It was then called "Parthenope". In the 6th century it was renamed "Palepolis" (or old city) when "Neapolis" (new city) was founded next to it. It was part of the Roman Empire when its luxurious coastline was a popular holiday destination, with many people including Cicero and Virgil holidaying here.
Positioned on a bay, Naples pulsates with noisy street markets and swarms of people buzzing around on Vespas with no regard for traffic rules. But the city has made a beeline for cultural renaissance in the recent past. Despite all its problems including crime, unemployment, political corruption and prostitution, Antonio Bassolino, the city’s mayor, used the city’s rich ancient culture to give the city a new lease of life. This unique approach has worked wonders and has helped the city reassess itself.
- By flight : The airport in Naples is called Aeroporto Capodichino. It is on Via Umberto Maddalena which is 6km north of the city. Domestic flights from all major Italian cities fly to Naples. Alitalia, Air One and Meridiana Airways service the city. It takes rought and hour and a half to get here from Milan, a hour and a quarter from Palermo and Venice and only fifty minutes from Rome.
- By train : There are two station in Naples – Stazione Centrale at Piazza Garibaldi and Stazione Mergellina at Piazza Piedigrotta. Trains from all over Italy come to these two stations. It takes two and a half hours from Rome and the journey costs 10€ one-way. To get to Naples from Milan takes 8 hours and the journey will cost u 52€ one-way.
- By ferry : If you’re coming from Palermo, you can take a ten and a half hour ferry ride to Naples. A one-way ticket costs 38€ to 44€ for a seated journey and 64€ to 81€ for a first-class cabin.
The best and the safest way to get around in Naples is by bus or tram. But remember not to ride the buses at rush hours if you want to avoid the pushing and shoving. Alternatively you can take trams 1 or 4 between the two train stations of the city. A 75 min unlimited transfer ticket will cost 0.80€. Full day unlimited travel costs 2.30€. Taking a cab is a gamble. If you get stuck with one of the city’s infamous taxi drivers you’ll have to endure reckless driving and over-priced journeys. Want to drive around Naples? It isn’t for the faint hearted so its best avoided. To go up and down the city’s steep hills you can ride the funiculars. Make sure you check the timing as you don’t want get stranded on top a hill. You can use the same ticket for bus, tram and the funicular rides.
Places to visit in Naples :