Naples: ankle of the Italian boot

Naples or how Italians call it - Napoli is the largest city of Capmania region, located right on the ankle of the Italian "boot".
Southern part of Italy, sometimes also called Mezzogiorno, meaning the midday in English, is for sure worth a visit, or even two as it was in my case. After exploring many Italian regions and towns, I can say, that the more to the south the more Italian Italy gets.

 

Naples is one of the cities that will never let you indifferent, some fall in love with this vivid city full of history and bright colors from the first sight and keep returning here to feel this unique ambience, some hate Naples because it seems too loud, impudent, crowded, unsafe and messy. But to form your own opinion you have to plunge into this atmosphere at least once.

The third largest city in Italy that is located right on the coast of gulf of Naples offers you many sights within the city, but also is a very good base for exploring the region including Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius, Amalfi coast and Capri island.

Both Vesuvius and island of Capri can be easily seen from the Naples embankment. 

But let's start the journey from Naples itself. Many tourists consider Naples to be completely unsafe city, maybe because the Neapolitan mafia Camorra is well-known worldwide, or may be as there are many tourist stories on the internet about the troubles they faced in Naples.

After visiting Naples twice I can not agree with it. Of course as in any other city there are not so safe districts, that I just recommend you to avoid, but in total, if we talk about the historical center, I had not felt unsafe. Of course you have to watch your personal belongings, frankly speaking it's a good idea to do so everywhere, not only in Naples.

 

 Naples' historic city center is the largest in Europe and is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1995.

As you can see Naples is a very colorful city. This is very typical to all the southern cities. Comparing to the other Italian towns, Naples looks a bit similar to the southern part of Sicily, but definitely is completely different from  very European and fashionable Milan, intensive Rome , artistic Florence and breathtaking Venice. What I mostly like about Italy, is that the regions are completely different one from each other and every time you are exploring new region of Italy, you feel like exploring new country, one of the reasons probably is that Italy was unified relatively not so long time ago.

There are three main squares in Naples - Piazza del Plebiscito,  Piazza Dante and Piazza dei Martiri. You can see a virtual tour of Piazza del Plebestico here.
Naples has a total of 448 historical churches, making it one of the most Catholic cities in the world in terms of the number of places of worship.

In contrast with a historical part of the city, right in the heart of the town you will face very modern metro stop "Toledo" being a part of "The Art Stations of Naples Metro" that  is considered to be  one the most beautiful in Europe and won the award in 2013 as "Public building of the year".

But let's return to the historical part of the Naples. Each city has some place or symbol with what you associate it after your trip. In the case of Naples for me these are the castles.
The first one - Castel dell'Ovo or the egg castle is located on a tiny Megaride island right near the busy Naples coast side. This castle built in 1152 is the oldest standing fortress in Naples.

In the past times there was a little fishermen village beside the castle, where now you will find a lot of restaurants serving seafood. The village had gone, but the fishermen stayed- you will see a lot of boats near the castle bridge.

After construction of Castel Nuovo king moved his court there.

Castel Nuovo or the New Castle as well known as Maschio Angioino is a medivail castle built in 1282. The castle is located on the Piazza Municpio. Charles I decided to buit the New castle to celebrate his inauguration right on the sea front. 

Previously the capital of the Kingdom of Naples was Palermo. There was a royal residence in Naples, at the Castel Capuano.
One more must visit place is Castel Sant'Elmo, located on the hill it has one of the best panoramic spots overlooking the historical center of Naples. From 1860 until 1952 castle remained a military prison and continued to be a military property till 1976.

This is how the Naples looks like from the terrace near Castel Sant'Elmo located on the top of the hill.

 

If you have ever been in Milan, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II located in the center of the Italian Fashion capital may seem to you very simillar to Galleria Umberto I - a shopping gallery in Naples. 

 Even if you are not a shopocholic, come to see the gallery- it looks like a museum from inside.

If you walk a little bit away from the historical center you will feel the real Naples, that is very juicy. One typical example is Quartieri Spagnoli (or Spanish Quarters in English) full of busy narrow streets, loud arguments, jokes, laundry hanged out between the houses, everything we had seen in the old movies is here. In the Pignasecca Market- Naples oldest street market you will find a lot of fresh seafood and tasty fruits.
Of course it is not a good idea to visit Quartieri Spagnoli during the hours of darkness, but during the day it's completely fine.

As everyone probably knows, Naples is a birthplace of wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. The famous pizzeria “Da Michele” located on Via Cesare Sersale 1/3 was founded in 1870. In the movie Eat.Pray.Love Julia Roberts eats pizza here. Da Michele is offering only two kinds of  true pizzas- Marinara and Margherita.

Marinara has a topping of tomato, oregano, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. It is named because it was traditionally the food prepared by "la marinara", the seaman's wife, for her seafaring husband when he returned from fishing trips in the Bay of Naples.
The Margherita instead is topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. They have "Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana" meaning True Neapolitan Pizza Association in English here, that was founded in 1984 and had set the very specific rules that must be followed for an authentic Neapolitan pizza.
Really, the best pizza I have ever tasted was cooked in Naples.

There are many places to eat out in Naples, but if you prefer dinner with a view, I personally would recomend restaurants located on via Partenope with a very nice view of Castel dell'Ovvo and Capri island from it's terrace and delicious food.

And do not search for some fashionable restaurants, if you prefer typical Italian dishes like pizza and pasta, you will find them very delicious even in small and completely not glamour looking family-run trattorias. Desserts are worth tasting as well, delicious tiramisu, delicate panna cotta (meaning cooked cream in English) and very interesting creamy cakes with fresh berries. Do not forget to taste ice-cold limoncello before the meal. And of course, every time when you will have a walk, stop near one of the dozens little shops selling gelato (meaning ice cream in English) and try to choose your favorite taste of the trip. Mine are mango sorbet and creamy pistachio ones.
If your hotel is located in the historical center, it's possible to go mostly everywhere on foot, except the hill castle of course. The transport system in Naples is quite complicated because there actually is no unified system, but multiple private companies each of them run separate lines and routes, for example one company run underground line 1, and the second underground line 2 and some funicular line. Starting from January 1st 2015 there is new public transport ticket system in Naples. Single ticket that is valid for 90 min will cost you 1.50 EUR, while the daily ticket 4.50 EUR.
If you have to take a taxi- it's possible to use either meter either fixed tarrif, as you prefer. Here is a fixed tarrif table.

If you decided to rent a car in Naples you have to know that the driving culture is quite terrible here. And the parking can be quite a problem as well. This is how typical parking looks like.
Talking about the place to stay, I can recommend you a middle price range hotel located in a very nice area right near the historical center of Naples and nice embankment facing Castel dell'Ovo.

The next stop in Campania region is Pompeii- an ancient Roman town located half distance from Naples to Sorrento is known worldwide because of it's tragical history. Town was mostly destroyed and buried under 4 to 6 m of ash in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. At that time Pompeii already had a complex water system, an amphitheatre, gymnasium, and a port. This eruption destroyed all the city, killing its inhabitants and burying it under tons of ash. The place looks tragic and unique at the same time.

The site was lost for about 1,500 years until its initial rediscovery in 1599 and broader rediscovery almost 150 years later by Spanish
engineer Rocque Joaquin de Alcubierre in 1748.

The objects that lay beneath the city have been preserved for centuries because of the lack of air and moisture. These artifacts provide an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city during the Pax Romana.

During the excavation, plaster was used to fill in the voids in the ash layers that once held human bodies. This allowed one to see the exact position the person was in when he or she died.
Actually it's very hard to describe the feelings after visiting Pompeii, you just have to see it with your eyes.

To see and feel the Pompeii history I advise you to see the Pompeii movie before your visit.

To reach Pompeii from Naples you have to take the train to Sorrento and exit at Pompei S. Villa Misteri. The entrance fee to Pompeii Scavi is 13 EUR. At the entrance you will receive detailed plan of the area. By the way there is a luggage storage right near the entrance.

Those of you who  prefer nature sights must visit Vesuvius. The highest point of elevation is 1281 m. Vesuvius is well-known for AD 79 eruption, that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. The last eruption of a volcano was in 1944.

Check the bus from Pompeii to Vesuvius timetable. The ticket price is 2.70 EUR one way and can be bought on board.

Moving more to the south you will reach Sorrento - lovely picturesque resort town facing Naples gulf is a very popular tourist destination on the Amalfi coast. Due to the clifs and hills Sorrento is a two level town.

The bottom area or Marina how Italians would say, features harbour where you can catch hydrofoils or ferries to Naples, Amalfi, Positano and islands Capri and Ischia and multiple rocky beaches- Marina Grande and Marina Piccola, beaches have exactly the same names as the one's on Capri.

  

Do not expect long sandy beaches here, the beaches in Sorrento are cliffy and tiny, but it's not a problem as most of the hotels here are equipped with swimming pools and area for sunbathing.

  This is how typical beach in Sorrento looks like.

 The top area of the city is bursting and crowded in the high season with a lot of shops, cafes and restaurants mostly located on and near the main street via Corso.

Elevation between the top and the bottom parts of the city is about 50 m.

If Naples was all about pizza, than Sorrento is more about seafood, pasta, caprese salad is very popular here as well and of course do not forget about the famous gnocchi alla sorrentina, made with tomato sauce, basil and mozzarella. Ingredients are generally locally produced. The typical sweets are sfogliatella -a shell-shaped filled  pastry native to province of Salerno and lemon cake. many restaurants and tratorias in Sorrento offer day menu of three courses that can be quite good option for lunch.

The symbol of the city is lemon. The worldwide popular Limoncello made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water and sugar is produced in Sorrento.

There are many lemon gardens in Sorrento, you can pick some for tasting.

If you have decided to have a relaxed vacation during the hot and sunny period, I advice you to choose hotel with a swimming pool, nice sunbathing area and a garden. One good option is hotel located in some 5 minute walking distance from the main square and some 15 minute walking distance from the train station.
To reach Sorrento from Naples you have to take a train. Timetables are here Napoli-Sorrento and Sorrento-Napoli. The easiest way is to catch the train at Napoli Garibaldi station, actually being the ground floor of Napoli Centrale train staition. Do not be confused, the railway line you have to use is not Tranitalia, but the privately owned one- Circumvesuviana. The duration of the trip is about 1 hour. During the peak season trains are very crowded. Information about the tickets and fares is here.

Starting from the year 2015 one more option to reach Sorrento is Campania Express train. But there are only 3 trains every day: from Napoli-Porta Nolana at 8.37, 12.06 and 18.36 (or from Napoli Piazza Garibaldi at 8.40, 12.09 and 18.39); from Sorrento station at 9.57, 13.50 and 19.53. This train is more comfortable, but more expensive as well- the return journey will cost you 15 EUR. The journey lasts abou 50 minutes. Tickets can bee booked here.

It's a very good idea to visit Capri island during your trip. Information about Capri is here.

Not to get lost:
Map of Naples
Naples metropolian railway network
Bus timetable
Train timetable
Transport tickets and fares

Pompeii map
Pompeii archeological area map
Sorrento transport map
Amalfi coast map
Sorrento cape map

How to get there: the easiest way to reach Naples from Riga is to fly to one of the Rome airports.

The only direct option available is Airbaltic flight to Rome Fiumicino airport operating on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. 

Ryanair  flight from Vilnius airport, usually being much cheaper solution, will take you to Rome Ciampino airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

After you will arrive to the Rome Fiumicino or Rome Ciampino airports take a bus to Roma Termini (Rome train station). From Roma Termini you will have to take a Tranitalia train to Napoli Centrale (Naples train station). Book a train in advance - the earlier the cheaper. When you will book a train, reserve some time between your scheduled time of arrival to Roma Termini and the train departure, because the planes sometimes are late.

There are different types of Tranitalia trains: Intercity (the duration of the journey is about 2 hours), Regionale (duration is about 2 hours and 40 minutes, it's possible to buy ticket only a week in advance), and more comfortable high speed trains Frecciabianca (duration is about 1 hour and 40 minutes) and Frecciarossa (duration is only 1 hour and 10 minutes). The prices vary from the period of the day, but mostly on how in advance you buy your ticket. Check here for the special offers. For example if travelling on Saturdays you can get 2 tickets for the price of one.

 

One remark about Trenitalia, during one of the trips from Rome to Naples we bought tickets in advance for one of the Freccia trains, arrived on- time to Roma Termini train station, entered the train, found our sits and were waiting for the departure. The departure was postponed multiple times, without any clear information stated, finally after some time, the official information was announced- the train driver got drunk during the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul previous day and we are waiting for the new train driver to arrive. This was not the only delay of Trenitalia we faced during the trips, but this was the funniest one :)

So my advise, when you are using trains in Italy make sure you reserve some additional time.

 

Have a nice trip

Bordeaux- it's wine o'clock

Bordeaux situated in the south-west of France very close to the bay of Biscay is well known worldwide because of it's wine industry, considered amongst the best in the world with an annual production of approximately 960 million bottles. Wine had been produced in the region since the 8th century.

This year Bordeaux won the title "European Best Destination 2015", beating such cities as London, Rome and Barcelona. And after visiting I can say that Bordeaux absolutely deserves it. Lisbon got the second place in this competition and Athens received bronze.

Being the 9th largest city in France, Bordeaux has 362 historical monuments, skipping ahead only Paris. The historic part of the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2007 as "an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble" of the 18th century. There are many beautiful places in France, so do not limit yourself with Paris. My trip to Bordeaux started with a couple day visit of Paris. This was not the first acquaintance for me. Comparing my impressions of these two French cities, I personally preferred Bordeaux. So, if you like French charm, architecture, cuisine and are an expert in wine tasting you will for sure enjoy your visit to Bordeaux.

The city center is very compact, so if you choose to stay in a hotel here, there is no need to use public transport. Here is a very good map  for exploring the old city  sights.

 But if the weather is sunny and pleasant and you are a bike lover have a ride on the Garonne river embankment. In 2015 Bordeaux was listed as the 8th most bicycle-friendly city in the world.  There are 1700 bicycles available, so it's completely not a problem to get one. As in the other European cities, you can borrow a bike from any station and return it to any other. Travel time under 30 minutes is free of charge and the price per day is only 1.50 EUR. Here is detailed info about fares.

 

However the public transport system here is very convenient as well. There are 3 tram lines A, B and C covering most of the city.

Here you can find the information about the transport fares, timetables and maps including information about where to buy tickets.

        

 Let's start our journey from the Bordeaux tourist office, where you can get a map and also some guidance on events that currently are happening in the city. When you will exit the tourist office you will face Place des Quinconces- one of the largest squares in Europe.

 

In the center of the square you will see Monument to the Memory of the Girondins that features a 43 m column and multiple fountains. After taking pictures head to embankment and have a walk in the direction of the city center. Stop near Place de la Bourse- one of the most recognisable sights of Bordeaux.

Right near the river bank you will explore Miroir d'eau or water mirror- the World's largest reflecting pool, covering 3450 square m. In summer, a system allows it to create fog every 15 minutes and makes a view really spectacular.

One more typical Bordeaux symbol is Grosse Cloche or the Great Bell that is one of the oldest belfries in France. The bell rings 6 times a year for major celebrations.

 

What I mostly like in the cities like Bordeaux, comparing to the larger metropolitan cities is the fact that here it is not necessary to use a map to find some sightseeing spots- just have a walk in the old town and you will see a lot of spectacular places.

 

Bordeaux Cathedral or Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux in French. Excellent example of Gothic architecture where Anne of Austria married to the French King Louis XIII in 1615.

 

The cathedral is truly beautiful from both inside and outside and is full of history.

One more typical example of Gothic architecture is Porte Cailhau tower that stands on the river side of Palace Square. 35 m tall tower was built in 1494 and integrated to the city walls.

 

 As it's always very typical in France - the city is full of flowers, even in autumn.

After exploring old city have a relaxing break in the Jardin Public - a beautiful park right near the city center. For me the park seemed more similar to London parks, than Paris one's.

Before you head to the park, buy some French specialities in the small local shops in the city center. The food is delicious here. Cheese and wine tasting is a must. Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, France has it all. Visit Paul to get some delicious éclairs and croissants. They have fantastic macaron cookies as well. And do not forget to taste canelés- small pastries very popular in Bordeaux.

Talking about the cuisine- specific dishes in the region are- lamb, duck confit, seafood and of course oysters from Arcachon bay. As Bordeaux is a truly wine region many restaurant offer food and wine pairings here. The most of the Bordeaux wines are blended using couple of grape species and sometimes are called "the art of blending". In the case of white the combination usually includes Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, but the red one's typical are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

One more good option for a relaxing break is le Lac or lake in English, where you can swim and have some sunbathing.  There are tables for picnic right near the beach. Situated north to the city center le Lac is accessible using tram line C, exit on Berges du Lac stop.

If you are a shopocholic visit Galeries Lafayette - a four floor multibrand store located on the main shopping street of Bordeaux 11-19 rue Sainte Catherine.

When you will be tired of Bordeaux elegance and wine, take a train ride towards the bay of Biscay. Arcachon is a very good option- situated just 55 km to the west of Bordeaux. There is a frequent train connection between Bordeaux St Jean train station and Arcachon. The journey duration is starting from 50 minutes, depending on the number of stops. Check the timetable here. The regular one way ticket price is 11.50 EUR.

Arcachon is a small resort town situated in Arcachon Bay right near the Atlantic ocean featuring hundreds of beautiful villas located right on the coast with a fantastic sea view. Arcachon Bay is well-known in France for it's oysters.  

Château Deganne built in 1853 and from 1903 being a Casino is the biggest building in Arcachon.

Have a walk near the coast and you will face bright white yachts all the way long. Do not forget to take your sunglasses, sunscreen and swimsuit with you.

Countless yachts, expensive villas, endless coastline... the Biscay bay area a little reminds of the French Riviera - Cote d'Azur, but is much more elegant and classy.

The best way to explore the area is to have a walk by the coast in the direction of Dune du Pilat.

Be prepared - the distance is about 12 km one way, but it's worth every step. Actually, this was one of the best walks in my life.

You can see it on a map, nothing complicated just follow the coastline and enjoy the scenery. On the next photo you can see how the part of the walk looks from above.

Arcachon is known for Europe's largest sand dune - the Dune du Pilat, nearly 3 km long, 500 m wide, reaching 110 m in height. If you are not strong in long distance walking you can take a bus number 1 from the Arcachon train station. Timetable is here.

Here is a website of the dune where you can see 360 degree virtual tour and map of the area.

Dune du Pilat attracts more than a million tourists every year and is second most visited natural monument in France. If the weather is nice it's a good idea to have a swim in the ocean. Information about the beaches can be found here.

In case the weather allows to make a relaxing beach vacation - book one of the Arcachon hotels for a couple of nights to build up your tan and explore the ocean. There are many restaurants, oyster bars and gelaterias in the area as well as the options for entertainment.

There are multiple signs that paragliding is not allowed  on the dune, but it looks like nobody cares.

When you will finally reach the top of the Dune du Pilat, may be not from the fist attempt but still- look all the ways around, the views are breathtaking - maritime pine forest, Atlantic ocean, endless sandy beaches, dozens of para-gliders, yachts...

Sit back, relax and enjoy the atmosphere of this unique place.

If you have enough time, take a boat ride and see the beauty of the Atlantic ocean in the bay Biscay or take one of the excursion boats in the bay Arcachon. For detailed information view the tourist guide.

Not to get lost: 

Bordeaux wineyard map

Bordeaux center maps

Bordeaux city guide 2015

Bordeaux wine tours 2015

Arcachon wi-fi hotspots

Arcachon bay maps

How to get there:

The easiest and most convenient way to reach Bordeaux from Riga is to take a flight to one of the Paris airports.

Wizzair will take you to Paris Beauvais airport. The flights are operating twice a week - on Mondays and Fridays. The price depends on the dates of course, but is starting from some 60 EUR  for a return ticket without luggage. 

Here is the information on baggage allowance. Remember- only small cabin bag (42x32x25 cm) can be taken on board without a fee. 

There are two checked-in baggage weight options: up to 23 kg and up to 32 kg. As the prices vary depending on a low or peak season and routes, exact baggage fee can be calculated here.

If you are planning to be frequent Wizzair flier, check the Wizzair discount club offer.

When you will arrive to Paris Beauvais airport to reach Paris city center (Porte Maillot) take the shuttle bus. One way ticket will cost you 15.90 EUR if you book online. The journey time is about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Another usually much more expensive solution is Airbaltic  daily flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Here are the options how to reach Paris city center from the airport. The journey time is about 1 hour.

One more reasonable option of indirect flight in this case is offered by Ryanair. The connection can be made using London Stansted or Brussels Charleroi airports.

After you have reached city center, you have to take a train to Bordeaux. Book tickets using SNCF website. Check the sales and best fare calendar.

The train leaves Paris Montparnasse station for Bordeaux St Jean, journey durations in average is 3 hours and 20 minutes and the prices vary depending the time of the day you travel and how in advance you book.

High speed trains are comfortable and landscapes outside the window are picturesque. When you will book train tickets for IDTGV- there are two options of surroundings to choose from- IDZap (area of conviviality and discovery, in easier words the regular train area) and IDZen (a spirit of calm- mobile phones strictly forbidden, soundproofed area and subdued lighting).

 

Some travel tips: If you want to combine a sunny ocean gateway to the bay of Biscay together with exploring the Bordeaux, the good period of travelling would be from May to September. If you have not visited Paris up to now, it's a good idea to do it during this trip as probably you will be arriving and departing from one of the Paris airports, so reserve a couple of days for Paris.

During the security check in Paris Beauvais airport before our flight back, all the Camembert cheese that I bought for my friend was not allowed to take on board in my cabin baggage. The reason that security check specialist mentioned was "Cheese is in the liquid state". Really? After the area of security check I saw a poster indicating the types of cheese that you can take on board and the types you can not. Something like that I faced for a very first time. Why this information was not mention during the luggage check-in is not clear for me up to now.

 

Have a nice trip full of emotions!

Julija