I traveled to Italy, April 2022 and my first stop was Naples, where I enjoyed a walking tour of the old town. This trip was with a group of women and we toured Pompeii and then hiked and walked all around the “heal of the boot” in the Puglia area.
Naples was not on our itinerary, but two of us travelers flew from our town and the idea was to meet up at the Naples airport with the rest of the group then off to Pompeii. Unfortunately, the other six travelers were on a different flight and did not make the connection, therefore, would not get in until late. Because of this, our fantastic Italian tour guides took us on a walking tour through Naples, Italy and I had a splendid time! I felt sorry for the others though!
Since this was an impromptu walking tour, this post is mainly a photo blog of our walking. I have added comments to the areas I remembered!
Coffee First
Once we met our guide at the airport, she grabbed us some coffee and I must say, it was love at first sip. I absolutely fell in love with the coffees I had in Italy and would return to Italy just for coffee!!
Porto Nolano
The Porto Nolano is one of the remaining medieval gates to the city. Located in the Old Town this arch was built in the 15th century.
The Streets of Naples
Walking through the streets of Naples was fun. The narrow old buildings have their own beauty.
Santa Chiara Monastery
The Santa Chiara Monastery was built between 1313 and 1340 by King Robert of Naples. King Robert is buried behind the main church altar. During WWII it caught on fire from bombing but was restored to it’s original grandeur.
The monastery, also known as the Cloister of Charisses (Order of St Claire), has a central garden with arched walkways around it. There are frescoes and majolica tiles throughout the walkway. Majolica tiles are actually tin glazed pottery painted on a white background. Popular during the renaissance period, these tiles laid out together tell a story.
Galleria Umberto I
The Galleria Umberto is a shopping center built between 1887-1890. We did not go inside but the building looked beautiful as we walked by.
More Coffee
Since we had flown through the night we stopped for a much needed coffee. My second cup of coffee was just as wonderful and I fell even more in love with Italian Coffee. We also had Baba for a snack. I understand it is a Naples specialty. It is hard to describe but it was amazing. It is similar to a small cake but it is soft and airy inside and soaked in rum. I mean totally soaked in rum. Perfect with the coffee.
Piazza del Plebiscito
The Piazza del Plebiscito is one of many city squares in Naples. This square is very ornate and large with the Royal Palace of Naples on the east and the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola on the west. This is definitely a great spot to walk around when in Naples, Italy.
Mt Vesuvius
You can’t miss the volcano Mt Vesuvius just east of Naples. Famous for destroying the city of Pompeii. This volcano is still active and last erupted in 1944.
Castle Nuovo
Castle Nuovo is one of the 7 castles of Naples, Italy and I enjoyed seeing it as we were walking near there. Originally built in 1279 this castle appears quite grand. Hopefully some day I will return and visit this site!
Time to Eat!!
Of course stopping to eat in Naples, Italy was a huge treat, especially after all of the walking we did! Our guide took us to a spot she liked and it was awesome! Called Di Matteo this place was perfect for my first taste of Italy!
Conclusion
Even though our walking tour through Naples was unplanned and unexpected it was definitely an awesome experience. This taste of Naples was enough to entice me to return someday and explore more! I will be blogging for the next several weeks on my walking and hiking trip through Puglia, the heal of of the boot in Italy.
Naples was a fantastic place where we visited . Thanks for taking back to memories .
Anita
It is very busy but exciting! Glad to
bring back memories! Lori
What a great post and photos of your experience. Thank you!
Thank you!
What an exciting trip! Your pictures are delightful!!
Thank you!!
I must say a city that does coffee (and pizza) so well is bound to get into my good books. Looks like an amazing place to visit. And with such fascinating sights nearby (Vesuvius, Pompeii, Amalfi) it seems like a good base.
I did like Naples. Unfortunately just for a night. We drove 5 hours the next day after visiting Pompeii and headed for the heal of the boot in Italy!
I’ve visited Naples twice, but only had brief stints there. That said, I never got to pause and explore the stunning beauty of the Santa Chiara Monastery (that interior, WOW!). Naples often gets overlooked as a “pass-through” kind of city on the way to Pompeii or the Amalfi Coast, but it deserves a chance to enjoy and experience another side of Italian life. Can’t wait to see where else you visited in Italy!
I was so excited to be able to spend some time in Naples! Since it was not planned I had no idea what to expect because I really didn’t look into it! It made it extra fun not knowing what was there and being surprised at everything I saw!
Wow Naples looks like an amazing place to explore and photograph. I’ve been to Italy more times than I can count but never really made it to the southern part. Hopefully one day ☺️ thanks for sharing and have a good day ☺️ Aiva xx
This was my first trip to Italy and I hope to explore more someday!
Rum cake and coffee, sounds like a nice staple for a meandering walk. Jerry
It sure did hit the spot!
This brings back memories of when we visited Naples nearly a decade ago. Your pictures are beautiful. It looks like you ate really well.
Naples was such a busy and exciting city! I seem to always eat well on vacation! This trip I hiked/walked about 90 miles but thanks to the Italian food and wine I didn’t loose so much as an ounce of weight! Just happy I didn’t gain!! 😂 Lori
Italy is my dream destination, so I enjoyed that very much, especially the coffee!
This was my first time to Italy! I am hoping to return!
Lovely post – I visited Naples for a day but wish I’d had a bit longer, even if just for eating all that delicious food 🙂
Thank you! The food is amazing!!
I love those spontaneous travel experiences that end up being top-rate! I’ve been warned away from southern Italy in general and Naples in particular, so it’s good to see it in a positive light. (Don’t worry – those negative warnings won’t keep me away.)
I too love the spontaneous experiences. I was glad I was with two Italians who knew there way around Naples! It really helped the experience.
I agree, walking tours or food tours through a city share history, community and personality. The streets of Italy and France have so much to give. Looks like a great adventure Lori. Thanks for sharing. Allan
I do enjoy a nice walk through an unfamiliar city and trying out their local specialty foods!
wonderfulll ITALY love it so much especially the food PIZZA , PASTA etc ..
I agree!!
great photos of the streets!
Thank you! It was fun roaming around!’