The Palazzo Reale, or the Royal Palace of Naples, was the home of the House of Bourbon, from 1735 to 1861. It dates from the 17th century, and was designed by the architect, Domenico Fontana. It was built as a residence for the Viceroy, Fernando Ruiz de Castro, of Spain. In 1888, by order of…
Author: rchabala
I am 56 years old. I live in New York City and for the last 11 years, have been traveling to Italy at least twice every year. I love everything Italian. From the art and museums to the people, to the incredible food, my heart skips a beat when I think of Italy, and the many places and things that I've been lucky enough to experience. Now, I want to share my excitement and passion with the world. I will take you to both major Italian cities, and small mountain villages. I will talk about things to do in these places, and places to explore which are off of the beaten path. I will also talk about the restaurants that I've dined in, and the places that I lay my head down in, while staying in each of these locations.
Naples – Day 4 – Part 1 – MeMus
We decided to begin our first day in Naples with a visit to the Palazzo Reale. The entrance to the palace is on Piazza del Plebiscito. Entering the courtyard, you will see signs for the ticket office. Go inside, buy tickets, and then, proceed up the stairs! The entrance to the museum is to the…
Naples – Day 3 – Part 3 – Three Obelisks
In the photo above, a plaque marks the house where A.K. Razumovsky, the first Russian ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples, lived and worked. He lived there from 1779 through 1784. The Obelisco dell’Immacolata can be found in Piazza del Gesù Nuovo. It was designed by Giuseppe Genoino, and dates from the mid-1700s. It is…
Naples – Day 3 – Part 2 – Sightseeing and the Gran Caffè Gambrinus
On your way out of the Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco da Paola, please, do not forget to visit the small room near the entranceway, which houses a tiny museum. The Archivio Fotografico Parisio is an archive of photographic material produced over the course of 80 years, by Partenope Films, and the Troncone brothers: Roberto,…
Naples – Day 3 – Part 1 – Two Beautiful Churches
Our third day in Naples was another beautiful one. The sun was shining, and the air, fresh and clean. As we passed the Basilica di Santa Lucia a Mare, we noticed that the doors were open, and there were no crowds in front, unlike our last attempted visit. So, in we went! Much of the…
Naples – Day 2 – Part 4 – The Beautiful Chaos of Naples
As we walked, we came upon an abstract sculpture of a horse. The work is titled “Il Cavaliere di Toledo,” and is by the South African artist, William Kentridge. Around the corner, we found a vendor selling handmade pottery. A plaque, at the beginning of Via Miguel Cervantes de Saavedra, features a passage from the…
Naples – Day 2 – Part 3 – Exploring and Octopus to Die For!
At Via dei Mille, #40, you will find the Palazzo Leonetti. The palazzo dates from 1908, and was designed in the Art Nouveau style by the architect, Giulio Ulisse Arata, and the engineer, Gioacchino Luigi Mellucci. The original plan called for the palazzo to function as a hotel, but that was never realized, and the…
Naples – Day 2 – Part 2 – Strolling Along Via Chiaia
A plaque, on a busy side street in the historical district, marks the spot where the Margherita pizza was born. The now popular pizza was the brainchild of chef Raffaele Esposito, who had a restaurant/pizzeria on the site, in 1889. We decided to walk along Via Chiaia, in order to browse its many shops and…
Naples – Day 2 – Part 1 – Piazza del Plebiscito
Our second day in Naples started with a quick trip to the supermarket, and then, after putting our groceries away, we set out to do some more exploring. The Distaccamento Quartier Generale della Marina Militare di Napoli was at the end of our street, at Via Santa Lucia, #2. A plaque, on the corner of…
Naples – Day 1 – Part 3 – Monuments, Dinner, and Fireworks
This section of the waterfront is lined with high-end hotels, such as the Grand Hotel Santa Lucia and the Excelsior. The Fontana del Gigante can be found along Via Partenope, directly on the waterfront. The fountain is the work of Pietro Bernini and Michelangelo Naccherino. It dates from the early 1600s, but it was only…
Naples – Day 1 – Part 2 – Via Santa Lucia
The entrance to our apartment was on Via Santa Lucia, and so, we began our explorations there. There was no doubt that Naples was a city that lives for its football! There were team banners and posters everywhere! Across the street, you will find the Palazzo Regione Campania, which was designed by Arturo Tricomi in…
Naples – Day 1 – Part 1 – Settling in
After a four hour high-speed train ride, we arrived at our next destination, Naples, or Napoli, as the Italians call it. I had been there once before, and back then, I was a bit turned off by the city. I heard that many changes had taken place there, and that it was much safer now. …