Naples snapshot

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Naples, or Napoli, is the capital of Italy’s Campania region and is the second most populous area of the country. It sits on the glorious Bay of Naples with the brooding volcano Vesuvius just outside the city.

Rich in history, art, music and culture, it is also famous for its food, notably as the original home of pizza. The Neapolitan dialect is spoken through much of southern Italy.

Founded by the Greeks - Neapolis is Greek for ‘New City’ - it became a key Roman city along with nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum, the cities destroyed by Vesuvius. Later, the city was ruled by Goths, Byzantines, Lombards, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, Spaniards, Austrians, Bourbons and the French.

Rich cultural history

From 1266 to1861, Naples was the capital of the Kingdom of Naples and then of the ‘Two Sicilies’. This diverse history has given the city an unusually rich cultural history, although it has struggled to overcome the decline that set in after it became part of Italy in 1861.

It is one of Italy’s most beautiful cities but, possibly because of its reputation for crime, is often overlooked by tourists. The nearby attractions of Pompeii, Capri, the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento also play a part in attracting visitors elsewhere.

Finds from Pompeii

The city has many attractions, however, with no less than 488 historical churches, a superb archaeological museum where many of the finds from Pompeii are displayed, castles, palaces and an atmospheric city centre. It is not a city to drive into – driving standards and parking difficulties are pretty fearsome.

The food and drink is worth seeking out. Naples is the home of pizza with pizza margherita named when it was served to Queen Margherita on a visit to the city. La vera pizza or ‘true pizza’ is made in a wood-burning oven. Naples even has a certification body for places around the world that make true Neapolitan pizza.

The city is served by Naples International Airport at Capodichino, so close to the city centre it is now surrounded by the built up area. Charter companies use the airport serving the near-by resorts while budget airlines also provide services.
Naples has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and warm, mild winters. Most rainfall is in winter.

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