Naples

Day Two

Took a day trip to Naples. Departed at 0900 hours from Roma Termini and we reached Napoli Centrale at 1110 hours. The whole journey took about 2-hours. Initially wanted to hop-on to sightseeing bus but it cost EUR 22. Thus, decided to do a walking tour in its historic centre instead.

Naples

Naples is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan.

Naples' 2,800-year history has left it with a wealth of historical buildings and monuments, from medieval castles to classical ruins. In 1995, Naples has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Statue of the Giuseppe Garibaldi

Once we come out of the Napoli Centrale train station, we saw the statue of the Giuseppe Garibaldi (photos below) located at Piazza Garibaldi. Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian general, politician and nationalist who contributed to Italian unification and creation of the Kingdom of Italy.


Palazzo della Borsa

The Palazzo della Borsa is a monumental 19th-century palace located in the Piazza Borsa (left photo below). The building, built in an academic and elaborate Neo-renaissance style formerly housed the local stock exchange (Bourse), but now home to the Neapolitan Chamber of Commerce. A pair of beautiful sculptures of Lion and Genii stands at the entrance of the palace (right photo below).


Fountain of Neptune

The Fountain of Neptune, or Fontana del Nettuno in Italian, is a monumental fountain located in Piazza Borsa (photos below). Water flows from four lions who hold shields with the symbols of Medina y de Carafa. Two sea monsters pour water in the central shell, adorned with dolphins and Tritons that also emit water. In the center, on a rock, two nymphs and two satyrs hold up a saucer that features a statue of Neptune with trident.


Castel Nuovo

Castel Nuovo, or New Castle in English, often called Maschio Angioino (Angevin Keep), is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio. With its scenic location and imposing size, the castle one of the main architectural landmarks in Naples. The castle, first erected in 1279, has an irregularly trapezoidal plan and was defended by five large cylindrical towers (photo below).

The three towers opposite the sea are named as Torre di San Giorgio, Torre di Mezzo and Torre di Guardia, while the two towers facing the sea are called Torre di Beverello (left photo below) and Torre dell'Oro (right photo below).


Its main entrance, at 35-meters tall, is an intricately carved white marble triumphal arch squeezed between two of the watchtowers. It commemorates Alfonso of Aragon's entry to Naples in 1443 (photos below).


At the centre above the lower arch is the shield with symbols of Aragon (left photo below). Above it, the horizontal band of sculpted decoration reads: "ALFONSVS REX HISPANVS SICULVS ITALICUS PIVS CLEMENS INVICTUS". Further up from the horizontal band is the detailed relief with the triumph of King Alfonso (right photo below).
Amazing relief of King Alfonso between relatives and officers on the internal passage of the entrance (photos below).
Striking decorations on the archway of the internal passage (left photo below) and even remarking details on the internal passage (right photo below).
Piazza del Plebiscito

Piazza del Plebiscito is a large public square named after the Plebiscite taken on October 21, 1860, that brought Naples into the unified Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy. This square is bounded by the Royal Palace at its east and the church of San Francesco di Paola at its west.

The Royal Palace of Naples

The Royal Palace of Naples, or Palazzo Reale di Napoli in Italian, is a palace and historical tourist destination that began its construction in the 17th century (left photo below). It was one of the four residences near Naples used by the House of Bourbon during their rule of the Kingdom of Naples (1735–1816) and later the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1816-1861).

It was in 1919 that the Royal Palace became a historical museum. From the main courtyard (right photo below), there is access to this Historical Museum of the Royal Palace which preserves the original decorations, with its thirty rooms, in which the institutional and representative functions took place.
In 1888, King Umberto I of Savoy made changes to its western façade, fronting on Piazza del Plebiscito, by displaying in niches a series of eight statues of prominent rulers of Naples since the foundation of the Kingdom of Naples in the 12th century. These statues include Fredrick II - Holy Roman Emperor (left photo below) and Charles I of Anjou (right photo below).

San Francesco di Paola

San Francesco di Paola is a prominent church that is reminiscent of the Pantheon in Rome (photos below). The façade is fronted by a portico resting on six columns and two Ionic pillars, with the dome standing at 53-metres high.

Lunch at a Pizzeria

Decided to have lunch at this Rossopomodoro restaurant (left photo below). Noticed this restaurant uses a Masonry (brick) oven (right photo below) and my immediate thought: "must get its baked pizza".
Ordered a spaghetti with cherry tomatoes at EUR 7.20 for myself (left photo below) and we shared a Corbarella pizza at EUR 6.00 (right photo below). How can pizza not taste good since it was first invented in Naples.
Galleria Umberto I

Galleria Umberto I is a public shopping gallery located across the San Carlo opera house. It was built between 1887 to 1890 and reminiscent of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan (photos below). The Galleria was named after Umberto I, King of Italy at the time of construction.


The Galleria is a high and spacious cross-shaped structure (left photo below), surmounted by a glass dome braced by 16 metal ribs (right photo below).
Even the arch on one of its wings is incredibly decorated (left photo below) and its floor arranged with colorful mosaics (right photo below).


Piazza San Domenico Maggiore

Piazza San Domenico Maggiore is one of the most important squares in Naples. The square takes its name from the church 'San Domenico Maggiore' and was commissioned by King Alfonso I of Naples.

Over the centuries several buildings were added such as the obelisk of San Domenico dominating the square centre (left photo below). Other imposing building is the church of Sant'Angelo a Nilo (right photo below).
We then walked uphill along narrow streets of 'via Benedetto Croce' towards Piazza del Gesù Nuovo (photos below).


Piazza del Gesù Nuovo

Similar to most squares, Piazza del Gesu Nuovo owes its name to the church of Gesù Nuovo. Several noticeable buildings are located around this square.

Basilica of Santa Chiara

Basilica of Santa Chiara is a religious complex, built between 1310 and 1328, that includes the Church of Santa Chiara (left photo below), a belltower (right photo below), a monastery, tombs and an archaeological museum.

Church of Gesù Nuovo

The Church of Gesù Nuovo was originally a palace built in 1470 for Roberto Sanseverino, Prince of Salerno. Construction of the church began in 1584. The new church retained the unusual facade, originally built for the palace, faced with rustic ashlar diamond projections (photos below).

Spire of the Immaculate Virgin

Spire of the Immaculate Virgin, or Guglia dell'Immacolata in Italian, is a monument that stands in the centre of the Piazza del Gesu Nuovo (left photo below). Commonly accepted that this spire was built to invoke the Virgin Mary's protection from the plague (right photo below).


It is the tallest and most ornamental of three such "plague columns" in Naples (photos below).

Piazza Gaetano

Piazza Gaetano got its name due to the tomb of San Gaetano which is kept inside the Basilica of San Paolo Maggiore (left photo below) where the Monumento a San Gaetano stands in front of the basilica (right photo below).


We ended our walking tour in Naples and took train back to Rome.

Late Dinner

It was nearly 8.30 pm when we reached the restaurant. Could not remember where we had dinner, but I ordered a Spaghetti Bolognese at EUR 9.50 (left photo below) while my colleague ordered a steak at EUR 13 (right photo below). Taste for the spaghetti was good as any Italian restaurant.


Hard Rock Café Rome

After dinner we took Metro to 'Barberini' station and walked to Hard Rock Café (photos below). Did manage to get some merchandises from the Rock Shop.
We then took Metro back to our B&B for a good rest.