THE GOLDEN AGE

Handsome palazzi, vibrant streets, enticing restaurants, bright sunshine, an unforgettable panoramic bay… “See Naples and die” goes an old saying which means that once you have visited this city you can rest in peace since nothing else is worth seeing or can match its beauty and magnificence.

Although the saying is of unknown origin and authorship, historians believe it could have become popular in the 18th century, during the reign of the Bourbons, when the city flourished and enjoyed its golden age. Naples was the wealthiest, most industrialized and technologically advanced city in Italy. It was also the country’s most populous metropolis and the third most densely inhabited city in Europe, after London and Paris. Its economy was based on trade and the busy port which gave impulse to many industries including those in the maritime, mechanical and textile fields. To top it all, Naples was – and still is – a splendid treasure trove of archaeological, architectural and artistic gems. Generations of European Grand Tour travellers flocked here to soak up the city’s unique atmosphere and pay homage to the Queen of the Mediterranean. German poet and writer Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe was one enthusiastic tourist who visited Naples in the late 1700s. He jotted down his impressions in his famous travel chronicle Italian Journey and wrote some inspiring lines about his love for the city that still strike a chord today: “One can’t blame the Neapolitan for never wanting to leave his city, nor its poets singing its praises in lofty hyperboles: it would be wonderful even if a few more Vesuviuses were to rise in the neighbourhood”.

Feel the enchantment of a bygone kingdom and experience the metropolis in all its glamour and glory on this half-day walking tour of the zona monumentale, formerly the centre of Naples’ political and administrative activities. Your guide will meet you at your accommodation and lead you down lively alleys, across stately piazzas, through royal chambers, regaling you with tales of power and pomp.

A tour of Palazzo Reale will allow you to catch a glimpse of the splendour that must have once reigned at court. Standing in the grand, elegant Piazza del Plebiscito, opposite Naples’ very own Pantheon – the domed Basilica of San Francesco di Paola – the palace was the official residence of the Spanish Bourbons. Architect Domenico Fontana designed the first nucleus in the early 1600s, though the building we can admire today is the result of successive enlargements and redecoration carried out in the 18th and 19th centuries. The entrance hall with the majestic marble staircase sets the tone and prepares visitors for the impressive sights to come. Highlights include the court theatre, the throne room and the private apartments which are still furnished with original period pieces and richly embellished with tapestries and frescoes, attesting to the wealth and prestige of its occupants.

Next, hit the streets of Bella Napoli on a quest for its most striking landmarks. Your guide will certainly show you around Galleria Umberto I, a fancy 19th century glass-vaulted arcade lined with shops and cafes. You will also discover Naples’ significant contribution to the world of music while you walk past the legendary Theatre of San Carlo, Italy’s oldest opera house, established in 1737. No less astounding are the city’s architectural and engineering feats, as you will learn when you gaze out on the 13th century Castel Nuovo, the royal seat of the kings of Naples up until the 1700s, and Castel dell’Ovo, wrapped in curious legends that feature a magic egg and a mermaid. The superb view of Mount Vesuvius and the dark blue Tyrrhenian Sea from Naples’ waterfront will be among the lasting impressions you will take away with you.