Perfecto Pizza and Pompeii

Naples is like a grungy, apathetic teenager, it doesn’t care what you think of it or that its bedroom is messy, and it doesn’t dress up when it has guests over. Naples is different to other Italian cities in that it’s not beautified for tourists and in parts it almost has an eastern bloc feel to it with dilapidated apartments and rubbish everywhere. Statues and monuments are covered in graffiti and posters cover most walls. We were told by people that Naples is dirty but we were shocked by how dirty it actually is. That said, Naples rocks it. Just like that teenager they have an attitude and a look that works for them and they own it. If you embrace the fact that you won’t be swept off your feet when you arrive or be awed by beautiful things everywhere you will have a good time.

Trying to get the blogging done on our last European train trip

I should mention Naples big drawcard is its pizza. Naples is the traditional home of the dish that ate the world and here they do the best humble margherita pizza in the world. No ifs, buts, or questions about it. The Romans do a super thin crust and the Neapolitans do a thicker (but still thin) base, and they could debate who’s got the best pizza until they die. Personally, we like what Napoli is putting out. There is a pizza protocol in Italy, firstly there are two kinds of pizza. Slabs and circles. Slabs are big rectangular pizzas make in shops for takeaway, you pick your pizza and the server will indicate where they will cut with their knife, if that’s too much make it a little smaller or not enough bigger, they’ll cut your slice off the slab, weight it and charge you by the hundred grams. It’s important to know this before getting takeaway pizza and getting a huge slice thinking they’re just being generous but you’re actually buying a 10 euro slice of pizza…. The other type, circles, is your traditional sit down pizza but unlike in Australia where we might order a few and everyone shares, that is not the go in Italy. Everyone gets their own pizza and there is no sharing, even the children get their own full size pizza. 

When we arrived it was raining cats and dogs and didn’t let up all afternoon. Nevertheless we were determined to get the genuine original pizza. We had done our research and mapped out the best. Making our way through streets littered with rubbish we found Pizzeria Sorbillo for the round delight. A throng of people outside were gathered making us think we would be waiting for ages but we pushed our way to the front and fairly promptly managed to get inside, we find the place buzzing with activity we were quickly and curtly ushered upstairs to wait for a table. As soon as a couple stood up we were pushed into their seats before the table was even cleared, this turns out to be the normal standard of service in Naples. The menu was extensive but we settled on simple options including the margherita. What arrived shortly thereafter was life changing.

We had seen them on others tables and waiters carrying them, hanging off the edges of the plates these thin, floppy delicious smelling Italian treats were finally in front of us. From the first bite we knew the game had changed forever. Simple but high quality ingredients, thin base (by Australian standards), but thick by Italian standards, and wood fired oven combined to create the best pizza we had ever eaten. Sorry if it seems I’m over used hyperbole but I just can’t stress enough how good it was and how nothing in Australia comes close. They’re cheap too, less than 5 euros each.

With the rain still teeming down on our departure we made our way around the corner to the Naples cathedral. Sure enough when we entered the rain beat down even harder so we decided to seek refuge here and wait it out. The ceiling is elaborately decorated and flat and a small but beautiful crypt is under the altar. Rain had not let off, so we decided just to go anyway and spent some more time exploring the streets of Naples and getting a little lost. Everything was completely closed which we thought strange for a Saturday and it was pretty dirty. Eventually we ended up in a small café, frozen and soaked we ordered two cappuccinos, breaking Italian protocol of no cappuccinos in the afternoon. The lady who served us, who we decided was a Nonna made us a great coffee using a hand pressed espresso machine. I’d never seen one before but found a few in Naples that use the hand press to push the water through the ground coffee and get the espresso out instead of a pump. More manual work but more relaxed atmosphere without the BBBBRRRRR of a machine constantly.

Much later that night we set out to go the original pizza place. L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele is the oldest pizzeria in Naples opening its doors in 1870. They only serve two kinds of pizza, the margherita and the marinara in a dingy cramped white tiled rooms, with only a picture of Julia Roberts eating pizza in the shop (from eat pray love) on the walls. We ordered one of each and when they arrived we were so excited, they hung from the plates, perfect bases and delicious toppings. We hungrily devoured them whilst savouring every bite. Pizza heaven truly is here in this sea side southern Italian city.

Naples for us really was about having a base to do day trips to Pompeii and the Amalfi coast. Unfortunately the weather was so bad we decided to drop the Amalfi coast from the itinerary and had a cruisy Sunday in Naples. It really is cruisy, nothing and we mean nothing is open (everyone is having Sunday lunch at Nonnas) and the weather was extremely miserable, and worst of all the good pizza shops are closed. Luckily we found one of the best trattorias, Antica Trattoria E Pizzeria da Donato, and we waited along with the locals outside for a good 40 minutes to get a table. It was worth the wait. Given that it was Carnivale and this is the time that Italians eat Lasagne, it was perfect that this trattoria was making it just specially. We ate the Lasagne in carnival spirit and it was delicious but very different to what we have ever had.

Just like this trattoria - its not glamorous, but it tastes sensational!

Too much house wine...

Pompeii – The Buried City

We finally got a break in the weather and set out for Pompeii, just a short train ride away down the coast. Being Italy the train breaks down mid-way there and everyone is ushered off the train with no communication. We are so used to this sort of thing on our journey it no longer bothers us. After all they are hardly going to leave hundreds of people on the side of the tracks. All tourists were looking around at each other and one even seemed thrilled because I spoke English – I find this a little strange given that everyone in Italy speaks brilliant English and are fabulous to talk to. After chilling on the side of the platform with our stressed fellow travellers another tiny train arrives and we all squish in. We make it to the ruins just in time to catch a 2 hour guided tour for 10 euros each, which is a lot cheaper than the 120 euros we were being quoted by private companies.  

  

Pompeii was not damaged by lava, but rather people were killed by the smoke and the city was buried under debris. Our guide takes us around the main areas of the city from the rich citizen’s homes with beautiful mosaic floors and private courtyard gardens to the take away food joint where hot food in pots was available for a quick meal on the go. It’s easier to explain the pictures as we go through them. The site is truly immense, it is a whole city after all and just walking from one end to the other is a 45 minute exercise. One we unfortunately did not have time for as we had to make our train back to Rome that afternoon. 

Columns in the main sqaure

A plaster cast of a body found buried in Pompeii

Surviving frescos in a lavish Roman home

Statuettes inside the Roman baths

Decorated ceiling inside the baths

Worn chariot grooves in the street

Another fresco inside another home

Cast of a Roman killed by toxic gas and buried at Pompeii

Temple statue

Broader shot of the temple centre

The remaining columns of a temple. Mount Vesuvius in the background.

More ruins.

The other side of the main square.

On our arrival back to Naples we had time to squeeze one more Margherita pizza in at Da Michele’s, and the found delicious gelato at Gay Odin’s before we left. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to Italy. 

Kids can't get enough of the delicious Gelato at Gay Odins.

Lessons Learnt:

• Pizza in Naples is the best, hands down, no questions, thanks for coming. Get what the house recommends and you won’t go home unsatisfied.
• Plan to travel on Sundays in Italy, everything is closed
• Don’t build your city underneath an active volcano.
• Saturdays are 2 for 1 train tickets in Italy, handy for couples.
• You could spend 2 days at Pompeii if you are really interested in every little detail and place they have unearthed but to see the highlights 2.5 hours is enough.
• Naples is not a necessary place to visit but it’s definitely worth stopping by just to have the famous pizza. Making it a base for Pompeii is perfect, as it’s just a cheap and dodgy train rain up the road.
• Do the Archaeological Museum in Naples before going to Pompeii for a greater understanding – we didn’t do it and wish we did.
• Lasagne is not an all the time dish in Italy it is actually for carnivale, and unique to this time of the year.
• Coffee is really cheap, especially a cappuccino, macchiato and of course an espresso. Really pay no more than 1.5 euro a pop. 
• Do the house wine, its pretty much always tastes good, and the price is perfecto. 
• Food is different in every single region in Italy. Eg: Carbonara is Roman, Bolognase is from Bologna. The Italian are fiercely regional and proud of it.
• Lasagna is a lavish dish for carnivale and is not on the menu all year round, luckily we were there for it!
• Limoncello is for women. Grappa is for men.

Parting Thoughts:

Naples is not exactly inviting in appearance but it is interesting to visit if only for a day. It’s a little rough and at times seedy but that’s its thing so just roll with it. Just go for the pizza, honestly it will change your life. 

Italy has been a true trip highlight for us both, we have loved every single minute, and every day has been full of fun, food and new friends. If we won Powerball tomorrow one of our purchases would be a villa in the Tuscan countryside for summer residence. It’s just been the most welcoming, friendly, beautiful, delicious experience that we did not want to end. Ciao Italy, it’s been life changing.

Simon and Amy xoxo