Naples & About – Naples City

After the many stories (mostly daunting ones) I have heard about Naples, I’m glad that we did make a stop for a day to have a feel of this ‘interesting’ city. Never have I heard as much honking or seen as much graffiti on buildings and monuments in a place. However after spending the day here, I found that there was more to this city apart from the rugged side of Naples.

Setting off from Piazza Bellini, the square just right in front of Hotel Piazza Bellini, where we stayed the night before, we head down Via Santa Maria di Constantinopoli and take a right onto Via Port’Alba. This street is where one will find Naples’ oldest bookstores.

‘expressive art’ everywhere…

bookshops and bookstalls lined on both sides of Port’Alba

browsing through the books for sale

heading out of Port’Alba onto Piazza Dante 

Port’Alba opens up into Piazza Dante, named after Dante Alighieri, an Italian poet of the Middle Ages.

           

statue of the poet Dante Alighieri                       the metro sign at Piazza Dante

         

locals relaxing on the benches of Piazza Dante

From Piazza Dante, we head towards La Pignasecca, one of the oldest markets of Naples, situated along Via Pignasecca and Via Portamedina. It is indeed a colourful sight of fresh fruits and vegetables, fishmongers selling a large variety of fish, and deli and pastry shops in every corner.

hustle and bustle…. and look at the huge loaf of bread!

locals in the midst of their daily marketing

(left) fresh green vegetables; (right) fruit seller head balancing…. & throw!

(left) giant chunks-of-cheese ; (right) sfogliatella pastry with ricotta cheese & fruit bits from Pastiecceria Scaturchio

widespread variety of fresh fish at Pescheria Azzurra

a busy fishmonger at Pescheria Azzurra

narrow streets off Pignasecca

Leaving the market and continuing south along Via Toledo, we enter Royal Naples. On the right is the Umberto I Gallery, a cross-shaped shopping gallery with a steel and glass interior which is said to be remarkably impressive.

dried red chillies at a souvenir shop along Via Toledo

entrance of Umberto I Gallery

taxis queued up outside the shopping gallery

Opposite the gallery is Castel Nuovo, built in the 13^th century originally as a royal residence and fortress. Today it houses art paintings by Neapolitan artists. Just ahead is Piazza del Plebiscito, the largest of the city’s public squares used for major events and concerts. The Royal Palace stands on one side of the square, with the eight statues of past kings. Facing the Royal Palace is the San Fracesco di Paola Church, a neoclassical replica of the Pantheon in Rome.

Castel Nuovo

open space of Plaza del Plebiscito

the Royal Palace and the row of statues of past kings

With the Royal Palace on the left, continuing on pass the square brings us to the port with the view of the Bay of Naples.

 the Marina with Mt Vesuvius in the background

blue waters of the Bay of Naples

boats at dock

love locks

Naples attractions map

Naples & About – Pompeii

Pompeii, a city buried from the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79AD, is considered by many as one of the top archaeological sites in the world. The excavation efforts made to uncover 6 metres high of ash and rock have led to the rediscovery and restoration of this ancient city. Pompeii, a UNESCO World Heritage site covers 66 hectares of land, 44 hectares of which have been excavated. A walk through this city feels like a journey to the past, and one would need to be there in its surroundings to believe that this place was once a thriving city of buildings and homes. 

We take the Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento which stops at Pompeii midway (half an hour’s journey) to Naples. Upon purchasing the entry ticket € 11.00, we are handed a guidebook and detailed map of the area. It probably takes about 6 hours to cover the entire city; the map is useful in highlighting the key spots to visit for those who have less time to spend. 

Porta Marina, the entrance gateway with its two arched openings

 

 the Temple of Apollo, the most ancient sanctuary in Pompeii 

 

the Forum, the city’s main square, with Mt Vesuvius in the background 

 

the Forum taken from the opposite end, where the Temple of Jupiter stands 

 

remaining columns of the Forum 

 

the high podium of the Temple of Jupiter  

  

view of Vesuvius from Pompeii   

 

city divided into regiones (neighbourhoods) 

 

ruins of what was once houses of the inhabitants

 Thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus – one of the many thermopolia (‘public snack bars’) that served hot food and drinks

erotic paintings on the walls of the dressing room of the Suburban baths

a water tap

 cobbled streets of Pompeii

group of travelling priests gathered together at the small theatre after an impromptu choir performance - the small theatre supposedly had a roof and was known to provide excellent acoustics

the exterior of the large Amphitheatre once used for gladiator battles

the plaque at the entrance of the Amphitheatre, in honour of the duumvirs (highest adminstrators of the city) who built the theatre

the wide arena of the Amphiteatre

Porta Nocera the southeastern gate of the city, situated at the beginning of Via di Nocera leading into the city

walking amongst the ruins

Naples & About – Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast, famed for its beautiful coastline with towns and villages perched on jagged cliffs, attracts tourists from all over. Stretching 50km south of the Sorrentine Peninsula, the towns along the coast are linked by a narrow road with sharp twists and turns. With limited options to travel by bus or boat during the off peak season, the four of us made a booking for a private excursion with a driver from www.sorrentocars.com to take us for a day’s experience of the Amalfi Coast, stopping at three towns along the way: Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.

from Sorrento to Positano: (left) natural formation of a facial profile looking out to sea; (right) historical watchtower built for the lookout for pirates

Positano

Positano, known as the ‘gem of the coast’ and my personal favourite out of the three towns, is truly a picturesque town with multicoloured houses stacked on top of each other against the cliff. It is a lovely walk down the narrow streets decorated with boutiques, to Spiaggia Grande, the main beach and port of Positano.

the view of Positano as we approach the town

miniature Positano

sights along our stroll towards the beach: shaded alleys & stairways, floral patterned fashion boutiques, sign posts, &… cats

view from Spiaggia Grande of the town built against the hillside

boat excursions to Capri and around

boats of Positano

waves-a-breaking on shore

Amalfi

Amalfi, the next town we stop at is characterized by its historical Duomo at the heart of the town.

view of Amalfi and its harbour

Duomo di Amalfi (Cathedral of Amalfi)

Sant’Andrea (Saint Andrew’s) Fountain at Piazza Duomo

(left) streets of Amalfi town; (right) Porta della Marina, the old gateway to the sea

limoncello & everything that’s lemon

statue of Flavio Gioja, the inventor of the compass according to myth but modern findings disputes that he ever existed

Ravello

Ravello, the quietest of the 3 towns, sits high in the hills and has been the ‘town of inspiration’ to many artists. Here we visit Villa Rufolo, a famous villa with its attractive gardens, named after the original owners of the Rufolo family in the 13^th century. Today, the gardens is the venue for classical concerts including the Ravello Festival every summer, in honour of Wagner, whose inspiration for his music came from these gardens.

flowers decorating the walls and stairway

overlooking the blue waters of the Tyrhennian Sea

the gardens of Villa Rufolo

where sea and sky merge

Torre Maggiore in the oldest part of the complex

Naples & About – Sorrento

The Sorrento Peninsula lies south of Naples and is an area known for its spectacular natural beauty. Sorrento’s ideal location with steep cliffs hanging over the Bay of Naples and overlooking to Mt. Vesuvius has made it a popular tourist destination in Italy.

 

Sorrento by the blue waters of Naples Bay

Sorrento was perfect as a base for us to explore the surroundings of Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii. Upon arriving at Naples airport, we took the Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Sorrento, slightly over an hour’s ride. The Naples train station can be quite confusing as there are different platforms, ticket sellling counters for several types of trains running from Naples so we had to follow the signs carefully for Circumvesuviana ticket counters. We arrived at Guest House Palazzo Abagnale where we stayed for 2 nights before returning to Naples for a night. Weather in November in this region can be rather unpredictable; out of the 4 days we were there, it rained for part of the afternoon on 3 out of the 4 days. Also, November being the off-season, several restaurants in Sorrento were closed and we resorted to finding food around Piazza Tasso area.

Itinerary Overview:

Day 1 – Sorrento

Day 2 – Amalfi Coast

Day 3 – Pompeii

Day 4 – Naples

Piazza Tasso in the centre of Sorrento

This region of Southern Italy is renowned for the abundance of lemons grown and used for food, drink and fragrant products e.g. chocolates, liquer, soap, perfume. These make brilliant souvenirs with several souvenir shops allowing free tasting of lemon coated chocolates and sweets.

limoncello (lemon liquer) filled in bottles of all shapes

Belgo: Moules-Frites-Bieres

 

This cozy Belgian eatery tucked away in an alley in Covent Garden still doesn’t fail to fascinate me after several years, with its unique setting and ambience. It is still apparent that this place remains immensely popular amongst Londoners for its mussels and beer.

“Beat the Clock!”

In spite of not being a huge fan of mussels, I have never hesitated to have a meal at Belgo whenever this venue is being suggested. I recall during college days when we’d attempt to ‘beat the clock’ by arriving as early as possible in the evening before 6.30pm – as the price you pay depends exactly on the time you order your food (so ordering at 5.45pm would mean paying £5.45 for your meal). You’ll then see nearly everyone seated enjoying their individual pot of mussels. There are of course other options on the menu for folks like myself who may not choose to have a whole pot of mussels for dinner.

 dining on benches

Belgo’s infamous pot of traditional mussels

my salmon set lunch 

This time round we went for lunch and I was glad to see that the place was how I remembered it to be. As usual I was the odd one out having the salmon lunch set while everyone else on the table had the pot of mussels lunch set. The waiters are dressed in Belgian monk outfits – supposedly a tradition from the old days whereby monks brewed beer in monasteries in Belgium.

in Belgian monk attire

beer bottles …&… chefs at work

Exploring Andalucia – Cordoba

Day 4: Cordoba – Mezquita, Jewish Quarter, Calleja de Las Flores 

On our last day in Andalucia, we take a day trip to Cordoba, a 45 minute train ride north-east from Seville. The centre of Cordoba city together with its greatest attraction, the Mezquita that is marvelled for its remarkable architecture, is a World Heritage site. The splendid interior of the Mezquita, is a result of the construction of a mosque with its broad and spacious grounds, and brick and white striped arches. The architecture of the mosque was remained largely undisturbed until the 16^th century, when the main chapel was constructed in the middle of the building. Today, the Mezquita is the official cathedral of Cordoba.

Islamic architecture……

… with Christian influence

the mihrab, the sacred prayer area where the Imam would lead prayer

Outside the Mezquita is an orange tree courtyard, in the centre of which is a fountain used originally for ablutions by Muslims. At the corner of the courtyard is a bell tower built over the minaret of the mosque.

  

belltower of the Cathedral

fountain surrounded by orange trees

girl in flamenco dress by the fountain

Surrounding the Mezquita area is La Juderia the Jewish quarter. Calleja de Las Flores, the prettiest alley in the quarter, decorated with pots of flowers and plants is not to be missed. We also take a stroll to explore the town, heading east towards Plaza de la Corredera, a huge square that was a historical venue for horse races and bull fighting. Today it is a public square used to host concerts and sporting events.

south wall of the Mezquita

horse carriages along Torrijos, just outside the Mezquita

Cordoba horse carriage number plate

buildings with Mezquita-like arches

the narrow alley of Calleja de Las Flores with the bell tower in the background

tapas for lunch in Cordoba

Plaza de la Corredera

Cordoba attractions map

Exploring Andalucia – Seville

There is quite a difference between Seville the capital of Andalucia, and Granada. The sight of Santa Justa train station itself with its many platforms, shops and extra long elevated elevators illustrates a more developed side of Andalucia as compared to the isolated Granada station.

Day 3: Seville – Cathedral & La Giralda, Alcazar, Barrio de Santa Cruz, Rio Guadalquivir, Flamenco

Seville’s most famous landmark, the Cathedral and La Giralda stand tall in the centre of the city. The Cathedral of Seville was built over the main Almohad mosque in the 9th century and is the largest cathedral in the world. What still remains of the mosque is the minaret known today as the Giralda, a tower as high as 96m with a belltop. The bell tower can be reached by climbing up 35 ramps. Ramps instead of steps were built so that the muezzin responsible for calling the prayer in the olden days could ride all the way up on a horse. For me, the highlight of the Cathedral is the view from the top of the minaret – a climb that is worth making.

Seville Cathedral and La Giralda

         

Gothic architecture of the Cathedral                statues on the arch of the Cathedral

soaring columns in the interor of the Cathedral

         

    1 of 35 ramps to climb up the minaret           arriving at the 2nd last ramp to the top

view midway of the climb, of the Cathedral pinnacles and Orange Tree Courtyard

the Giralda belltower of 25 bells

splendid view of Barrio de Santa Cruz and the rest of Seville from the belltower

Just a few steps away from the Giralda across Plaza del Triunfo, is the Alcazar. The Alcazar in Seville can be considered as a smaller scale of Granada’s Alhambra (would probably have been a better idea for us to visit the Alcazar before the Alhambra). Originally built as a fort, this fortress palace exhibits one of the finest Moorish architecture in the region.

exterior facade of Palacio de Don Pedro

Islamic carvings above glazed tiles

         

in awe of the multi-colured arches, high walls, and dizzying effect of the dome ceiling at Salon de Embajadores (Hall of Ambassadors or Throne Room)

  

Patio de las Munecas (Patio of the Dolls) – the palace’s private quarters

          

Patio de las Doncellas (Patio of the Maidens) – the heart of the palace surrounded by lobe shaped arches

         

left: Mercury’s Pond (dedicated to the god Mercury) used originally to irrigate the gardens                right: Grotto Gallery, a vantage point overlookng the palace’s gardens

Outside the Alcazar, one can choose to take a horse and carriage ride for sightseeing around the city of Seville.

line-up of horses and carriages at Plaza Triunfo

tourists riding on a horse carriage for a Seville experience

After a late tapas lunch, we head towards Barrio de Santa Cruz situated north east of the Alcazar. This old Jewish quarter is made up of narrow lanes twisting and turning around squares decorated with orange trees. We make our way to Plaza de Dona Elvira, the barrio’s prettiest square with benches covered in colourful tiles under the shade of orange trees. From this square, explore the street Gloria and the lanes perpendicular to this street. Take a stroll through Calle Pimienta (Pepper Street) said to be named after a Jewish spice merchant discovered a pepper tree on this street. Calle Pimienta joins Callejon de Agua, a tree-shaded street that runs along the walls of the gardens of Alcazar. We walk along Callejon de Agua in the north east direction, and eventually come to Plaza de Santa Cruz, another famous square where a wrought-iron cross stands in the middle of the square. It is this central cross that the barrio is named after.

 

Plaza de Dona Elvira

         

narrow Calle Pimienta                                                     shady Callejon de Agua

the cross at Plaza de Santa Cruz

As dark falls, we decide to head towards Rio Guadalquivir for a view of the other side of the river bank where the Triana neighbourhood resides. We pass Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold), a 13th century watch tower and walk across the bridge Puente de San Telmo. From here we have view of the brightly lit Puente de Isabel II, also known as the Triana Bridge.

passing by the main post office at Avenida de La Constitucion

 

lamppost by the river bank

moonlit Torre del Oro

Puente de Isabel II stretching across the river

We end the night by watching a flamenco performance held at Tablao El Arenal. Flamenco originated from the Gypsies and has grown to be an important part of Spanish culture. Traditionally the flamenco is performed by a singer, guitarist and a solo dancer, with the music accompanied by the clapping of the hands. The flamenco dance today has evolved with the influence of a mix of other dances which can often turn out to be quite a lively group performance. At Tablao El Arenal, the performance was made up of a series of solo dances with a group of guitarists and singers, followed by a group dance at the end. The show is targetted for tourists and is more of an entertaining performance rather than a traditional one.

flamenco finale performance at Tablao El Arenal

Seville attractions map

Exploring Andalucia – Granada Day 2

Day 2: Granada – the Alhambra

Our 2^nd day is spent visiting the Alhambra, the large medieval Moorish palace-city, admired for its impressive Islamic architecture. Having pre-booked and purchased tickets online (highly advisable since there is a restricted no. of visitors allowed to enter each day), we hop onto a bus (no. 30 or 32) from Plaza Isabel La Catotica.

Palacio Nazaries (Nasrid Palaces) – comprising of 3 main palaces: Palacio de Mexuar, Palacio de Comares, Palacio de Leones

• Palacio de Mexuar

Cuarto Dorado (Golden Room) where public audiences were held by the ruler

 

intricate designs on the window frames

patterned tiles on the interior of the walls

• Palacio de Comares

reflection of Patio de los Arrayanes (Patio of the Myrtles named after the hedges surrounding the pool)

beautiful arches border the courtyard

• Palacio de Leones

Patio de los Leones

supporting columns &…. the eight-point star formation ceiling at the Hall of the Abencerrajes

Albaicin seen from viewpoint of Daraxa

the Partal with gardens grouped around five arches

Palacio de Carlos V 

 

renaissance architecture of Palacio de Carlos V

rings hanging from the beaks of eagles

the Alhambra Museum housed in the palace

Alcazaba

the towering fort

Torre de la Vela, the highest of the towers

 

view of Granada city from Torre de la Vella

Generalife

 

gardens of Alhambra

After spending half the day at Alhambra and Generalife, we catch a 3 hour train to Seville.

Granada attractions map

Exploring Andalucia – Granada Day 1

Andalucia in the south of Spain is indeed a region rich in history, architecture and culture. The big three World Heritage cities in this region: Granada, Seville and Cordoba are home to Andalucia’s most outstanding medieval Islamic sites.

Day 1: Granada – Sacromonte, Albaicin, Cathedral, Plaza Bib-Rambla, Alcaiceria

We make a quick stop at the tourist information centre at Plaza Neuva where we were given a city map that proved to be extremely handy, detailing the streets of the city and Albaicin with recommended routes to take. We then head along Carrera del Darro, a single lane cobbled road that runs alongside the river Rio Darro, in between the Alhambra on the right and the Albaicin district on the left. This uphill road continues on into Paseo de los Tristes which then makes a left into Cuesta Chapiz. At Peso de la Harina, we take a turn right, up the steep slope of Camino Del Sacromonte leading to the cave dwellings of Sacromonte. An alternative to walking up is to take either bus no. 31 or 34 from Plaza Nueva. Bus 31 stops at Pesa de la Harina, whereas 34 takes you all the way up but is rather infrequent (every hour or so).

gypsy cave quarters of Sacromonte hill

contrasting ecological features of the valley – the riverbank of the Alhambra with green vegetation and fewer luxurious buildings vs. the densely populated little caves on the opposite bank

The Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte is worth a visit. Here there are caves recreated to replicate the homes of the gypsies and their way of life and traditional crafts e.g. metalworks, basket-making and weaving. Unfortunately, there are no longer live demonstrations of these arts-in-making as were told the folks who once did them did not earn enough income from this.

inside the cave of the living quarters & cave of ceramic pottery making

Next we make our way downhill and into the maze of Albaicin, once an Islamic quarter. We take the recommended route of Capril the San Augustin, Carril Tomasa to find our way to Mirador San Nicolas. There is a spectacular view of the Alhambra and Sierra Nevada from this landmark, especially during sunset. From here, Callejon San Cecilio leads to Plaza Larga. From this square, we take a walk alongside Murallas del Albaicin.

sunbathing at Mirador San Nicolas

Alhambra at dusk seen from the lookout point

sunset view from San Nicholas

‘painted art’ on the walls of Albaicin

whitewashed houses of Albaicin

We continue on along Calle San Jose which meets the top of Calle Caldereria Nueva. This colourful street with an Arabic influenced atmosphere is lined with shops selling jewellery, decoratives and is an ideal place to get some interesting souvenirs. 

tea and souvenir shops at Calle Caldereria Nueva

leather slippers, fabric and jewellery

Before ending the day, we head towards the area around the Cathedral and shopping district – high street shops around Plaza Bib-Rambla (famous for its flower market in the day) and an Arab Bazaar at Alcaiceria. I found that the items in Alcaiceria were similar to those at Calle Caldereria Nueva, with Calle Caldereria Nueva having a wider variety.

facade of the Granada Cathedral

tea leaves and spices outside the cathedral

 

shopping at the Arab Bazaar

Plaza Bib-Rambla with the Fountain of the Giants and statue of Neptune

Plaza Isabel La Catolica on a moonlit night  

Day 2 at Granada – the Alhambra

Granada attractions map

On Halloween Night

glow-in-the-dark pumpkins

the li’l witch          &      the li’l vampire

vampire duo in action                                                             big and mini horns

li’l princess with red horns

cheeky vampire

pass the pumpkin!

night of funfilled games and laughter

 

“check out my pumpkin tatoo”                                        ”& my wizard hat”

hiding high up in the tree

ladies with their hallowweeeenn rings

exhausted….