Forrest Bump

Perche thank you for your insight, amazingly spot-on for someone not living in the city, but actually living the city.
Many good points on your part.

Naples always had and always will have plenty of unsolved issues, to the point Napoletani are so used to them that eventually feel homey.

After all we just love to whine and complain but at the end of the day unwilling to change things.

Tomasi di Lampedusa and Il Gattopardo are quintessentially Italians for a reason

Agree re taxi drivers.

Never seen in any part of the world drivers so shady and cars so battered, and since the national sport is to fraud insurance companies - pocketing the refunds without actually repair the car - you can easily understand why.
And this applies not only to taxi drivers.

I fully trust you when you say understanding their Italian is difficult. I can guarantee it’s difficult for me as well. Apparently the civilization of that category struggles to catch up with decent standards.
Best thing to do is avoiding them, but since we don’t have Uber I see that at times may be the only choice. In this case a fixed fare agreed upon entering is the right thing to do.

From the airport there is fixed fares table with routing to city center and all the major regional touristic locations.
A good move from the NAP management for the peace of mind of all visitors:

http://www.aeroportodinapoli.it/on-arrival/by-taxi

Pizza:

besides the usual suspects, recently got the opportunity to discover Pellone.
It’s in via Nazionale, nearby Central and Garibaldi railway stations.

Patrons are mostly locals, since the area is quite off the beaten streets and frankly not ideal after dark.
But it’s adjacent the Centro Direzionale (the business district of Naples) and happened to be there last week and finally wanted to give a try to this much praised pizza venue.

The pizza is awesome, maybe just half notch below Sorbillo, but what stood out was the size: enormous.
I mean, a mammoth. I think was like a truck wheel.
Had to share it with a colleague but the 4 of us managed to gulp down only 3 pizze.
This makes Pellone unsuited for an evening dine, unless you wanna experience night visions.
Which paired with the dodginess of the area is a win-win.

Forrest Bump

+1 re Cristo Velato sculpture.

It's something truly mesmerizing.
You start questioning yourself how that is even possible.

Giuseppe Sanmartino deserves to be there, in the big league of great Italian sculptors.
My tip is if you plan to go to Naples don't google it.

Just wait to step in the cappella Sansevero in person for an unspoiled experience.

Flying Machine

Wow! I was thinking about Naples and now am sold after reading this and a few other articles (blogs) outside of FT.. A quick question. I'm landing at FCO on a Wednesday morning (late September) and departing FCO the following Tuesday at Noon (6 nights) I assume I should take the bus immediately upon arrival at FCO to Naples (schedule seems like 3 hours maximum and I could be in Naples around Noon to 2:00pm depending on the bus I catch).. Thinking I would then head back to Rome for my final few nights.. First time in the area and Naples actually sounds better to me (I like the grit and grime of a city) Additionally, I thought I would do a day trip to eat seafood in the likes of a town of Cetara..

Rome sounds great too, but I dislike tourists crowds.. I want to see the sights of Rome in the least amount of time.. any suggestions? Thanks and Safe Travels

rickg523

With the Freccia trains, you can visit Naples as a day trip. So splitting your week is very do-able.
Right from the airport, if you time it out right, you can take the Leonardo Express from FCO to Termini and a Freccia train from there to Naples and be in Naples in about 2 hours. Travel time is about 30 mins on the airport express and about an hour on the train. 30 mins cxn time is plenty.
As for quick-hitting Rome, stay close to the Pantheon and all of the main sites - ancient Rome, Pza. Navona, Trevi, Spanish Steps, Campo di Fiore, the ghetto, Trastevere - are within 30 minutes walk, many within 10 minutes. And the walks are great in themselves. The streets of Rome, despite crowds and tourists, have been charming visitors for millennia. Don't be surprised if it happens to you too.

Flying Machine

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to do 3 nights Naples and 3 Nights Rome. Head straight to Naples on arrival. Not sure if Bus or Train.. FYI: http://www.fiumicinoexpress.com/?lang=en for about 20 Euro and 3 hours from FCO sounds easy to me.. I will probably take the Train from Naples to Rome though.. Unless I'm missing something..

KLouis

Yes, you are missing something, but not that much:

1) The bus from FCO is much, much cheaper than the train, as it can cost as low as 14 €, depending on the time of travel (a maximum of 25 if you take the 8 am one). This is the same you pay from the shuttle between the airport and Termini!

2) Time to get there: The bus will be ~ 4 hours long as it leaves every 2 hours, so I add an average of 60 minutes waiting time to the (almost) three hours it takes. In contrast, the train will take only about 2.5 hours if you add the travel time of the two trains plus half of the maximum waiting time at both FCO and Termini.

You're right, for the way back the train is by far much, much faster than the bus: only one train, plus the additional time you may spend on the GRA and the road from the GRA to Termini, which may take longer than the time from Naples to Rome.

Forrest Bump

Indeed.
I would not take the bus for the GRA headache alone.
From FCO to Napoli turn in the morning= decent
From FCO to Napoli turn afternoon/early evening = hell

But of course, if time is not an issue and you value the convenience to stay butt in seat all the way instead of changing trains, do it without a second thought.

Flying Machine

If I would arrive on UA at 07:30 with carry on, I would plan to take the a bus as soon as possible say 09:00 would that be considered a good departure for the GRA issues.. I'm just thinking one and done on the bus (value seems good for the extra 2 hours I may endure and after an overnight flight I may like the view out of the bus window) may make the best sense than connecting to a train from FCO.. Any thoughts.. This is in Mid/late September.. I am definitely taking the train from Naples to Rome though..

Additionally, the more I read about Naples the more I'm liking the destination. One of my fussy travel friends turn to me and said why Naples, I said why not..

KLouis

FCO -> Naples, take the 9 am bus. You will have no issues with the GRA.
Naples -> Rome (city). Take the train, unless travelling in August. The worst part is usually from the GRA to the city centre, but since everybody is away from Rome in Augustall big roads (Tiburtina, Nomentana, Tuscolana, Salaria etc.) are empty and it's really fast and easy: I've done it in less than 10-15 minutes and even found a parking spot in front of la Sapienza at around 11 am Rome in August is the ideal city for cars...

Flying Machine

Thanks, that's what I plan to do.. The timing is mid/end of September.. Safe Travels

Stewie Mac

last night here in Naples, and looking for somewhere for final pizza. Two small kids so eating early (say 8) and don't want to have to queue. Had Sorbillo takeaway, Pellone (as recommended upthread, excellent and enormous!) and centenario (Materdei, aiming for Starita and didn't know it was closed Monday!). Would do Pellone again but as noted area is sketchy. Can't face the wait for Sorbillo. Anywhere around centro storico or south/west, as will be down near Castel Nuevo beforehand.
anyone?

Perche

You are probably gone already given the time difference, but Gino Sorbillo has a satellite place right on the water that allows you to escape the 1-2 hour lines. It's called Lievito Madre al Mare. It's a little past Castel dell'Ovo, not Castel Nuovo. That's not too far. 50 Kalo is a little bit farther up, but is also a destination for pizza.

Since tourists tend to avoid Naples, although that is rapidly changing and it is now becoming a hot spot, unlike Rome, Florence, and Venice, the food is generally going to be very good, anywhere except around the maritime cruise ship terminal (Unfortunately, that means where you are near Castel Nuovo). It's sort of like eating in Sorrento. Not good, just touristy food. It's also hit or miss near the train station, mostly miss.

But you do much better eating in Naples than almost anywhere else among the major cities. If you want pizza and you really don't know where to go, one thing that is helpful is to look for a sign outside with a picture of a baker, and it says, "Vera Pizza Napolitano." Naples is even trying to get its pizza recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage thing, it is that good.

In order to protect its name, there is an association called Associazone Verace Pizza Napolitana (VPN). They wrote up standards about what you have to meet to be of the highest quality pizza, from the oven, to the flour, and everything else. Places that meet it get the sign outside. Look for the sign for your pizza place, and you'll have assurance that you are not eating crap, which is a real risk near the cruise terminal, Castel Nuovo area.

VPN is actually around the world. There are about a dozen places in the USA that meet VPN standards. There's one in San Francisco that I go to every now and then.

In Naples it's a little controversial. Some places feel their reputation stands for itself, and that are not joining any organization and paying annual dues to be recognized as having great pizza. Sorbillos is an example. And even some VPN places aren't that great, but knowing about this can save you from some of the worst stuff near the Maritime Terminal.

This is the sign you'd be looking for hanging outside.

Stewie Mac

Now home, and catching up..

We were actually staying in the centre, so walked back near home and went to Pizzeria Port d'Alba, which is a member of the Association but which was the worst pizza we had in Naples. It was still good, mind, but not a patch on Sorbillo or Pellone.

Flying Machine

3 nights solo diner. Love any type of food. Like the mom and pop type of places. What are your favorites in Naples?

Flying Machine

Bump.. heading to Napoli this week.. Staying about a 5 minute walk from the University Metro Station (close to the Complesso Monumentale di Santa Maria la Nova). Not seeking exact places if you don't have a tip, just neighborhoods. From what I have read, seems that the Historic District has a good concentration of place to dine.. I have the Pizza Spots noted, seeking Street Food Areas, Markets with food. I enjoy the mom and pop simpler places to dine.. Just looking for some local knowledge or my nose will hound it out.. Thanks and Safe Travels

PS Have you heard of Tandem for Ragu (or places like that)?