Tag: italia

The Fabulous Prince of Laughter

Posted on by alice

In this time of great challenges due to the outbreak of coronavirus disease, we of Naples Fabulous wanted to share a post about an extraordinary person who will hopefully bring some lightness to your days. We’ve been trying to keep our spirits high through reading, music, films and art about Naples and we thought: who better to represent Neapolitan resilience and spirit than this Neapolitan character?

Totò is one of the most beloved figures of the Neapolitan history, art and folklore. But though he has worked with some of the most iconic actors in the history of cinema like Anna Magnani, Vittorio de Sica, Sophia Loren, Mastroianni and movie directors such as Monicelli and Pasolini, many people outside of Italy do not know the work of one of the greatest Neapolitan figures of all time. However, to Italians, he is considered to be one of the most extraordinary comic geniuses of all time.


Totò and Anna Magnani

He went by Totò or simply Antonio de Curtis but actually has an incredibly long name. Starting out as Antonio Clemente, he was born in the heart of Naples – his beloved Sanità – in 1881 to Anna Clemente and the nobleman Giuseppe de Curtis, who never recognized him. He always knew of his noble blood but it wasn’t until he was 35 that he was formally adopted by the Marquis Francesco Maria Gagliardi Focas di Tertiveri. Therefore he inherited a long list of names and a noble title, from which comes the nickname “the prince of laughter”.

Walking the streets of Naples you’ll see icons of his image everywhere, not just in the Sanità. To Neapolitans, Totò represents honour and talent, pride and purpose; he was a champion for the poor and is a symbol of hope. His spirit is woven into the collective conscious of this city and that crooked nose and pointy chin, broken a youth, are as ubiquitous as the landscape of the Vesuvius or the image of the Pizza Margherita or the outline of Capri in the Gulf of Naples. Most bars have a photo or ceramic figure that might be placed alongside an image of the Madonna or Maradona.


Totò by Salvatore Scuotto 2017 – donated by Rober Lèon

To many he is considered to have achieved a uniqueness in comic-tragic style like that of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton or Stan Laurel. Comparisons have even been made with his physicality and the movement technique of Michael Jackson. He grew up poor with an unparalleled work ethic that would accompany him during his entire life. Long after he achieved fame and celebrity, living the bella vita in Rome, he never lost connection with his roots in Naples and was always committed to helping the poor not only in his beloved hometown but everywhere.
His characters in the over 100 films he performed in were often poor, clever people who would, through his iconic, often improvised puns philosophise on the current state of the world and the human condition. This way of living humour through tragedy is emblematic of the Neapolitan spirit and what makes his prolific career symbolic of the triumph of a man who started his life in utter poverty.
His work, rooted in the Commedia dell’Arte tradition, started in Naples at age 15 and would then take him to the stages of Rome where he’d marry his first wife Diana Bandini Rogliani. A few years prior to making his film debut, he’d have a daughter, Liliana whose name would be a source of speculation. Totò had had an affair with the actor Liliana Castagnola whose haunting suicide would remain a mystery for the duration of his life. Though his marriage was dissolved in 1940, Diana and Totò would remain connected until she met another man and Totò married the much younger Franca Faldini.

He’s considered a genius for his comic abilities but his career and art expanded to song writing, music and poetry which had a depth recognised by many and celebrated today. Toto’s most famous song is Malafemmena (Wayward Woman), dedicated to his ex wife Diana.
Often when walking the streets of Naples you’ll hear a trace of one of his songs or, even better, musicians or posteggiatori will serenade diners at the local trattorias which will almost always lead to a sing-a-long of his famous melody.
Here is one of his poems, also engraved in an inscription outside the historic Caffé Gambrinus:

‘A cunzegna

The exchange
In the evening when the sun goes back home
And changes shifts with the moon for the night,
The sun whispers in the moon’s ear
“I’m going home:
Take care of all the lovers!”

Totò is a link between two generations of Italy. People of all ages (and social strata) fluidly repeated his jokes, his gestures and entire phrases from his film by heart because his genius has just as much relevancy in today’s world.
Fifty years later Totò’s films still make people laugh, demonstrating the modernity of his humour and some of his characters. He grew up in the densely populated neighbourhood Sanità which was a source for much of his material. As a child he observed his neighbours and the most extravagant people who he would later incorporate into comical characters in his performances. This earned him the nickname of “ ’o spione ” (the spy).
In Sanità you can see representations of Totò on every wall and there are two large light installations dedicated to him, one of his outline and the other with an inscription in Neapolitan of his delicate love poem “Core analfabeta” (Illiterate heart). They both welcome those entering into Totò’s native neighbourhood.

Baroque churches, noble buildings, a bustling market with perfume of delicious food and the voices of the authentic Naples captivate and lead us to the discovery of the many faces of the prince of laughter.
Federico Fellini said “His capacity of making us laugh should make him a saint” and in actuality, our fabulous Naples has sanctified him!


Palazzo dello Spagnuolo

The tarallificio Poppella (taralli are typical Neapolitan savory snacks) celebrates Totò with a mosaic at the entrance to the shop as does the wine bar Sciò with a mural. All of the shops in the area have a photo of him and his cherished films.


taralli napoletani

The first “Vicolo della cultura” (cultural alley) in Italy, inaugurated in the Sanità in December 2019 honours him with a wall-painting amongst books free for whoever might want them. The non-profit organisation Opportunity seeks to challenge criminality with culture, colours, light and art. The portrait of Totò is found at the entrance of the itinerant library along with other celebrated Neapolitans such as Sophia Loren, Peppino De Filippo, Massimo Troisi and Pino Daniele.


Via Montesilvano

Yet it is at the Pizzeria e Trattoria Taverna di Totò where we would like to conclude our little homage to this artistic genius.
With happiness and a scrumptious pizza, a delicious potato crocchè and maybe a tasting of a fabulous side dishes of eggplant and friarielli, we will raise a glass to Totò’s wonderful legacy in the company of the kind server, always ready to entertain customers with a genuine smile, in the spirit of the immortal prince of laughter.


pizza Cosacca

RIA ROSA: A FABULOUS NEAPOLITAN CHARACTER

Posted on by alice
Fiorella: Alice I know that you are a big fan of varietà theatre and that you also studied all of the theatres of Naples. Haven’t you also done researches on cafè chantant which inspired your performances? It is a world which isn’t that well known as an important facet of the life and culture of Naples.
You, an American in Naples, you made me fall in love with my compatriot Ria Rosa!
Alice: It is seriously a joy to share with those reading a little about the biography of a woman so revolutionary and ironic!
Historically, Naples is a city of  theatre, music and film: it has the oldest Opera House in Europe which was opened here in 1737. Did you know that Enrico Caruso was from Naples?
More recently Pino Daniele, beloved in all of Italy composed blues songs in Neapolitan dialect. You cannot forget about the actors such as Vittorio De Sica, Totò, Sofia Loren among others who are etched in the fabric of this dramatic city.
Many say that Naples is a stage. You hear the notes it in the voices of those selling fish in the morning, in the calls of the lemon granita vendors on Via Dei Tribunali, on the street corners with buskers playing music from all over the world, in the piazzas full of performances of every type and the way people tell a story to their best friend over coffee.
A few years ago I had an opportunity to spend a summer researching women in theatre and music during Naples heyday at the Fondo De Mura in Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino).
The Belle Epoque with the Festival of Piedigrotta, Salone Margherita and a pervasive culture of performance produced exceptional writers, actors, dancers and musicians but there was one woman who I came across, Ria Rosa (Maria Rosaria Liberti), who changed the
face of the traditional Neapolitan song. I had to put her song “Preferisco il ‘900” (I prefere the 20th century) in my show which she wrote in Neapolitan the early 30’s in New York.
New York is the city where she settled after doing a tour there in her early 20’s:
My boyfriend is not modern, he prefers the 19 th century. Instead, I like the 20 th century
Every day I get so angry!
This girdle needs to be loosened, it is such a waste of time
Lipstick, cigarettes, men’s trousers… he doesn’t want to see any of it, he would rather die!
Instead, I want to do all of those things just to spite him
I want to smoke, I want to wear lipstick on my lips!  What’s wrong with that?
I want to go walking in the sand of Coroglio Beach, I love the smell of the beach there!

Coroglio Beach     

Il mio fidanzato non é moderno, gli piace l’Ottocento, a me invece piace il Novecento e tutti i giorni mi devo intossicare (arrabbiare).
Il corpetto va allacciato, questo spreco non mi piace. Il rossetto, la sigaretta, i pantaloni alla maschietto… non vuole vedere nulla di questo. Che lo possano ammazzare!
E io invece per dispetto lo voglio fare. Voglio fumare e il rosso sulle labbra voglio vedere! Che male c’è?
Sulla spiaggia di Coroglio mene vado a passeggiare. Sulla sabbia, sugli scogli ma che odore che ci sta.
She went to New York and never looked back. In a world dominated by male composers, agents and producers, she was one of the only women to write and perform her own songs. In contrast to the other songs of immigration, love and family being performed by others who had left the home country, she chose not to adhere to the traditional themes of that time and penned lyrics with social and political importance.
One of the best things about her music is that she never lost the roots of her native Napoli. Not only are the songs in the Neapolitan dialect, they are full of details about the streets, the people and the landscape of the city. Fabulous!
Today when I perform the song, charged with irony and humor but the honesty of having to fight for the freedom of expression, I try to think of all of the courage it took to leave her country and blaze a path for other female performs to come after her.
When Igo to Coroglio beach, a place where music echoes on the water all night at the clubs dotting the coastline, I think of Ria Rosa in New York, imagining herself in trousers, walking unaccompanied in the sand, cigarette in hand and the reddest of lipstick on her.

Three Fabulous Piazzas of Naples

Posted on by alice

Alice: Fiorella, do you have a favorite piazza in Naples?
Fiorella: Oooh, there are so many to choose from. If we stick with Centro Storico, I would say Piazza Bellini, Piazza del Gesù and Piazza San Domenico.Alice: Yesssss. I think Piazza Bellini is my second home!
During the years of my time here, I have seen the trend of piazzas change and the re-shifting and re-shaping of its surroundings: always unpredictable. When I came to Naples 16 years ago the typical Saturday night would be a stroll between Piazza del Gesù to Piazza San Domenico where we would grab a beer from one of the vendors selling refreshments out of big, blue iced tubs.
Piazza Bellini was the place to go if you wanted to be fancy and sit down to sip a cocktail. Now, each piazza is the place to be and offers many ways to relax, explore and socialize in the great context of this artistic city.

THREE FABULOUS PIAZZAS IN CENTRO STORICO

PIAZZA BELLINI

You are the tourist who wants more than just a simple grab-a-pizza and a magnet and head back to the hotel vacation. You have seen this marvelous UNESCO center: the Duomo, the Sansevero Chapel, The Greek-Roman unedrground city, San Gregorio Armeno, the many churches and historical palazzi, maybe the street art. Now, walking down the ancient street of Via Dei Tribunali you find yourself at Piazza Bellini, a thriving social center. Passing by the music conservatory San Pietro a Majella where you might catch the notes of an aria of Mozart or an arpeggio of Chopin. Once you hit the piazza, you realize that it is not all cafes and outside drinking. The piazza, which gets its name from the statue of the famed Sicilian composer who studied at the conservatory of Naples, is built on and around the remains of a section of the ancient Greek walls of Neapolis. Many years ago when I first got to Naples, the three main cafes were Café Arabo which offers light Middle Eastern food and cocktails and Intra Moenia (which means inside the walls) full of art and often hosting literary events and Lemme Lemme, previously called the Internet Bar (one of the only places I could use dial-up internet to write my mom an email) were the anchors of the slightly sleepy piazza. Currently there is nothing sleepy about this place! One side is lined with sit-down cafes as well as Nea which is a gallery and performance space and the other side has stand-up bars where you can get a 2 euro spritz. On the western side, Via Costantinopoli which leads from Piazza Bellini to the Archaeological Museum and is famous for antique shops, also has lots of places to eat worth checking out. If you are looking for something moderately upscale, the Slow Food restaurant La Stanza del Gusto right off of the piazza offers a fun, colorful environment with elevated local cuisine and a good wine list.

PIAZZA DEL GESU’

As you walk down from Piazza Bellini, you will notice the spattering of music shops on the tree-lined street that might call you to pick up that old saxophone in the closet once you get home from your travels. Interspersed with the music stores are artisan and vintage shops which lead to Spaccanapoli, the parallel to Via Dei Tribunali. Turning the corner, you will see Santa Chiara. It is the church with the green roof which is visible from San Martino in Vomero. It is one of the main religious complex in the city and inspired also the romantic Neapolitan song Munasterio ‘e Santa Chiara.

Fiorella: Romantic and Royal, what a fabulous combination!  This prestigious convent was commissioned by King Robert of Anjou (called Robert the Wise because he was a patron of the arts, buried in the funerary monument in the end of the nave, behind the altar) and his second wife Queen Sancha de Maiorca to house about 200 Clare nuns in seclution and 50 Franciscan friars who could officiate the religious services. The large Royal complex housed these two communities in separate areas and cloisters and its sober structure still expresses the Franciscan rule of poverty.
The original Gothic style combined with local trends and was enriched with stain glass, frescoes and sculptures by famous masters. In the 17th c. the church was totally renovated and transformed into a Baroque monument. Bombed during WWII, it was restored and brought back to its origins but most of the artistic tresures were lost. The cycle of frescoes by Giotto (1328-30) in the secluted church of the nuns was destroyed. Only a little fragment of the Lamentation over the Dead Christ survived. Not open to the public, it can be seen on special occassions.
The majolica-tiled cloister is a must to visit! This 14th c. enclosed garden where the Clare nuns were living was enhanced in the 18th c. by the work of D.A.Vaccaro who designed the eclectic majolicas executed by Donato and Giuseppe Massa. Grape leaves decorate the pillars while hunting scenes, landscapes, the four elements, masks and a nun feeding the cats cover the seats of this walled gem. The ruins of a I and II c. A D Roman Bath and a 18th c Nativity complete the visit to this remarkable complex.

Alice: If you leave the confined life and turn left, you come across the large piazza with the looming Guglia (Spire) dell’Immacolata which was built in the 18th c. and is now circled by taxis, tourists and students.

I met some of my oldest friends in this piazza on my first Saturday here on a sunny January day. Having nothing to do, I thought I would try to draw the facade of the church. Easy! After numerous attempts and as kids rode their bikes around me incessantly asking me what I was doing and who I was, a huge samba band approached the piazza to practice. Swept up by the music and coerced to follow the traveling group, I traded my art supplies for a dance-so representative of the magic of this city and a metaphor for my time here!
The façade of the Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo is incredible-full of mystery with the congruent pyramids spiking out into the air that I definitely could not do justice with my 5th grade drawing skills. It is so unusual…

Fiorella: I know, it is unique as a church and many people do not know its mysteries. Indeed, the building was the private palazzo of the noble family Sanseverino, designed by Novello da San Lucano in 1470 with this ashlar diamond stones. After confiscations and changes of ownership, the palazzo was bought by the Gesuits who entrusted the architect Valeriano to transform it into a church. This is why the contrast between the original façade and the Baroque interior is so strong. Many artists painted, frescoed and carved works for this monumental church where the eye cannot rest. On the counter-façade triumphs the Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple a theatrical fresco signed and dated by Francesco Solimena. Cosimo Fanzago architect and sculpture, a genius of Neaples 17th century designed the marmi commessi, inlaid marble, and carved the stirring statues of David and Geremia (in the Cappellone di Sant Ignazio, left arm of the church) whose realistic expressiveness and fluid drapery well express the tremendous talent of Fanzago who also worked at other sculptures in the church.
On the same left hand side of the church you can approach the chapel that houses the urn of San Ciro On the altar a beautiful wooden Crucifixion by Francesco Mollica. Now you will realize why Ciro is a typical Neapolitan name, especially among the older generation. Ciro was a doctor killed in the IV c. AD during the persecution of Christians. Neapolitans who believe in the miracle come here to pray and be protected from physical diseases. If Saint Ciro ‘works’ they bring him an ex voto, a silver object representing the part of the body that was sick or simply an heart expressing devotion.
This choreographic way of testifying affection to Saints and not only, is well visible in the next chapel where the donation of the princess of Bisignano is displayed. Skulls and rests of beatified or saints are housed in rich gilded caskets holding busts.

Alice: You can also visit the modern space dedicated to Vincenzo Moscati, a former doctor canonized Saint in 1987 to see how the ex votos are still popular.

PIAZZA SAN DOMENICO

Alice: If you need a break from devotion retrace your steps to get back on Via Benedetto Croce, a section of the popular and highly populated Spaccanapoli. Spaccare in Italian means to break and Spaccanapoli is the ancient Greek plateia – than named in Latin decumanus – that split Neapolis west/east. You will immediately see Gay Odin where you can get a decadent gelato (try pistachio and dark chocolate!) and the famous chocolate foresta or a vesuvio treats or just head across the street to grab a coffee while you listen to the bartender or a customer play tunes on the piano. As you walk to San Domenico you will pass Palazzo Venezia which is not only beautiful inside but has excellent musical events. You’ll see a lot of shops offering souvenirs which are much better than the pizza magnet you were going to buy for Aunt Betty. Once you arrive at the piazza you will see another spire erected after the horrifying 1656 plague and dedicated to San Domenico. On the slope going up to the unique church where St.Thomas Aquinas spent two years (1272-1274) teaching theology at the adjoining monastery which was the original seat of the University of Naples. Bordering the piazza is one of the main buildings of the Orientale University, Palazzo Corigliano which during the year is thriving with students and professors. Depending on the time of day, you might catch a theatre performance, street concert, game of frisbee or football or jam session. Have a drink at one of the cafes to take in all of the mix of fun and people or head to Pizzeria Palazzo Petrucci, one of the chicest places to get a pizza in the centro storico. The pizza dough is left to rise for 48 hours and melts in your mouth! If you can manage it, grab a table on the terrace to have an even better view of the goings-ons of the square.

 

A Night At The Museum

Posted on by alice

Alice: Hey, Fiorella! What did you do yesterday?

Fiorella: Well, Alice, I was in Pompeii and Herculaneum. I think Vesuvius might have been cooler than at the Villa Dei Misteri in 98 degree heat. And you?

Alice: I also spent some time among antiquity…singing at the Archaeological Museum of Naples for their fabulous weekly summer concert series. https://www.museoarcheologiconapoli.it/it/2018/07/una-sera-al-museo-giovedi-destate-al-mann/

It was  a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to perform with Sergio Esposito in the courtyard surrounded by masterpieces of ancient art.

Fiorella: I can understand …how fabulous it must have been to have had important spectators in the crowd like the Zeus from Cuma, the Doriforo from Pompei, Afrodite from Capua and Nonio Balbo from Herculaneum….

Alice: And let’s not forget singing the blues into the eyes of the giant frog next to the the Star Wars spaceship. Ah…fabulous Naples!

Fiorella: Do you want to know something about some of the spectators from your concert?

Alice: Please! They were such a great audience!

ZEUS

The bust was found in the Forum of Cuma and dates from the 2nd c. AD. It depicts a colossal Zeus with long hair and a curly beard.
It was discovered in the Capitolium of Cuma together with the statues of Juno and Minerva.
Being an acrolith, it has no arms as the originals would have been in wood or another perishable material.

NONIO BALBO

The imposing equestrian statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus was donated by the inhabitants of Herculaneum to honour this illustrious man, who was also a benefactor and patron of the Vesuvian town. M. Nonius Balbus was praetor and proconsul of the provinces of Crete and Cyrene, tribune of the plebes in 32 BC and partisan of Ottaviano (Augustus). The head is an early-19th century work.

DORYPHOROS

During my tours at the museum, I introduce the Doryphoros to my nicest clients as my boyfriend…
This Doryphoros, possibly dating from the 1st century BC, is considered to be the best copy of the Greek bronze original by Polykleitos. It was found in Pompeii in the so-called Palestra Sannitica (Samnite Gymnasium). It most likely reminded young aristocrats of the importance of Greek culture and it represents a naked spear-bearer although the spear held by his left hand has been lost. His harmonious body follows the Greek letter X, chi, and the chiastic scheme (literary tecnique) that Polykleitos represents is noted in the body whose parts are in reciprocal opposition. Observe this symmetric body and you’ll see the X: the right arm is tensed and corresponds to the left leg which is bent, while the left bent arm corresponds to the tensed right leg.

Alice: Fabulous! I knew there was something special about him. He caught my eye as I was singing. Definitely the most handsome guy in the audience.

Fiorella: But did you notice Aphrodite?

APHRODITE

The sculpture of this graceful woman was found in Capua where it used to decorate the summa cavea (top seats) of the amphitheater which is the second largest amphitheater after the Colosseum, dating back to the beginning of the 2nd century AD. The fabulous Venus is half-naked, and her left foot stands on Ares’ helmet.
The arms are perhaps raised  to hold Ares’ shield to use it as a mirror. This beautiful lady was restored by Augusto Brunelli in 1820.

 

 

Singing The Beatles to a beautiful crowd interspersed with antiquities was nothing less than…fabulous!

 

 

Limoncello Fabulous

Posted on by alice

Recently I was staying in Procida for a few days and there was a lemon tree just begging to be picked. I added those lemons to ones from Capri my student had given me and voilà! After a few weeks I had a delicious liquer that now I need to make a second batch of because it was such a success (and quite strong). This time maybe I can use lemons from Ischia as well!

You have probably heard about limoncello, the after dinner drink that leaves your palate feeling fresh and your mood a little lighter!

How about impressing your friends with your own homemade version?

Before you fill up your house with the refreshing fragrance of the lemons, remember to only use organic, locally grown lemons (best if picked right from the tree).

In the heart of the Naples historical centre, at piazza San Gaetano you can find the Limonè factory. This family run business is a well-kept secret and you can even see how it is made while you are tasting it!

Fiorella: it is a place where I always go with my clients. I love it!

Why it is so fabulous? Apart from smelling the freshly peeled lemons by the lovely Roberta, the location of this small factory is unique. It was built on the site of the Church of San Gaetano, once the 1st-century temple of the Dioscuri in the Roman forum (formerly Greek agorà). The façade of the church shows two of the six Corinthian columns, at one time on the front of the temple and the basement of the church highlights a section of an opus reticulatum wall.

A similar structure can be seen in the factory, behind boxes, corks and glass bottles while an even older Roman well is visible in a corner of the room where the limoncello with lemons from the Phlegrean Fields is made. This place is a true gem to discover.

Alice: Fiorella, do you want to share your recipe? I am dying to try another way of making my favorite local digestive.

Fiorella: I can share my friend’s Enrico and Donatella recipe as I don’t make limoncello, I only drink it!

1 litre of pure cane alcohol

1100 ml water

600 gr sugar

You will need a large glass jar.

Peel 10 still green lemons (or 7 big ones) with a potato peeler and place them into the jar.

Avoid the white pith of the lemon skin under the yellow zest as it will make your limoncello bitter.

Add the alcohol to the jar with the lemon zest.

Cover the jar with plastic wrap and store it in a cool and dark place for 10 days

After 10 days add the sugar to the water by mixing it with a wooden or steel spoon until the sugar is fully dissolved. Strain the lemon peels from the alcohol and eliminate the peels.

Mix the sugar syrup into the glass jar with the alcohol.

Before serving your masterpiece, chill it in the freezer. Drink it. And feel fabulous.

Tours

Posted on by topolone

Oh yes, the monuments, street food and street art in Naples are fabulous!
Might we suggest a tour with vesuviusvspompeii.com as the guides are all in love with their city and very specialized!
The tour focuses on daily life, traditions, food and street art in vibrant Napoli.
How fabulous is to go around with somebody who knows all the secret spots of the city and suggests all the specialties to try.
Do you want to visit also some local manufactures and shops where the locals go? Ask…and you’ll have the answer!
Relaxing and food-related tours are some of our fabulous choices to learn and taste bella Napoli:

SHOPPING AND TASTE NAPOLI

Do you want to learn about sparkling Naples while shopping -or just window shopping- and tasting delicious street food, wine and cheese?
Your day will be spent between the charming Chiaia neighborhood, where all the principal Italian designer shops and local clothing manufacturers are to be found, OR visiting small artisanal shops in the fabulous crazy historical centre of Naples. Funny jewellery, cameos and coral, hand-made gloves, leather items, ceramics, Christmas decorations, nativity scenes, chocolate and candies are just some of the items you will see or buy.

caciocavallo cheese

UNDERGROUND FABULOUS NAPOLI

Dante /Toledo/ Università/ Salvator Rosa and the ancient buried Greek-Roman city.
These are some of our favourite underground areas and we want to share them with you.
A tour between contemporary art and ancient history is what everybody needs to understand the layers of Napoli. It is so fabulous to go from minimal art and shining mosaics, to blue tunnels and skylights by some of the most famous international artists to a 2500 years old city hidden by the busy roads of Naples centre. Jannis Kounellis, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Joseph Kosuth, William Kentridge, Robert Wilson, Karim Rashid, Alessandro Mendini, Perino&Vele, Enzo Cucchi and Lello Esposito are only some of the artists who participated in designing and decorating this public transport fabulous museum.

Toledo Station

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM AND SANSEVERO CHAPEL

This is the best combination of top class antiquities and marvellous Baroque art.
Neapolitans call it THE MUSEUM, for its central location, sometimes ignoring that this museo is one of the most important archaeological museums in Europe. Why? The frescoes, mosaics, statues and utensils discovered in the Vesuvian area (Pompeii, Herculaneum, Boscoreale and Stabiae) are simply breathtaking!
Among its other collections are the Farnese and the Egyptian rooms. There is also the secret cabinet which shows many erotic objects from ancient times.

Archaeological Museum – Fresco from Herculaneum

And what to say about the Sansevero Chapel? It is one of the most visited monuments in the city and you will understand why only if you go there. In order to understand the intricate symbology and massonic meanings you will need an expert or a thorough guidebook. You will fall in love with the esquisite marble statues…book tickets on line to avoid long queues!

 

Cappella Sansevero – Francesco Queirolo  Disillusion

FIVE FABULOUS THINGS OF NAPLES

Posted on by alice

Alice: Are Caravaggio, Fontanelle Cemetery, Palazzo dello Spagnolo, the Gaiola beach and the terrace of the Excelsior hotel fabulous?

Fiorella: Oh yes!

Alice: So, if I have understood correctly, the following will make your time in Napoli FABULOUS:

 

5 Fabulous Things of Naples

 

PIO MONTE DELLA MISERICORDIA – CARAVAGGIO

You are feeling charged with energy as you cross via Duomo after your coffee with a heart drizzled in hazelnut of their specialty caffè schiumato at Bar Max. The scooters whiz past you but you aren’t fazed-you are about to see one of the most important works of Michelangelo Merisi, better known as Caravaggio.

You walk on the cobblestone and at the end of the stretch of Via Dei Tribunali is Castel Capuano (which was converted into a tribunal in the 16th century, where it got its name) but you don’t really pay attention. You are enchanted by the guglia di San Gennaro a baroque spire built by Cosimo Fanzago after Vesuvius eruption in 1631. The colorful painting on your left catches your eye. Could that be Caravaggio himself with one leg on a supersantos football next to San Gennaro worried instead for the unemployed Neapolitans? In this work by Roxy in the Box two heroes with a very different way of dressing are now friends.

Caravaggio was running from the law after being charged with murder in Rome but the Governors of the Pio Monte di Misericordia didn’t seem to mind. They paid him a hefty sum for Our Lady of Mercy (also known as the Seven Works of Mercy) which has now become one of the most visited artworks in Naples

Alice: You can’t take your eyes of the spectacle: realism depicted in this work is nothing short of amazing.

Fiorella: In his canvas, Caravaggio had to depict the inspirational principles of the Pio Monte and he did this by combining them in a single scene full of real characters creating the impression of a typical Neapolitan back street. The protagonists are worldly beings, highlighted by a strong light and foreshortened by shadow. The work of the Institute is narrated by figures from classical and Biblical sources together with the common people Caravaggio chose as models.

Fiorella: I want to show you something else fabulous to the painting gallery upstairs where from the little choir we can admire the Seven works of Mercy and from the window the guglia di San Gennaro

Alice: Walking out of the Pio Monte you are dazed as if you had just seen one of the best theatrical performances.

(Fiorella: Weren’t you in a live performance of this painting at the Gino Ramaglia art shop a few years back?

Alice: Yes, but I won’t tell you which character I represented! But, it was…FABULOUS.)

 

The street brings you back to life with the smells of pizza being cooked in a nearby brick oven. You are hungry but you stay with the dream but you are an adventurer and you have other things to uncover.

 

 

CIMITERO DELLE FONTANELLE

 

One thing you know to be FABULOUS is the experience of being in places which aren’t so easily explained. The electricity of the Caravaggio has left you seeking the unexpected. You’ve eaten a Fiocco di Neve at Poppella whose light, airy ricotta cream has prepared you for the excursion to a cemetery. This is no ordinary cemetery; the place, cool all year with ceilings looming with spectacle. You think to yourself “how macabre, how dark” but you want to know more. Stepping into the cave which has acted as a cemetery vault for three hundred and fifty years, you feel like you are entering another dimension. Although the bones and shallow graves are of unknown people, there is nothing anonymous about this place. Candles are lit as if family members are showing devotion to the remains of their beloveds long before passed. Devotion: a word that can be used to describe Neapolitans in their love for their football team, the sea, pizza and Totò. Devotion can also be used to describe the practice of “adopting” bones of unknown human remains in this ossuary made of tuff. Although abolished in 1969, the seemingly maintained alters to skulls with no names might indicate otherwise. And was that a Barbie doll laying prettily in front of one of the piles of bones? You pause to think of all that has come before, of the reasons behind this practice. You pause again because your stomach has started to rumble, almost audible among all the people murmuring about the spectacle. Though you might feel a little strange about the timing, being that you are surrounded by bones, dolls, bus tickets and coins to pay the trip to the afterworld, all you can think about is pizza. On the way to this marvelous haven of Neapolitan folklore, you passed Concettina ai Tre Santi and can’t get the delicious smell of warm fior di latte and bubbling tomatoes sauce out of your head. And, hey, this is FABULOUS Naples, the city of light and dark. This contrast between life and death, old Barbies and pizza, is what makes this city unforgettable.

 

Alice: I heard there is a fabulous palace around here that has been a set for many TV shows and films.

Fiorella: Nothing fabulous ever escapes you! Oh yes, you have to see the staircase of Palazzo dello Spagnolo! Let’s go.

 

PALAZZO DELLO SPAGNOLO

 

You are looking for something decadent and elegant after the mystery of Cimitero delle Fontanelle and find it in this late-Baroque-style private residence known for its double ramp staircase. The Palace was started by architect Fedinando Sanflice in 1738 for the Marchese Nicola Moscati. The interior is a soft, stuccoed, eclectic, complex and fabulous scenography. Why is it called the Spaniard (lo Spagnolo)? Because part of it was sold to the nobleman Tommaso Atienza who called it Lo Spagnolo. Even if in the 19th century it was bought by the Costa family, it has maintained its name. You try to pronounce it and revel in your tenacity of pronouncing such a beautiful name. You love those Italian vowels!

You remember that building with a similar staircase we saw on the way to Lo Spagnolo, looking spookily similar to Palazzo dello Spagnolo. Ten years before Sanfelice started on this marvel, he had already built his own palazzo in the same area. His peculiar courtyard and staircase are rundown and it’s quite sad to read above the entrance: Ferdinando Sanfelice patrizio napoletano, per la straordinaria salubrità del luogo, costrui questa casa dalle fondamenta. Fu lui il progettista, curatore e proprietario dell’opera. Anno del Salvatore 1728.(Ferdinando Sanfelice Patrician of Naples, for the extraordinary healthiness of the place, built this house from the ground up. He was the designer, curator and owner of the work. Year of the Saviour 1728) After all of this history, you decide to grab a glass of wine at one of the great vinerias down below before heading to get a pizza at one of the best places in town. They let the dough rise for over a day and the fresh mozzarella and basil, some of the signature tastes of this city, are a perfect way to get to know this neighborhood full of life and excitement.

Alice: Fiorella, I know you know somewhere incredible to see the natural landscape of this enchanting place. Any ideas?

Fiorella: Yes! Naples can also be the place for a swim or simply a walk on the cliffs. Let’s go to FABULOUS Posillipo!

Alice: How to get there?

Fiorella: Taxi! Worth it for a ride to this “respite from worry” corner of paradise (Pausilypon in Greek is rest from pain)

 

GAIOLA

 

You are ready for some sea air, crystal waters and cliffs of Tuff. This is such an incredible change from being in the bustle of heart of the Sanita’. You find The Archaeological Park of Gaiola to be an unique combination of nature and archaeology in this busy city! Even though it is best to go early in the morning, you are so happy to be here in the afternoon. Because it is Summer you brought your ID as only 100 people are allowed to swim in this corner of Paradise. Here with a simple mask you see several species of fish, seaweed and the remains of opus reticolatum walls belonging to the villa of Publius Vedius Pollio. How incredible to see the nature of the sea and ancient history together? Where else can you do something like this? Born in the 1st century BC Vedius Pollio attained authority in Asia on behalf of Emperor Augustus and built his amazing estate called Pausilypon here. Known for his cruelty, he died in 15 BC and left his villa to Augustus. The Seiano cave, the Odeon and the theatre are only some of the ruins of this fabulous estate surrounded by tuff cliffs and vegetation. You look out to the water and wonder about the rest of it lying underwater. The unpredictable bradyseism has changed the sea level so we can only dream about the rest of the magic below. With Capri in front of you, embraced by Vesuvius and Capo Posillipo, you are not surprised that the Dutch painter Anton Sminck Pitloo started the School of Posillipo here . Pitloo and the other artists anticipated the French Impressionism in painting outdoors with natural lighting the marine shore and landscapes from this area. You had no idea this rich history of art existed in this ancient, breathtaking place. Oh how you love breathing in this adventure.

You have felt like you have had such a great day exploring the city and are ready to end your day with something… fabulous. It’s time to go to the Terrazza.

Fiorella: Alice, you really know how to live elegantly!

Alice: Would you expect anything else? I mean, this city knows how to wine and dine any kind of tourist but the Excelsior is one of the best places I know for a drink.

 

 

HOTEL EXCELSIOR-TERRAZZA BAR

 

 

This place got its name from its incredible terrace, which has views that stretch from Vesuvius to Posillipo. You feel like you are going back in time after walking onto the terrace. White, ornate furniture is placed among the jasmine flowers on the terrace which overlooks Castel dell’Ovo. The sun is beginning to set and the waiters are so kind and easy going that you decide to take a look around the bigger part of the terrace lined with flowers and plants. You could take a picture or rather one hundred but you prefer to take in the view of the pinks and oranges of the sky as you hear the sound of the seagulls over the water. People bustle below you as you sip your perfectly chilled glass of Falanghina as you reflect on your adventure. Here in this paradise overlooking this ancient bay, you can step away from all of the excitement to take in the beauty, the pure exquisiteness of this city that has left you forever enchanted.

 

 

 

 

Food

Posted on by topolone

Alice:

Stepping outside of my balcony I see white smoke puff out of aluminum chimneys above Via Dei Tribunali, the pizza street. Late on, the cheesy, salty smell of all the things we need in life, toppings to be had or left off open to the world of possibility. This is the fabulous possibility of a city that cannot be described in words so many as in anecdotes…but perhaps its essence can be found in its in food. Something we find extra delicious: Naples is a food paradise where you do not need to spend a fortune to eat fabulously.

Obviously, the most famous culinary creation originating from this city is pizza. In 1889, Raffaele Esposito, a cook of the still thriving Pizzeria Brandi is given the great task of creating a meal for Queen Margherita di Savoia, the first queen after the unification of Italy. The result is a patriotic dish baked in the Capodimonte Royal Palace which has the colors of the Italian flag: green-basil; white-mozzarella; and red-tomato.

 

 

Here are some of our favorites:

http://www.50kalò.it/

http://www.pizzeriaoliva.it/

http://www.sorbillo.it/

https://www.tripadvisor.it/Restaurant_Review-g187785-d15096464-Reviews-Antico_Borgo_Ai_Vergini-Naples_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html

http://www.pizzeriadecumani.it/

http://www.palazzopetruccipizzeria.it/

Yet if you are looking for a great place to grab a plate of pasta or fresh seafood you must check out the trattorias of Naples. Some great dishes to try are pasta alla genovese (slow cooked meat with caramelized stewed onions), ragù, spaghetti with local clams or mussels, pasta with potatoes and provola cheese, fried fresh anchovies, buffalo mozzarella, peppers with olives and capers, fried zucchini dressed with EVOO, mint, garlic and vinegar, eggplant parmesan.

A few places to try local specialties in the historical center:

https://www.osteriapisano.it/

http://www.trattoriapignata.it/

https://www.tripadvisor.it/Restaurant_Review-g187785-d1091739-Reviews-Antica_Trattoria_da_Carmine-Naples_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html

https://www.tripadvisor.it/Restaurant_Review-g187785-d1021140-Reviews-La_Campagnola-Naples_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html

https://www.tripadvisor.it/Restaurant_Review-g187785-d7264967-Reviews-A_Lucianella-Naples_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html

http://www.osteriaangolino.it/

http://ilgarum.it/

Live Naples

Posted on by topolone

There are so many things to do in this fabulous city! Here are some of a few things we would suggest:

Teatro San Carlo

http://www.teatrosancarlo.it/

Maggio dei Monumenti: month-long culture festival including guided tours, special monument openings, events

http://www.comune.napoli.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/EN/IDPagina/35273?uniq=5dd66950542881d5c0ef48ca76e580da

ArteCinema: art and video film festival

http://www.artecinema.org/

Festa di San Gennaro: celebration of the patron saint of Naples

http://www.comune.napoli.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/22661

Pausilypon Festvial: music and theatre festival in the archaeological park of Pausilypon (Posillipo)

https://www.suggestioniallimbrunire.org/

Napoli Teatro Festival

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Wine and the city