Naples, Italy: World’s Greatest Places 2023

The phrase vide Napule e po’ muore (“see Naples and die”) is as true as ever with the iconic city finally enjoying a reputation that matches its golden-age past. Thanks in part to HBO and Netflix adaptations of Elena Ferrante’s celebrated novels (the Neapolitan novels and The Lying Life of Adults), Naples, with its sparkling sea, laundry-decorated streets, and momentous volcano, is undergoing a renaissance.

Throughout its fierce history, life in Naples has happened on its streets. The contemporary metropolis is no different in that its beautifully chaotic energy is still found right on the cobblestone. All Street Napoli, a new cultural tourism company, takes visitors on three-day odysseys to discover the heart of the city via the local artisans, street food, and of course, ancient ruins that make present-day Naples vibrant and proud.

Featuring everything from street culture to highbrow, Gallerie d’Italia – Naples opened its doors in summer 2022, dramatically displaying Caravaggio’s last masterpiece, Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, alongside a generous selection of Southern Italian artworks and ancient ceramics. Even the quintessential Neapolitan tourism experience has renewed interest and study. Recent discoveries in Pompeii have reinvigorated the 2,000-year-old area, thanks to the findings from four rooms that help illustrate what life was like for its middle class citizens.

The reinstatement of seasonal direct flights from Newark, N.J., to Naples, and a new direct high-speed rail service from Rome’s Fiumicino airport to Naples, via FrecciaRossa, make Naples not just a part of the journey; it is the destination.

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