I T A L Y
N A P L E S
O V E R V I E W
Magical and delightfully self-aware of its own glory and moderate dysfunction, Napoli is the sort of place that could only exist in the shadow of a volcano. It’s not for everyone, but for those who are willing to take it on its terms, this is a place that embodies in many ways the spirit of the Italian concept of sprezzatura, or studied elegant carelessness.
To visit is to understand that the locals live in permanent communication with the sea, and talking with them means to understand that they are talking to the sea, often through several glasses of wine and espressi, and you happen simply to be standing between them and the sea.
It’s beautiful.
Here's what we think should form the core of your experience:
Neapolitan Pizza, Wine, & Cuisine
The birthplace of pizza, and chief keeper of its flame, Naples is a worthy destination alone to sample this exquisite and deceptively simple art form. It’s worth mentioning here, and repeatedly that there is no ‘Italian cuisine’ in the strictest sense, as Italy is intensely regional, and marked above all else by innumerable highly codified dishes with exist both uniquely and also in odd reflections, depending on where you go.
Surrounded by the rich land on the slopes of Vesuvius, and the richness of the sea, cuisine in Napoli blends simple-yet-perfect ingredients with wine made from grapes grown in vocanic ash in a way best described as sublime. Experiment with everything from paper cones of deep-fried fish on the streets, to magnificently composed fine dining in hidden alleyways, and everything in between.
The Vesuvian Towns | Art | Archeology
The infamous 79AD eruption of Mt Vesuvius buried several nearby Roman towns, the most famous of these being Pompeii & Herculaneum. The experience of visiting these is an essential part of understanding life in this part of the world, and offers a heady mix of the richness of ancient Roman life and a sense of deep poignancy at the loss of it all.
On is left humbled at how much of the every day beauty and wonder that we in our modern world have lost in the name of progress and efficiency.
While the towns themselves are a spectacular experience, the best preserved of the art and artifacts are largely kept in the National Archeological Museum of Naples, which is an essential visit for anyone interested in this part of Italian cultural heritage.
Style & Lifestyle
Naples is an incredibly underrated destination for fashion. There is a wide variety of wonderful high-street and boutique offerings for men and women available, encapturing the unmistakable mediterranean flavour of southern Italian street style and business wear.
As a menswear and tailoring destination, Napoli finds its equal probably only in London, and at a much more affordable cost than the English capital.
The most famous part of this is the Neapolitan jacket. Much like neapolitan cuisine, this comes with its own set of highly-codified characteristics. Cheaper versions can be bought inexpensively in shops, but for the man taller than the average neapolitan, or the man wishing to have a true piece of Neapolitan artisanal heritage, a sartoria, or tailoring shop is the only way to go.
2024 Global Guide Group LLC