I don’t understand why this city gets a bad rap. All the time we were here, I never felt unsafe or threatened. Yes, the cab drivers just outside the cruise terminal were bullies without exception but we knew better and walked away. A young taxi driver then politely asked us where we’re going and we negotiated a fixed €20 cab ride with him. He drove us all the way to the front steps of Gesù Nuovo to admire its distinctive striped facade and entered the church before it closed at 1pm. Soon after, we walked a few steps to the nearby Santa Chiara but didn’t have enough time to check out its lovely tiled cloisters. Like Gesù Nuovo, it closed at 1pm. As we exited its gate, we tracked our way towards Museo Capella Sansevero on the off chance somebody cancelled a timed admission to view the Veiled Christ sculpture (Cristo Velato). Tickets were fully sold for the next 2 weeks and we can only sigh in despair we didn’t book early enough. Serves us a good excuse to head back to Naples!
The very street straddling both Gesu Nuovo and Santa Chiara is the Spaccanapoli. We wandered the historic street, browsed the little shops and simply enjoyed the atmosphere around Piazza San Domenico Maggiore. We even found a candy store where a kindly old signore offered us his risotto, even spoon feeding us! Like good children, we opened our mouths and thanked him for the Italian rice dish. Back on the Spaccanapoli, we walked back towards Via Toledo and found an old pizzeria that has been in operation since 1833. Lunch was a Pizza Margherita and fritto mixto in this ristorante called Pizzeria Mattozzi. In operation since 1833, it stands among Napoli’s most historic culinary institutions.
We pretty much covered our planned itinerary except for missing the Museo Capella Sansevero which was fully booked. But we chanced upon the centuries-old pizzeria that has been one of Napoli’s historic culinary institutions. This birthplace of pizza has pizzerias all over the place. And the Spanish Quarter has many tiny al fresco dining spots along narrow alleys with walls adorned by the image of the much-loved soccer legend Maradona. The numero 10 before my fav Messi. Along Via Toledo, and meandering around the narrow alleys of the Spanish Quarter, we walked back towards the cruise terminal. Passed by Galleria Umberto, a piazza and an opera house. Also the Castel Nuovo right across where our boat was docked. Don’t know much about this “new castle” but since we had time before boarding time, we dropped in and snapped some photos before bidding Napoli ciao.
