Tag: napolistreet

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

A Fabulous Musical Street

Posted on by alice

Alice: I remember when I came to Naples eighteen years ago. It was a dark and rainy January and I would walk the historical centre, making friends with the people I’d meet at the shops and bars I spent time in to keep warm. One of the friends I made was working in a CD store on via Sebastiano I had stumbled upon because I was too shy to visit the stores, although I was fascinated by their instruments, especially their mandolins. He introduced me to local musicians like Pino Daniele, Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare, Almamegretta and 99 Posse. Along the street named after the once-present San Sebastiano Monastery and with its proximity to the Music Conservatory which has been visited by Rossini, Alessando Scarlatti, Bellini and Donizetti (among others), it is still the home to the biggest concentration of music instruments and equipment in Naples.

Fiorella: You are right! It is always nice to walk by the Conservatory and hear the musicians and singers practising.
Neapolitans are never tired of visiting this fabulous place.
The Royal Conservatory of San Sebastiano was established  in 1807 by King Giuseppe Bonaparte. In 1826 it was named Royal Conservatory of Music of San Pietro a Majella. It originated by fusing together three conservatories founded in the 16th century in the churches of Santa Maria di Loreto, Sant’Onofrio in Capuana and Pietà dei Turchini. The aim of the three institutions was to rescue children from the streets of Naples by housing them and educating them through music.
The conservatory and the adjacent church are part of the 14th century monastery of San Pietro a Majella, built at the end of the 13th century and dedicated to Pietro Angeleri, who became Pope as Celestine V in 1294.

The church is also a must-see! The transept is decorated with valuable frescoes dating from the 14th century, baroque marble inlays and a cycle of paintings by Mattia Preti, amongst the others. The fabulous 17 th century cloister with palm and banana trees and a monument to Beethoven by Francesco Jerace, leads to a second cloister and to the Conservatory.
The Conservatory library houses important manuscripts of the numerous composers  who lived and worked in Naples.

Alice: Also Neapolitan-by-adoption like me love to walk down the narrow, tree-lined street and hear notes from guitars, violins and mandolins waft in and out of the doors of the stores. Music lovers will truly appreciate this corner of Neapolitan history. Don’t be shy like I was initially!We visited Giuseppe Miletti store as well as others the other day to buy a speaker and a mixer for upcoming concerts. Two hours and an impromptu concert later, we walked out smiling and in appreciation of Manuela’s patience for all the models she happily let us try!

When you leave via San Sebastiano, turn left at Spaccanapoli to check out the artisan street vendors and street musicians performing for the throngs of people walking by. If you’re looking for something to please your sweet tooth, there is Gay Odin which has some of the best chocolate and gelato in town.
In the late 19 th c. Isidoro Odin, a young chocolatier from Alba, come to Naples, one of the most important and populated European capitals. Naples was a melting pot where artists, aristocrats, scholars and food-lovers from all over Europe spent their time in the already colorful and busy streets of the city. The first classy and wonderfully smelling factory was opened in Chiaia, the area where it is still today. Isidoro worked day and night to create delicious new delicacies and surprise the Neapolitan fine palates. Gay Odin chocolate was and is still today considered one of the best in town. All phases of production are handmade, from chocolate roasting to packaging. Packaging is still the original from paper with vintage images to fabulous boxes representing Naples’ vedutas and guaches. One of the reasons why it is in the registry of Italy’s historical places.
Fiorella: Hungry for something more substantial? Try out the pizza at historical Pizzeria Lombardi.
Pizzeria Lombardi a Santa Chiara is a 5 th generation pizzeria, decorated with majolica tiles inspired from the next door cloister of Santa Chiara. The first pizzaiolo in the family started in 1892 in his bare basso (street level home) in vico Limoncello where calzoni with ricotta and maybe cicoli or simply tomato sauce were coming out from a frying pan and sold for few liras to the neighbours. Four generations have made pizzas every day in the historical center.
A coffee is also mandatory in 70s original style Settebello bar, a bohemian spot where whoever desire to play the piano is welcome…be advised though that the owner, Pino, is an expert in classical music. Also, his fabulous nephew is a musician who studies music and plays piano between serving one espresso after another. Intellectuals, street artists, old professors, street vendors and students are all sitting at the tables of this welcoming corner, where table service is not charged.

 

Fabulous Festival in the Sanita’

Posted on by alice

We’ve written about the Sanità before because it is near and dear to our hearts. It’s a thriving market in the middle of street art and historical landmarks. It’s a place where people call you by name and it has an uncontaminated charm full of artists wanting to be off the radar, families, tourists and students. Naples is a very unique city in many respects as it is a city which welcomes people in the same way that a small town might do so. The Vergini, an area of the Sanità right off of Piazza Cavour is seems like a town within a city and since 2016 they’ve been hosting bi-annual street parties which the whole city (and tourists) love to go to. Although many neighborhoods in Naples have their own form of festivals, often connected to food, the parties at the Vergini is something a bit out of the ordinary. It feels like a sort of Homecoming party/Carnival where the normal shops host budding DJs, stages are set up where normally market stalls would be to host actors, dancers and singers

 

and food shops cook fresh fish and fried pizza outside of their doors for all the passersby. You might find yourself in the middle of a spontaneous street karaoke session or a dance party in front of a church or a wine bar.

 

On your way to the party, you cannot miss the famous Porta San Gennaro. Look up to the arch whose fresco by Mattia Preti represents the Immaculate Conception holding the baby and surrounded by angels. At the sides of the Madonna we see a kneeling St. Francis Xavier and St. Gennaro offering her his blood, a haggard woman on the steps in the lower section of the fresco symbolizes the plague and the two marble statues represent St. Gennaro and Michael. The artist  was charged with painting tributes to the Madonna on all the city gates after the plague epidemic in 1656 and this is the only fresco that has survived.

On the other side of the gate is a bust of St Gaetano and under the arch we see a shrine showing the Virgin, located here since 1887 to remind us of salvation from another epidemic (Asiatic disease) that shook Naples in 1884.

Originally located in proximity of via Settembrini, at the beginning of the 16th c, under the Vice-Kingdom of Don Pedro de Toledo, the city walls were enlarged and the gate was moved to is present location. The name remained the same as the gate gave access to both the catacombs of San Gennaro and the church of San Gennaro extra moenia (outside the city walls).

Porta San Gennaro and the permanent light installation dedicated to Totò the famous actor who was born in the Sanità district

Take in the art of this historic part of the city wall before getting your fill of food and music in The Vergini at today’s much-anticipated event of The Sanità Ta Ta featuring many artists such as Galera De Rua, Tartaglia Aneuro and Tommaso Primo.

If it’s late enough when  you finish celebrating, you can return to right below Porta San Gennaro to check out the all night stands along Via Foria who are open for the Epiphany tradition of candy-filled stockings that the children will find in the morning.

 

A Fabulous Night Among the Artichokes

Posted on by alice

Alice: Fiorella, we have to tell the readers about our Friday night in the Vergini!

Fiorella: Who would’ve thought that we would be at a party around pineapples, art students, families and one of the funniest DJs I have heard in a long time!

Alice: When you told me about a party at Ciro, our favorite vegetable seller, I had to go to see what a night dancing to Neapolitan 90’s pop while buying vegetables for Saturday’s lunch looked like.

Fiorella: And it looked FABULOUS.

Alice: Every day this bustling market street hosting Palazzo dello Spagnolo and the famous Ciro Oliva pizzeria is full of cars and mopeds and baby strollers and people going every which way to buy fish, socks, oranges, a newspaper or mozzarella but Friday night it was magical. There was a new energy where the stands used to be which connected artists from around the city, locals, tourists and two of the best up-and-coming bloggers in the area to relax, sip wine, dance and eat delectable, homemade sandwiches filled with ingredients from Ciro’s mom like meatballs, friarielli and eggplant Parmesan.

Fiorella: It was unforgettable! I loved how Ciro, still dressed in his work clothes, was dancing next to the DJ while he continued to sell his fruit and vegetables.

Alice: That is Naples for you…a surprise around every corner. Where else can you find this kind of spontaneous creativity?

 

 

 

The Miracle of San Gennaro

Posted on by alice

Three Days of the Feast

The Feast of the Patron Saint Gennaro falls on September 19 in memory of the the martyrdom of San Gennaro which presumably occurred in 305 AD.

There are two other feasts of note during the year:

On the Saturday before the first Sunday of May (in memory of the transport of the remains of the body of the Saint from Montevergine to Naples) a similar celebration is held. Followers crowd the Cathedral and pray that the miracle of the liquefaction of San Gennaro’s blood is repeated. The first known occurrence of the blood phenomenon was in 1389.

Both in May and September, the celebration is followed by the “octave”: a period of eight days during which the casing container of the blood is exposed to the public for the traditional kiss.

The third celebration is on December 16th which dates back from 1632, the year following the terrible eruption of Vesuvius. According to tradition, San Gennaro saved his beloved Naples from the eminent tragedy.

The Spectacle of the Miracle

The ceremony of San Gennaro is a perfect snapshot of Naples with its contrast and social complexities that coexist and come together for this unique event. The cathedral is filled to the brim with believers, onlookers and tourists while the highest ecclesiastic authorities, the mayor, the noble Delegation of San Gennaro and representatives made up of illustrious descendants of the Bourbons and San Gennaro’s ancestors are there to directly witness the miracle.

 

The Parenti di San Gennaro (Relatives of St. Gennaro), seated on the first pews soberly and somberly recite their rituals and prayers in the Neapolitan dialect. This congregation of women exalt the saint, praying in a respectful but also personal and familiar way:

San Gennaro mio fa tu ca io nun ne pozzo proprio cchiù and arrimmierece chisti guaje (I cannot take it anymore..fix my troubles…). Naples is forever in a state of emergency or in disarray so the ritual is always relevant, unfortunately!

The cardinal holds the vial with the blood and shows how it is still coagulated.

For the relatives waiting is not a good sign so the prayers become even more insistent as if they were yelling from their balconies to call to their child playing ball in the street below. San Gennà… Facci ‘a grazia…Faccia gialla fa ‘o miracolo.

San Gennaro…have mercy on us, Yellow Face give us a miracle. Faccia gialluta-Yellow Face is the nickname of the saint, referencing the golden bust representing him. Even if the sound of the nickname might be offensive, it is also is quite personal and informal.

When the blood liquifies a distiguished member of the Delegation waves a white handkerchief towards the applauding crowd.

Naples-New York

On the same day Little Italy in New York celebrates San Gennaro as well. How did it begin? The Neapolitan immigrants who were owners of a bar on Mulberry Street built a small chapel dedicated to San Gennaro where they collected offers for the poor people of the neighborhood. This is where the celebration began. Now the celebration lasts 11 days where the main theme is food: the zeppole pastries which remind the descendants of the immigrants of the sweet Neapolitan flavor.

In Naples, in addition to the torroni nougats sold on the stands between Via Duomo and Via Foria, in the last few years a pasticceria has invented a new pastry: the hat of San Gennaro!

 

 

If you are not able to be in Naples on one of the three days but you would like to witness the miracle of the liquefying blood in a streamlined way, every Tuesday morning at San Gregorio Ameno church you can observe the liquefying of Saint Patrizia. Believe it or not, it is a great excuses to visit a fabulous late Baroque style church.

 

The story continues … The day after the miracle of San Gennaro people play numbers at the lotto.

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

Naples Fabulous

Naples (Italian: Napoli – Neapolitan: Napule – Ancient Greek Νεάπολις, Neapolis meaning “new city”) is the third-largest municipality in Italy. Around 1 million residents live within the city’s limits, 3 millions in its province-level municipality. With the highest density of population in Italy, it has a horrifying number of unemployed people but it also has a historical centre which is a world heritage site. A city full of mystery, beauty and contrasts, the streets of Naples tell unforgettable stories not easily forgotten. Its cuisine is synonymous with pizza and spaghetti, Naples’ dialect has its own orthography and is famous over the world because of the Neapolitan songs. Naples Bay is maybe the most beautiful in the world….if not, it is indisputably FABULOUS!
Fabulous – Extraordinary, especially extraordinarily large, having no basis in reality, mythical.
Late Middle English: known through fable. From Latin fabula
(Oxford Dictionaries)