This is part of a continuing series of photographs from my 21-day, three country, five city
winter vacation to Europe with my ladyfriend Serena.
After three days in Rome (what a city!), in this post, we say “ciao!” to the dynamic city of Naples
120 miles southeast of Rome, flanked to the west by the smaller Gulf of Pozzuoli and to the southeast by the Gulf of Salerno, lies the city of Naples, the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy after Rome and Milan. The city is situated between two areas of volcanic activity: Mount Vesuvius to the east and the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) to the northwest.
Having visited Mexico City several times, I’ve never really encountered a city that matched its frenetic energy (New York City isn’t even that nutty!) But Naples? It comes really close. And Vico Giardinetto in the city’s Spanish Quarter? It’s about as bonkers a street as you’ll probably ever walk in your life. But first, a little history…
The history of Naples could be seen as the history of Europe. After first establishing colonies on the islands as early as the 2nd millennium BCE, the first Greek settlement on mainland Italy was founded around the 8th century BCE: a city called Cumae. As it grew, Cumae was renamed Neapolis, or “new city”, becoming one of Ancient Greece’s strongest colonies and an important cultural hub.
Even when taken over by the Romans, who used the city as a resort, it retained its Hellenistic culture, and attracted famous historical figures like the classical Roman poet Virgil. In 79 AD, one of the most devastating volcanic eruptions of all time took place: Mount Vesuvius destroyed the nearby city of Pompeii.
Naples was subsequently passed from empire to empire throughout the Middle Ages – the Romans, the Byzantines, the Lombards, the Normans, the French, the Spanish, the Austrians, Napoleon’s French empire in 1806 then back to the Spanish in 1816 (whew!) before Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi led a thousand volunteers to conquer the Spanish and ultimately establish the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
World War I, the rise of Fascism in Italy, the Great Depression of the 1930s, World War II (where Naples was the first Italian city to rise up against the Nazi military occupation and push the Germans out in what became known as the “four days of Naples”), and a devastating volcano eruption from Mount Vesuvius in 1944 took a great toll on the city.
Throughout the 20th century, Naples would endure high unemployment and deep-rooted organized crime. The Camorra, an organized crime syndicate based in Naples, have a long history in the city. In 2006, Roberto Saviano published “Gomorrah”, a non-fiction book and significant work of investigative journalism that explored the Camorra’s influence across various businesses and aspects of daily life. A film based on the book (also called “Gomarrah“) would go on to critical acclaim, winning the Grand Prix at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.
But over the past several decades, Naples has made strides in improving public spaces, increasing street cleaning services (the city suffered from a state of emergency in the 80s due to the lack of waste collection and illegal toxic waste dumping), and enhancing safety measures. In 1995, the historic center of Naples was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, a United Nations program which aims to catalogue and conserve sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of mankind.
Naples, along with Florence, Rome, Venice and Milan, has now become one of the main Italian tourist destinations. With 18 million visitors in 2024, the city has completely emerged from the strong tourist depression of past decades and has transformed itself from a gritty and dilapidated metropolis to a modern hub of culture and business.
We spent three full days in Naples, resting our heads inside the five-room Duomo House located in the very heart of the old town with a terrace overlooking the charming Via Duomo and next to the magnificent cathedral. We had the “Rick Deckard” room, no less. The Naples Cathedral was just down the street so we’ll start there, yes?
Catedral de Nápoles (Naples Cathedral)
The present cathedral in Angevin Gothic style was commissioned by King Charles I of Anjou. Construction continued during the reign of his successor, Charles II (1285–1309) and was completed in the early 14th century under Robert of Anjou. The cathedral has gone through various restorations and rebuilds over the years.
It is widely known as the Cathedral of Saint Januarius (Cattedrale di San Gennaro), in honor of the city’s patron saint. In 1497 Cardinal Oliviero arranged for the bones of San Gennaro (Saint Januarius) to be returned to Naples, having been hidden in a monastic complex for hundreds of years. This has been the home of San Gennaro’s remains ever since.
The church houses a vial of the blood of Saint Januarius, which is brought out three times a year, on the first Saturday in May, the 19th of September and the 16th of December, when the dried blood usually liquefies. If the blood fails to liquefy, then legend has it that disaster will befall Naples. Quite a thing to determine the city’s future, isn’t it?
The crypt of San Gennaro is by the Italian Sculptor Tommaso Malvito. The façade was reworked by Enrico Alvino in the late 19th century but retains the 15th century portal, including some sculptures by Tino da Camaino.
The Royal Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro, with frescoes by Domenichino and Giovanni Lanfranco, altarpieces by Domenichino, Massimo Stanzione and Jusepe Ribera, the rich high altar by Francesco Solimena, the bronze railing by Cosimo Fanzago and other artworks, including a reliquary by French masters of the 14th century.
The Naples Cathedral is a splendid example of Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical architecture and stands as a symbol of the city’s rich history, religious significance, and cultural heritage. Admission is also free, with limited hours during religious services and ceremonies.
View the full gallery below…
Museo d’arte contemporanea Donnaregina
A six-minute walk from the cathedral, you’ll find the Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Donnaregina, often known as Museo Madre, a museum of contemporary art housed in the Palazzo Donnaregina, which was adapted for it by the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. The museum, which opened in 2005, is organized on four floors of the palace. A nice enough way for two art nerds to spend a few hours goofing off.
Pio Monte della Misericordia
The Pio Monte della Misericordia is a church in the historic center of Naples. A charity brotherhood (Pio Monte della Misericordia) was founded in August 1601 by seven young nobles, who met every Friday to minister to the sick at the Ospedale degli Incurabili (Hospital for the Incurables), a historic complex in Naples founded in 1521 by a Spanish nun named Maria Llorença Llong.
In 1602 they established an institution and commissioned a small church, built by Italian architect Giovanni Giacomo Di Conforto. The church was consecrated in September 1606. From 1658 to 1678 the edifice was enlarged by architect Francesco Antonio Picchiati, forming a complex with a palace and a renewed church dedicated to the Madonna della Misericordia featuring a classic octagonal plan with a slender dome.
“Liberazione di san Pietro dal carcere” (Liberation of St.Peter), Giovan Battistello Caracciolo, 1615
“Cristo in casa di Marta e Maria”, Fabrizio Santafede, 1612
The architecture is fundamental to the story of the charitable works of the Pio Monte della Misericordia as the 17th century paintings that decorate the seven altars by Luca Giordano, Carlo Sellitto, Fabrizio Santafede, Battistello Caracciolo and others.
“Sette opere di Misericordia” (The Seven Works of Mercy), Caravaggio, 1607
On the main altar, the masterpiece by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known as Caravaggio, symbolizes and illustrates the seven works of corporal mercy in a large canvas and dominates the entire scene. The volatile and hugely influential Caravaggio, who pioneered the use of light and shade (known as chiaroscuro) in his works, was quick to anger. His penchant for brawling resulted in him stabbing a young man, Ranuccio Tomassoni (a gangster from a noble family), to death during a violent duel in Rome in 1606.
Caravaggio died in 1610 (at only 38 years old) under uncertain circumstances while on his way from Naples back to Rome (in hopes of a pardon for the murder of Tomassoni). What killed him was a matter of controversy and rumor at the time and has been a matter of historical debate and study since. The most recent findings (2010 & 2018) from DNA believed to be Caravaggio’s see-saw between lead poisoning (paints used at the time contained high amounts of lead salts) or sepsis as the result of a wound sustained in a brawl in Naples.
The picture gallery on the first floor houses an extensive collection of artworks from the 16th to 19th centuries, including works by Luca Giordano, Jusepe de Ribera, Andrea Vaccaro, and others. The institution remains active, continuing its charitable mission and preserving its rich artistic heritage.
From the museum window, you can see the Spire of San Gennaro, dedicated to the city’s patron saint in 1636, in Piazza Cardinale Sisto Riario Sforza. The stonework is by Cosimo Fanzago, the bronze statue at the top by Tommaso Montani.
Check out the full gallery below…
Quartieri Spagnoli (Spanish Neighborhood)
From the Pio Monte della Misericordia, follow the historic east-west street of Via dei Tribunali, hang a left on Piazza Dante to Via Toledo and in about 25 minutes you’ll find yourself at the Quartieri Spagnoli, for many years considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Naples. From cigarette smuggling, drug dealing and prostitution, to the presence of the Camorra, a Neapolitan mafia organization, the quarter earned a reputation as one to avoid while visiting Naples – a reputation that only in the last few years has begun to change.
The Spanish Quarters constitute a historically and artistically significant nucleus of the city of Naples, offering various insights into local popular culture and Neapolitan lifestyle. Examples include the presence of small artisan workshops, the characteristic bassi napoletani (traditional ground-floor dwellings), and narrow, dimly lit alleys featuring steep staircases and clothes hanging out to dry between buildings.
The area, encompassing approximately 800,000 square meters, consists of a grid of around eighteen streets by twelve, including a population of some 14,000 inhabitants. Housing density, outdated infrastructure, and poverty continue to impact the daily lives of residents. However, the community of the Spanish Quarters is known for its resilience and solidarity.
The mural of Diego Maradona in the Quartieri Spagnoli was created by local artist Mario Filardi in 1990, when Maradona was at the height of his career and had led Naples to two Italian championships (Scudetti). Maradona, who came from a humble background in Argentina, became an idol of the working class in Naples. His story of hardship and triumphant rise resonated with the population, who often perceived themselves as outsiders to the rest of Italy. He is God in Naples. Nuff said.
More on this neighborhood in a future post…
Chiesa di San Ferdinando
As we wandered through the Quartieri Spagnoli, we stumbled upon the Church of San Ferdinando, a historic church built in 1636 located on the Piazza Triesti e Trento. The vault has a fresco with the story of Saint Francis Xavier and other Jesuits by Paolo De Matteis. The church contains statues by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro and Giuseppe Sanmartino. The main altarpiece is a canvas depicting San Ferdinando by Federico Maldarelli.
Pizza!
Now let’s talk about the pizza, shall we? Especially with Naples being the alleged birthplace of the modern pizza. While flatbread with toppings was enjoyed in ancient Egypt and Rome, Italians are credited with inventing popular pizza. Congestion in 18th and 19th-century Naples prompted residents to discover quick, cheap methods to feed their families and different types of pizzas soon grew popular due to its simple and basic ingredients and mobility. But it was initially considered a poor man’s cuisine.
According to folklore, it all began when Raffaele Esposito, a baker from Naples, created an Italian pizza in honor of King Umberto and Queen Margherita. He was attempting to emulate the Italian flag’s colors by using mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes as toppings. The pizza was claimed to have been a hit with Queen Margherita. Thus, Margherita pizza was born.
Now I grew up in NYC, a city with a reputation of having as good a slice of pizza as exists anywhere in the world. I also ate several pizzas in Naples at some of their best pizzerias and I’ll say this – they’re two totally different pizzas. One’s a foldable firm crust while the pizza in Naples is soft and chewy even. Different types of mozzarella, different cooking temperatures; I mean, you really can’t compare the two – it’s apples to oranges.
The pizza I ate in Naples was good, but for my tastes, I’ll stick with my NYC pizza. That’s all I got to say about that…
