streets lined with laundry hanging from balconies and tiny trattorias. We stopped for lunch – it is always hard to know if we are making a good decision. Today, we sure did. Chef’s kiss. We started our tour back up and wandered down the Spaccanapoli, the main artery through the old town, you’ll find centuries-old churches (closed for riposo during our visit), and bustling markets all packed into impossibly narrow streets. We enjoyed our walking tour. It conveniently ends close to the train station. We got a gelato and headed back.
I have heard the adjective “gritty” for Naples – accurate! Despite the chaos, Naples has an undeniable charm — its raw authenticity, passionate locals, and vibrant street life make it worth the visit. Just embrace the graffiti, honking horns and the near misses — it’s all part of the adventure!
Jim and Nancy will be taking the train to Rome. Unfortunately, they have to change trains (and train stations!) in Naples. Intimidating. We showed them how to find where they need to go, which should notch the stress level down a peg or two. We all learned from Lisa and Ty’s unfortunate experience – missing their train and having six different people tell them six different directions.
We head back to Vico Equense for another relaxing evening of charcuterie, friendship, and laughter. We could get used to this.
paleremo presto