Napoli ~ the home of pizza

Feb 4

View from hotel

We spent the morning in Pigneto, Rome at a street cafe enjoying an espresso in the sunshine before heading off to Naples. The train from Rome to Naples takes about two hours so we are there by noon. We have a pension near Piazza Dante which is a great central location. Today we decide to walk the city and see what we find. Naples is fantastic. The allies are smaller and a bit more medieval and the scooters are insane. It's a little grittier than Rome and we came to describe it as Rome on speed. We just started walking. Turning corners, finding new sites and dodging scooters. We ended up by the Nuovo Castle at sunset.

traffic

Galleria Umberto

Nuovo Castle

Piazza del Plebiscito

We know our dinner location is quite far from here, so we start making our way back. We head up to Toledo, Piazza del Plebiscito and through the Galleria Umberto. Finally reaching the pest pizza in town...the famous Pizzeria Starita. There is a line out the door and an hour wait but time passes quickly with the owners bring seasoned fried dough out to ease the hunger. Well worth the wait and we eat our fair share of pies.

Outside Starita Pizzeria

The birth place of pizza

 Feb 5
The next day we hit the streets again aiming for the castle situated above Napoli. We know of  funicular that take us up. We weave through the allies we realize we must have missed the station. So we stop into a cafe for a mid morning amaretto and ask the owner. As luck would have it, the station is just around the corner. Up we go for a  a spectacular view of the city.

 The rest of the day is spent finding our way back down ending up right back at Piazza Dante. We grabbed some panini and beers and sat in the sunny square to enjoy our lunch. Feeling refreshed, we try fallowing a walking tour from our travel book and quickly loose our way.  Which is easy to do in the narrow, windy allies. We closed the book and fallow our feet, and wouldn't you know we end up at our desired location. Fratelli Cafe. Famous for their chocolates and pastries located in Piazza San Domenico. Ahhh espresso and chocolate the perfect afternoon pick me up.

Before dinner we walk through the famous street of nativity workshops, Via San Gregorio Armeno and find what we are looking for right under San Paolo Maggiore...limoncello! This little shop shares its walls with ancient Napoli walls and they make a variety of liquors in the back room fabbrica. One of the interesting creations is made from arugula and it is delicious.

Via San Gregorio Armeno

Limon'e Fabbrica

Our last dinner in Naples we find this family style kitchen. Luckily there is one table available and we receive a warm welcome. It is full mostly of local clientele and the cook is at home, taking time to visit familiar faces. And the food... mama mia itza delicious!

La Taverna Buongustaio