September 13-18, 2022. Italia. Land of gelato, pizza, pasta, history, and so much more. This was my third visit and I decided to base myself in Naples. The plan was to explore the surrounding area and islands plus relax and eat a lot of fresh Italian food.

My flight landed around 1100pm and it took a while to get a taxi (no ride share at the airport). I was exhausted by the time I reached the hostel and was so excited to fall asleep. I stayed at NAP hostel in the Spaccanapoli area. The streets were narrow and very steep. Laundry hung outside the windows. People had buckets attached to rope to receive groceries or other deliveries without having to climb up and down the stairs. It felt lived in and very authentic.

I had great plans to visit the islands or the Amalfi coast. However, I was tired and the weather was stormy so I took it easy.

Day one I joined a walking tour and learned about the history of the city. The Spanish controlled it for a long time. After the tour, I had my first Italian pizza. Margarita pizza is named for the Queen Margarita and comes from Napoli.

Day two I visited Pompeii. I bought the ArteCard for €32 which included two of the sites and unlimited public transport. I’m no longer a “young adult” so I had to pay adult prices 😦 I took the commuter train from Napoli and it took almost an hour. The train was more similar to a subway than a train. It was so crowded I had to stand both directions. It also lacked ac so with temperatures in the 80s with very high humidity and tons of people, it was a miserable experience.

Pompeii was incredible. I don’t have words to describe how impressive it is that people lived in such nice conditions that long ago. Pompeii was covered in ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. This preserved the city extremely well and now gives us insight into how people lived. They had pipes with running water, gorgeous frescos covered the walls, mosaic tiled floors, outdoor gardens with fountains, huge ampatheters, paved streets, and so much more. The fact everything is almost 2000 years old is incredulous.

Day three I had planned to visit Capri but woke up to thunderstorms and pouring rains. I was tired from the previous days so instead of visiting an island, I visited the National Archeological Museum of Napoli. It was covered by the ArteCard.

The museum hosts a large and varied collection. I was most interested in the Pompeii exhibits but also enjoyed learning about the ancient history. Elephants, zebra, and lions once roamed on Capri.

Many artifacts from Pompeii are on display at the museum. When they started excavating in the 1800s, they removed the nicest frescos and mosaics. Also on display were glassware, silverware and other household goods that look similar to modern day items. How could Europe go from such fine art to the dark ages? The sophistication amazes me.

After a few hours in the museum, I treated myself to a large vegetarian meal. I ate so much meat on my safari that I can’t stomach the thought of it now. After a siesta, I went out for gelato and to explore the historic churches.

Day four was my last full day. There was so much I hadn’t seen. I decided to visit the large castle overlooking the city, walk along the waterfront, visit a few more churches, and eat a seafood pasta. I also tried the local mozzarella di buffalo.

Naples has so much to offer. Five nights was barely enough to scrap the surface. Even in September, it was still overrun with tourists. Cruise ships stop there. At times, the crowds were overwhelming. However, you could escape by just stepping off the main street and onto a side street. Next time, I’d love to spend a few days relaxing on an island.