Italy: Naples: Offers Collections of Baroque and Neoclassical Art

Crime (mostly theft), along with natural disasters and crumbling buildings, once nearly ruined this historic city’s reputation. While you should still take the precautions to protect yourself and your money that you would take in other large European cities, you can feel comfortable knowing that violent crimes against tourists are extremely rare here. Naples has been given a facelift, and is excited to show the results to visitors.

Down Naples’s winding streets, you will find cafes, cathedrals, and archaeological excavations vying with one another for space. Despite the limits on cars in certain neighborhoods, Naples teems with traffic and has a brusqueness that can be off-putting to tourists. However, excellent food (fresh mozzarella, mouthwatering tomato sauces, and creamy gelato) plus luxurious hotels and beautiful natural attractions more than make up for any sensation of being a stranger in a strange land. Where else can you be flanked by Mt. Vesuvius, the island of Capri, and the crystal blue Tyrrhenian Sea?

One of the many pleasures of Naples is the way its modern and ancient architecture coexists; it’s common for a contemporary food stall to stand next to a monastery or a centuries-old villa. Museums here offer strong collections of Baroque and Neoclassical art, and for those seeking even older documents of civilization, Naples affords easy access to Herculaneum and Pompeii, sites preserved by an erupting Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79. In case you don’t have time to see the ruins themselves, or would like more information, the National Archaeological Museum features detailed exhibits. Luckily for tired tourists and citizens alike, the many plazas in Naples offer a chance to sit on a bench and simply ponder the workings of this magnificent city.