Neapolitan delights

It's Italy's third biggest city and as full as any you can imagine of fumes and dirt (and sailors -- not by the sea for nothing).

Doesn't sound overly inviting but that's only half the story -- the neapolitans know how to have fun and spend their time buzzing around on the Vespas from bar to bar (strenuously avoiding compliance with anything vaguely approaching a traffic rule - it seems to be a matter of pride to jump lights, drive up one way streets and park wheresoever is personally convenient!) . . . their food is fantastic, the city is gloriously situated on the bay of Naples and can give you almost anything you want.

The old centre is crammed with splendid ancient churches, the city boasts a medieval university and the good-value eateries and cafes that go with canny students. There are colourful street markets and some swanky high fashion shops as well.

The raucous and sometimes anarchic atmosphere may have something to do with the the city's famous connections with organised crime and it's not the safest place to be out and about at night.

Quick Tips:

In terms of churches, you're spoiled for choice -- make a bee-line for the duomo, the Baroque Cappella di San Gennaro, the Gothic Chiesa di San Domenico Maggiore (completed in 1324 by the Dominican order).

Also on your list should be the Palazzo Reale and less well-known Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte and the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (Museo archeologico nazionale di napoli).

Obvious trips out of town are to Vesuvius, Pompei and Herculaneum and, a bit further afield, Isla di Capri is a pleasant way to escape the hot and busy city by jumping on a boat from the harbour out to the swanky island with its yachts and very well-heeled, seeming a million miles from Naples.

Best Way To Get Around:

Car? Just don't bother - parking is a nightmare and you're as likely as not to end up in a crunch caused by a seemingly-kamimaze Vespa-rider.

The underground is pretty good -- cheap and relatively efficient (though again I wouldn't hang around there at night) and you can get to and from the station much more easily than getting stuck in the hideous one-way systems out of town to the airport.

The museum boasts that it holds the largest collection of material from classical antiquity in the world - it's not clear whether that's true but it certainly has more than enough to entertain for a good few hours -- hundreds of thousands including pieces from the Farnese collections such as the absolutely monumental sculptures of Hercules and the Farnese Bull, jewellery (ground floor).

It's light and airy, thoughtfully laid out, signposted (you get a map in English and Italian with your ticket) and there are numerous assistants if you have a question (though woe betide you if you take a photo with flash).

Of most interest perhaps are the numerous pieces brought for safekeeping from Pompei and Herculaneum (see entries below) (and lesser known Stabiae), including some quite breath-taking mosaics (mezzanine floor -- look in particular for the enormous mosaic of the handsome Macedonian leader, Alexander the Great, astride his horse in mid-battle (hence "Battle of Alexander") shame really that it is not in situ on the floor of the Casa del Fauno in Pompeii but at least you can get up close now it's on the wall -- and the great, colourful scenes of fishes and squid/octopi, presumably used either in a Roman kitchen or to advertise the wares of a Roman fishermonger?), some impressive and well-preserved bronze-works, on the first floor some impressive Roman frescos and paintings (Lord knows how they got them off the walls), domestic furnshings and household goods.

Also look out on the first floor (room 94) for the excellent "Plastico di Pompei" - a scale model which will help you plan your trip or see where you've been.

So far as the mosaics are concerned, it helps I think to go to Pompei and Herculaneum before coming to the museum so you can picture where the mosaics would once have lain -- conversely though seeing so many here makes you realise why perhaps the ancient sites are slightly less colourful that you might otherwise have expected.

There is also the material unearthed from Magna Grecia (Campagnoa and Southern Italy) such as the Vase of the Persians (first floor) and grave paintings from Cuma, Nola and Ruvo.

Admission 9-2pm every day save Tuesdays and Xmas/New Year's Days. Nearest underground is Piazza Cavour.

Originally situated on the Gulf of Naples, Pompeii was founded as early perhaps as 900 BC by the Etruscans and taken over by the Greeks in circa 300 BC. The Romans invaded in circa 80 BC (renaming their new acquisition Lucius Corneilius Pompeianorum -- Pompeii for short), reinventing some existing structures for their own practical and religious beliefs--e.g., the Greek Temple of Jupiter became the Capitolium, dedicated to the triad of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. There was also new construction, principally the Forum baths, odeion and amphitheatre, as well as further temples and many new dwelling places. As everyone knows, everything went horribly wrong in 79 AD when nearby Vesuvius erupted.

Nowadays, you can enter through one of two gates (there were originally eight and you can see the remains of most of them) via the Piazza Anfiteatro to the east or through the Porta Marina (which will certainly be your entry if you come from the train station). There are 64 main buildings or areas to be explored, though a large proportion of the site remains to be surveyed and excavated.

A walk will depend on how long you have and how minutely you want to explore and peruse. Taking that into consideration, in this and the following entry, I set out three suggested itineraries--2 hours, min. 4 hours, and a full day (with a few thoughts on personal highlights as you go round -- * = worth seeing, ** = don’t miss). As you wander, keep your eyes open for little details, like the water pump in the street (see photo below).

2 HOURS covering the large-ish cluster near Porta Marina -- start with the Imperial Villa (a patrician house with some lovely frescoes) and suburban baths (both of these are outside the gate itself), then head through the gate to the Temple of Venus and basilica* (law courts), and follow the Via Marina as it climbs up to the Forum** (the town’s heart, with the most important buildings and temples), with its multitude of surrounding buildings. Clockwise: along the west side, the Doric Temple of Apollo**, Forum toilets, Mensa Poneraria (storage place of weights and measures) and grain-store (both of which are well preserved with stone or marble fitments); Temple of Jupiter** (whose impressive columns and statuary remain mainly in place) dominating the north; the Macellum (covered food market), Temples of Lares and Vespasian, and Comitium along the east; the grand municipal buildings to the south.

North of the Forum, heading along Via del Foro towards the Tower of Mercury (from which you can nip along the wall to the Porta Vesuvio) are (left side) the Forum Baths** (very well preserved--you can sit and imagine having taken a dip) and Houses of the Tragic Poet* (its frescoes have been moved to the Archaeological Museum) and Large Fountain* and (right side) the Temple of Fortuna.

MIN 4 HOURS: Go down Via della Fortuna, pass the house of the Faun** (where the mosaic of Alexander lay, though it and the eponymous dancing faun are both in Naples’ museum) and of the Ancient Hunt**; head down Vicolo del Vettii towards the magnificent Casa dei Vettii**, formerly a luxurious home, with well-preserved columns and gardens and lovely frescoes in situ.

East of the Forum is the Lupanar (brothel)**, with unsurprisingly erotic frescoes. Opposite is the house of the Gilded Cupids and, further along, the houses of Caecilius Jucundus, Silver Wedding*, Centenary* (more erotic frescoes), Marcus Lucretius Fronto** (look out for the hunting scenes picked out in marble) and Marcus Obelius Firmus, with the Porta di Nola and necropolis* (with Obelius’ gravestone) to the east.

From the Lupanar, along Via del Teatri is the entertainment district -- the Samnite gymnasium, where Pompeian youths worked out; temples of Isis and Jupiter Meilichios; triangular Forum (with the remains of a Doric colonnade); large theatre** (a classic semicircle accommodating 5,000 -- look for bronze lettering signifying who occupied each seat); smaller theatre** (with amazingly good acoustics -- see how far a whisper travels); gladiators’ barracks/training ground**; and houses of the Ceii* and Menander** (with very well-preserved frescoes in situ). Backtrack and, from the Forum, head northwest down Via Consolare via the houses of Fabius Rufus and Sallust* (one of the oldest in the city, complete with kitchen and bakery with three perfect millstones and oven), through the Porta Ercolano* and necropolis, past the Diomedes Villa to the House of Mysteries** (a cycle of fabulous frescoes of a young woman’s initiation into Dionysiac rites).

FULL DAY: The remainder is more spread out -- near the Mysteries are the houses of the Lyre-player and Ephebe, laundry of Stephanus*, tavern of Asellina, Thermopolium** (Pompeii’s equivalent of a fast-food joint, complete with masonry counter where food was stored and cooked, and mini-tables for consumption) and Stabiane baths** (the tiling and frescoes are in great shape; the changing rooms now house plaster casts of inhabitants who perished when Vesuvius blew).

Further along Via dell’Abbondanza, towards Porta di Sarno, pass Sotericus’ Bakery, the garum (a fish sauce) workshop (most of its frescoes and mosaics now sadly in the museum, leaving it feeling somewhat bare) and house of magical rites, for the houses of Octavius Quartio**, Venus* (with beautiful frescoes of the goddess in a conch shell rising from the waves) and Julia Felix* (all extensive villa properties with columned walkways around gardens with sculptures and columns, and well-preserved and intact interiors).

Finally, the Amphitheatre** -- a definite highlight. Its enormous auditorium apparently seated 20,000 spectators for gladiatorial and animal contests. Nearby is the green expanse of the Large Palaestra*; its swimming pool remains visible. Lastly, by the Porta Nocera/necropolis* (more tombs, fine gravestones and memorial statues) is the Garden of the Fugitives*, where plaster casts of further victims can be seen where the bodies were found.

Herculaneum is unjustly less famous than its bigger brother -- though considerably smaller, its buildings are better preserved and mosaics/frescoes remain in situ. Herculaneum didn't suffer such bad structural damage, but it lay in the path of a pyroclastic flow -- mud and lava devastated the area, pushing the nearby shoreline back by 500m. Rediscovered in the early 18th century when a well was dug (the town had been buried over 20m deep; hence the excavation lies in a bowl, surrounded by the rebuilt town), word spread and most valuables disappeared; proper archaeological excavations began in the early 20th century.

Take the Circumvesuviana railway to Ercolano Scavi station, tben walk 1km down the hill. Herculaneum's main area comprises two broadly parallel streets (Decumanus Maximus and Inferior), bisected by three narrower streets (Cardo III to V). It's compact -- a walk will take 1-2 hours; the buildings are well-preserved, so assume everything is worth a look.

Decumanus Maximus was the gracious main street, partly closed from traffic as a Forum. The teatro was partially excavated in the 18th century; lying slightly north of the Decumanus Maximus, it held 2,500 and was fairly unusual in not being built into a hillside, but free-standing (like Rome's Colosseum).

Along Cardo IV, the House of the Mosaic Atrium has a tablino (living room), garden, terraces, and halls with rich paintings. The nearby Casa del Tramezzo di Legno (House of the Wooden Partition) and Casa Sannitica have wonderful atriums and fine frescoes; the Casa della Gemma (Jewelled House) is distinctively painted in red and black -- the kitchen hearth holds crockery remains.

From the House of the Stags (Casa dei Cervi), containing some remnants of statuary and marble furniture and an impressive atrium with frescoes of deer being chased by dogs and a Stairo con otre (satyr with wineskin) statue, there's a ramp to the so-called Sacred Area (which itself has steps down to the old harbour and the arched storerooms) where about 300 victims of the lava flow were found during excavations (closed to the public). Next door, the House of Neptune and Amphitrite contains beautiful wall mosaics -- this quality is what makes Herculaneum stand out from Pompeii. Look also for the fresco of Hercules (after whom the town is thought to have been named).

The Suburban Baths (sometimes closed but very well worth seeking out) are well preserved, particularly the floor mosaics -- look at the floors: the weight of the flow caused the tesserae to crack and the floor level to subside. Three distinct rooms can be seen -- tepidarium (warm room for acclimatising), caldarium (steam-filled room), and frigidarium (cold room for a quick plunge in the pool); it still feels like a place to socialise in grandeur.

The vast Palaestra (gymnasium) saw exercising and athletic competitions; surrounded by three columned walkways with portico and loggia for spectators, you can also see the remains of a meeting hall, supposedly where athletes received their traditional olive-wreath crown (cut from the wild olive tree from which Hercules' clubs were made).

Capri is breath of fresh air away from the city, but, if you visit in high season, prepare yourself for hoards of international day-trippers, schoolchildren and at weekends the locals who come for a taste of the high life. Consequently, it can be something of a zoo and, not surprisingly, the local cafes have reacted by selling home comforts of German sausage, English tea and egg and chips. You may find it better to break away from the tourist path (maybe mostly steer clear of Capri town which is the main concentration).

The island is only 3 miles from the mainland (though it lies closer to Positano and Sorrento, a little way south down the coast, than to Naples -- the trip from there is quicker) and is c4x2 miles. The ferry or hydrofoil will come into Marina Grande on the north-east coast, from which you can either plunge with the masses onto a bus uphill towards Anacapri or Capri Town, or do up your walking shoes and head along the wiggling road (Via Marina Grande) westwards or southwards. For Capri Town, you can also spend 15 mins on the chairlift (€8 one way) which runs continuously until dusk - if you’re going to take only one chairlift, I’d recommend the longer one referred to below so bide your time.

If you do head to Capri town, wander round the narrow cobbled streets, starting with the main square at the C17 Church of St Stephen and taking in the C14 Carthusian monastery of San Giacomo (open 9-2 Tues-Sun) and don’t miss the fantastic views along the south coast from Augustus Gardens.

If you’re on the island overnight and feeling very energetic, get up early before the sun starts to bite and make the hour’s walk along Via Tiberio from the east side of the town to Villa Jovis, where Tiberius lived. It’s a well-preserved Roman villa (open 9-shortly before dusk; €3). Just behind the villa building is Salto di Tiberio (Tiberius’ leap) from which slaves and those out of favour were made to jump. Though not for the fainthearted or lightly shod, the walks around the coastline give fantastic views that become a blur from a bus (see photo below).

The other main town is Anacapri, smaller and quainter. It’s also home to Villa San Michele, built for Dr Axel Munthe, Swedish writer whose bust can be found in the gradens to the house (open 9-6; admission €4). Anacapri is also the starting point for the better chair-lift, starting at Piazza Vittoria to the top of monte Solaro (589m) which gives tremendous views both of the island’s rocky escarpments and plunging drops and, on a good day, across inland to Vesuvius and down the coast. (Note – buy a return rather than waiting for 2 singles – it works out much cheaper.)

Two things to ensure before you leave Capri – first, have an insalate caprese (fresh tomatoes that taste of sunshine, basil and caprese cheese, rather like mozzarella) in the place where it was born; secondly, shop around for one of the fabulous ceramic tiles (you’ll have admired them in situ everywhere – street names, little scenes on walls or benches (see below for photo), mottoes, directions. A common, practical and good value souvenir is to buy small tiles with however many numbers your house has – works out about €3 each tile.