„See Naples and then die” is a catchphrase attributed to Goethe when he visited the city nearly two and a half centuries ago. With it, the great German writer probably wanted to suggest that its beauty is impossible to describe, tell or draw, but must be seen. The bay, Vesuvius and the cultural coloration give rise to an unforced love for the place in the artist, and after it nostalgia and the need to instill in him its magnificence.
Seeing Naples today and feeling its spirit is an experience that I suppose is permanently deposited in the mind, as in Goethe's time. For a classic country of tourism like Italy, the identity of individual places is very diverse. In its natural and cultural dimensions, Naples is unparalleled, and the marks of uniqueness are embodied in all its elements: urban planning, architecture, lifestyle, language, cuisine, football, mafia... Together, they make Naples significantly different from the bustling Rome, the dynamic Milan, the refined Florence or the opulent Venice. As the bearer of the special temperament of the Italian south, Naples is perhaps the brightest embodiment of the “other Italy”, qualified by the nickname Mezzogiorno.
Naples is equally enchanting when viewed from the shores of “Santa Lucia” or from the Vomero hill with a panoramic view of the Gulf of Naples. “The sea” of colorful buildings, churches, palaces and villas surrounds the shore amphitheatrically, and Vesuvius shapes the city's profile from the south, creating a unique and recognizable contour of the city's silhouette. Although still active, this volcano has an inherent meaning for the city, which has affected its entire history. The organic connection of Naples with Vesuvius has been immortalized in the work of thousands of artists from the past, and the memory of the city against the background of the famous volcano today serves as evidence of the witnessed presence of this magnetic place.
When visiting Naples, you should be prepared for contrasts. In the city, harmony and chaos, brilliance and imperfection, grandeur and simplicity coexist everywhere. The masterpieces of Neapolitan Baroque on the boulevards “Umberto I” and ”Toledo” are meters away from the kitsch and disorder of Porta Nolana and the “Spaccanapoli”, and the pompous ”San Carlo” theater is an elbow's distance from the unsightly ”Quartieri Spagnoli”. Exquisite boutiques and restaurants are adjacent to convenience stores and fast food joints. The temperament of the Neapolitans, in addition, communication in dialect (Napoletano) and immigrants of color in the commercial establishments add to the color of the place. However, these differences do not dull the charm in the least, as they sharpen the senses for understanding this colorful world.
A cursory glance at history explains a lot about the layered cultural color. Ruled at different times by Greeks, Romans, Normans, Spaniards and French, Naples accumulates a cultural heritage extending over an area of 1021 hectares – the most extensive with UNESCO protected status in Europe. The city is the center of the largest underground Greco-Roman city, the first secular university in Europe, the oldest opera house, the largest archaeological museum in Italy, the most spoken dialect of the Italian language. In the chapel “Sansevero” is the sculptural masterpiece ”The Veiled Christ”, considered the most complex marble creation in the world!
Color is everywhere in Naples. Improvised decorations on many streets create a sense of goodwill and lift the mood of the tourist. Graffiti, banners, garlands, posters, photos, football props... enhance the city's colorfulness, creating an atmosphere of belonging that contrasts it from all others in Italy. The city's associated icons of cinema and football, such as Sophia Loren, Bud Spencer (Carlo Pedersoli) and Diego Maradona, are literally created in the city's culture. Their images adorn the facades of residential buildings, brand hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants, even… car service stations!
Considering that football in Italy is something of a semi-religion, the brightest star, who played for the local “Napoli” - Maradona, is revered as a demigod. In the narrow streets of “Quartieri Spagnoli” Diego “peeks” from hundreds of graffiti and photos on the walls, chapels and improvised memorial corners. Every second shop sells sports items with his name, souvenirs with his image, pizza, salad, wine and even an energy drink “Diego Maradona”! There is no doubt that paying such homage and love to the football legend of the past confirms the special temperament of the Neapolitans.
Food in Naples is more than a bright marker of identity. The city is the place where pizza was “born”, offered today in hundreds of variations. With a genetic reference from Naples is also the sfogliatella as a typical Italian pastry, and the historical predecessor of French fries around the world are the Neapolitan panzarotti since the mid-16th century. To these should be added a dozen seafood, pasta, Campania cheeses, wines, spices... and the aromatic Neapolitan espresso, of course “ristretto”, is incomparable to any other. If Italian cuisine is famous for its taste qualities as the richest in Europe, then the main reason for this is the Neapolitan culinary tradition!
As a kind of “capital” of the Mezzogiorno, Naples is famous for the strong presence of the mafia, about which legends are told. Although invisible to tourists, rumors of the Camorra's influence say that it controls every 3-4th business in the city. The modest life that most locals lead, combined with a significant immigrant presence, undoubtedly fuels its influence. For visitors to Naples, however, the greatest danger is domestic crime in the form of theft. Over the past two decades, the city has been subjected to overtourism, and the crowding of tourists in the historic center increases the scale of pickpocketing. For this reason, vigilance in crowds is mandatory!
This is Naples, colorful. Even if you show passivity in it, the Neapolitan style will envelop you: the conte on the streets will not leave you indifferent; the waiters in the restaurants will not stop competing for your attention; the aroma of freshly baked pizza will not leave your senses neutral; the grandmothers smoking from the balconies will not immerse you in monotony; the thought of the “borsegators” ripping you off will not dull the charm of what you saw… In the end, what remains is the satisfaction and the memory of the place for one of the most vibrant and multifaceted cities in Europe!
Vilian Krastev