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Italy : Naples - October 2007

Country Code: Dial for Italy

October is the ideal time to visit Naples – there’s still every chance of some decent autumnal sunshine and, out of season, you’ll get the dramatic shoreline and surrounding countryside pretty much to yourself. Like the newly-promoted local football team, it is a city edging its way out of the shadows. Matt Barker cheers it on

Getting around

Naples International Airport at Capodichino.

Bus: The Alibus runs directly from the airport to Stazione Centrale every 20 minutes. Tickets cost €3. The orange bus (the 3S) runs every 25 minutes. Tickets are from €1.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport to the centre costs around €13. An Artecard (costs from €13) is a good option giving you free travel plus some museum entry. You can buy it at the airport when you arrive (www.campaniartecard.it)
Tourist information: Go to the TEPT Office at Stazione Centrale, Piazza Garibaldi, www.eptnapoli.info)

Piazza Bellini and Piazza Dante

Unfolding in the shadow of simmering Vesuvius, the capital of Italy’s south is a complex, baroque setting for glorious excess, drama and some excellent cakes. And if the Spanish Quarter can seem a little intimidating at times, this leafy area, with its busy bars and rows of bookshops, has a pleasingly arty ambience.

Sleep soundly – Sansevero Degas (53 Calata Trinità Maggiore, , albergosansevero.it, rooms from €80) is tucked away just around the corner from Dante and is a handsome townhouse with balconies overlooking the Piazza Gesu. Sitting deep in the heart of the old town, Costantinopoli 104 (104 Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, , costantinopoli104.com, rooms from €210) is a real gem, and comes complete with a shaded garden and private pool.

Culture vultures – The Pio Monte della Misericorida church (253 Via Tribunali) houses one of Caravaggio’s greatest works, ‘The Seven Acts Of Mercy’. It was painted by the artist while he was in hiding in the city after being charged with murder in Rome.

Must eat – Trattoria Campagnola (47 Via Tribunali, tel. ) is a true Neapolitan trattoria, complete with a chalkboard menu of less-is-more native treats.

Must drink – Dante 33 (33 Piazza Dante) is a multifunctional bar that spills out onto the piazza and does both excellent breakfasts and early evening cocktails. Saturchio (19 Piazza San Domencio Maggiore) is a much-loved local, justly famed for its dazzling array of dolci, best washed down with a glass of regional wine.

Marina

Looking out across the bay is always a pleasure, and it’s best experienced from one of the myriad waterfront bars, glass in hand.

Sleep soundly – Suite Esedra (12 Via Cantani, tel. esedra. hotelsinnapoli.com, rooms from €110) is a reliable bolthole, nice and quiet, and just off the busy Corso Umberto I. The Bella Capri (4 Via Melisurgo, , bellacapri.it, rooms from €82) is a cheap(ish) and cheerful option, and is handily located for anyone visiting the islands.

Culture vultures – The Basilica del Carmine Maggiore (Piazza Carmine) contains one of the city’s great religious icons, la Madonna Bruna (‘the brown Madonna’). Cool off by the Fontana di Nettuno (Piazza Bovio) which features sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Mergellina and Riveria

Just off the Centro Storico, this is a rather grand quarter where the city’s great and good come to enjoy a leisurely passeggiata.

Must eat – La Cantina Triunfo (64 Riviera di Chiaia, tel. ) is a fine seafood eatery, with a menu that changes daily and offers up a small but perfectly formed selection of deck-fresh delights. It is closed on Sunday though. Chalet Ciro (Via Caracciolo, tel. ) is one of the city’s best spots for ice cream.

Shop til you drop – Marinella (287 Riviera di Chiaia) is an internationally-renowned tie and shirt shop, with a well-heeled clientele that includes George W Bush and the Agnelli family. Gay Odin (15 Via Colonna) is a traditional Neapolitan chocolate factory with a shop attached. It’s an absolute must for chocolate lovers.

Out of Town

Naples is surrounded by a large assortment of must-see delights, both natural and man-made.

Culture vultures – The Casina Reale des Fusaro is an old hunting lodge, out on Lake Fusaro, in Campi Flegrei, half an hour’s drive from central Naples Buses run from Piazza Garibaldi. Herculaneum is often overlooked given its close proximity to the more famous Pompeii, but its dense network of ancient streets and preserved mosaics are spookily impressive. The Circumvesuviana Railway (www.vesuviana.it) runs regular services from Piazza Garibaldi.

Compiled by Matt Barker