Often overshadowed by its more famous neighbors like Rome, Milan, or Florence, the charming city of Naples delivers a true taste of Italy with its winding cobblestone streets and delicious pizza. If you want to ditch touristy Rome, or fashionable Milan, and instead take a road less traveled, Naples is the perfect destination for you with its classic laidback Italian vibe. Here are a few reasons to take a trip to Naples.
Ancient Ruins
Ancient ruins are not only for history geeks. With their peaceful silence of long lost time, ancient ruins always transport you to another age. And the ones you can see in Naples are particularly evocative. Just a short distance from this city, there are ancient ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the cities destroyed by the deadliest Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD. The cities which were covered in volcanic ash that day, still stand as haunting reminiscent of the ruins and even the bones of those who were buried alive. Naples National Archeological Museum features the excavated artifacts from both sites, and also an interesting secret room full of famous erotic arts from both cities.
Pizza
Of course, no list of Naples can be completed without this! Pizza is literally a big deal in this city. Forget all those flashy varieties, as Naples’ signature invention is the classic straightforward Margherita. The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana ensures the pizzerias are following the set of stringent rules for official certification. As per the rule, the dough of pizzas can’t be stretched to more than 0.15 inches in thickness, and only a specific tomato and certified mozzarella di bufala can be used in pizza preparations. Moral of the story, Naples is the kingdom of fresh, delicious, pocket-friendly pizzas, with pizzerias at almost every street corner.
Island Vacation
Naples is also a great gateway to several wonderful seaside destinations like the gorgeous islands of Capri and Ischia, the picturesque Sorrento town, and well, the celebrity-clad Amalfi Coast too! If you are staying in Naples, all these spots are perfect for a day trip, just a short boat, train, or car ride away.