Our first city we found ourselves in after hanging out with the Morellos for the past three weeks was Naples. It was chosen as we wanted to head south and from here we could either jump off to Sardinia or Sicily. We probably should have looked at getting down there first as by the time we got to Naples and had a look at tickets the prices were ridiculous so any plans to catch a ferry or train south were cancelled. We were lucky to be on a semi-fast train and in first class (sale tickets) but it was still a pretty long journey.
Vanessa and her parents had ensured we were packed and armed with enough food to eat for what seemed like the next week. They had also all kind of raised their eyebrows in surprise when asked where we were going next and we had said Naples. To be honest we didn't actually didn't think too much on where we were going just knew it was time to leave and thought we would start south and slowly make our way up. We had been warned by other travellers and by Vanessa about the cleanliness or lack of it in the South but we weren't really prepared for what we saw.
Vanessa and her parents had ensured we were packed and armed with enough food to eat for what seemed like the next week. They had also all kind of raised their eyebrows in surprise when asked where we were going next and we had said Naples. To be honest we didn't actually didn't think too much on where we were going just knew it was time to leave and thought we would start south and slowly make our way up. We had been warned by other travellers and by Vanessa about the cleanliness or lack of it in the South but we weren't really prepared for what we saw.
Hopping off the train late at night, Napoli train station was eerily quite and an uneasy feeling crept up my spine. We had booked somewhere close to the station knowing that we would be arriving in the middle of the night. Crossing the road from the station the first thing you notice is the rubbish lining the roads and overflowing from the bins. It was also stupidly humid and our bags seemed to be heavier then ever (we did make a good attempt at eating most of the food the Morellos have us on the train too). The five minute walk to our hotel seemed to be the longest walk ever. It was the first time during our travels, including through some of the dodgy parts we were at in South America, that I have felt unsafe. Jake and I both had this feeling and keeping our heads down we quickened out pace past some of the unlit side alleys until we finally found our hotel for the night. In the end we were ok, nothing happened but we both agreed to get out of this part of Naples ASAP.
Luckily I had booked another hostel the next night in Portici a suburb just out of the city and close to the sights of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The hostel was close to a set of rocky beaches and Jake and I were eager to check them out and cool off but one look at the water with plastic bags and other rubbish floating around not to mention the cigarette butt lined shore or the older kids pooping on the beach and we were easily put off.
We gave the city of Naples one more try before we left and were pleasantly surprised once we got past the grime and poverty that is centered around the train station area of town.
Pizza time! We gave the city of Naples one more try before we left and were pleasantly surprised once we got past the grime and poverty that is centered around the train station area of town.
There are several castles in Naples and we explored the inside of one jutting out into the ocean and from the roof top got some great views of Naples and the surrounding coast. A lot of people were swimming on the rocky shores in front and it looked welcoming but after remembering the rubbish in the water from the day before we sweated it out people watching instead. We walked around checking out some of the other sights of historic Naples before our tummies began to rumble and it was time to visit one of Naples famous pizzerias! One particular street is well known and lined with popular pizzerias, and the first place we went into had a half hour wait. With other plans for the afternoon we moved along to one with a 5 minute wait. I went for the simple marinara. Now if you get marinara pizza from your local pizza hutt or other pizza joint you are going to get one covered with sea food. The original marinara is actually a simple fresh tomato base, onion, basil and oregano. It is called marinara as it was the pizza that fishermen would take with them out to sea for lunch. After a beautiful and inexpensive lunch (2.50 euro for a large single pizza) we raced to the train station to try catch the next train to Pompeii.
The plan was to get there and then catch the bus to Mt Vesuvius to climb the crater before checking out Pompeii itself. Of course the plan didn't run accordingly with the train delayed leading to us running and then missing the bus which also happened to be the last one up for the day. It was still pretty hot out at this point so we went inside Pompeii but lay down under the shade instead. Once the frustrations of just missing the bus had subsided and we were cooled down we checked out our map of Pompeii. It's a pretty big ruins site but there is also a lot that you can't go check out with plenty of archaeological discovery still going on and ensuring buildings are safe for people to wander around.
We had been to a Pompeii exhibition when it came to Te Papa a few years earlier and we both found it really interesting and kind of disturbing. Obviously they couldn't bring the city of Pompeii but they brought the moulds of humans and animals trying to shelter away from the ash and rock as well as pottery etc. that was recovered from the site. This exhibition spawned our interest in checking out Pompeii over the other scavi or ruins site being Herculaneum which was also hit by the eruption of Mt Vesuvius but not to the same extent.
Hide and seek with this guy It is pretty amazing to walk around imaging a whole city of people living and working here. We had a guidebook with us but you could also hire audio guides but the entrance we came through didn't have any so we made do. Will definitely invest in the audio tours for our other historical sites we plan on visiting on Rome though. Although we were impressed and you cant really compare the two as they are completely different eras and cultures we couldn't help but compare it with Machu Picchu which we were both overwhelmed by. I am sure if you are a big history or archaeological buff you could spend days here but after a couple of hours we were happy with what we had seen and experienced and it was time for our daily gelato.
Having missed walking up Mt Vesuvius which looms over Pompeii the day before we thought that we would stick around the hostel for another night, check out the Amalfi coast for a day as we really needed a beach day then early the next morning head up to the crater before leaving Naples. Unfortunately things couldn't go to plan as the hostel was fully booked and we weren't keen on staying in Naples City.
Having missed walking up Mt Vesuvius which looms over Pompeii the day before we thought that we would stick around the hostel for another night, check out the Amalfi coast for a day as we really needed a beach day then early the next morning head up to the crater before leaving Naples. Unfortunately things couldn't go to plan as the hostel was fully booked and we weren't keen on staying in Naples City.
We rushed around packing and trying to find somewhere to stay using a crappy wifi connection. By the time we left, caught the train to (half hour out of Naples) and checked into our hotel we had wasted half the day. Determined to spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying ourselves we caught the next bus to Amalfi. The Almalfi coast drive is gorgeous if not a bit precarious in a crowded bus on tiny roads with lots of tight corners and blind spots. More then once we had to reverse quite some way to let another bus or larger car pass by us. There are several smaller towns all built right into the cliff side which are rather picturesque especially the highly photographed Positano. Several had some absolutely stunning wee coves tucked into the cliff side with steep stairs leading down to them. We had originally hoped to beach hop on the bus between these towns and beaches but by the time we got to Amalfi itself it was already after 3. Luckily the sun is up till late and doesn't really lose too much heat down here.
The beach was jam packed with umbrellas and sun chairs stacked right on top of each other. With little beach to try find a spot on we opted for finding two flattish rocks on the large bolder wall to set up. Finally our first dip into the Mediterranean and it was beautiful. The water was warm but refreshing and so clear that you could see the bottom even in the deeper parts. There was also no rubbish! Hanging out beach side was just what we needed to relax and unwind after our slightly stressful morning.
Back in Sorrento we had the cheap backpackers version of a romantic night with our bottle of wine and picnic of cheese, salami and tomato on the waterfront. Sorrento actually sits perched on a cliff top so does not really have a beach to speak of but the hotels build rock platforms which extend out in the sea providing some land to sit on next to the water. Although disappointed we missed seeing Mt Vesuvius I am glad we got to see the Amalfi coast and it was a lovely way to end our time down this part of Italy.
Next stop: Cliff jumping in the Mediterranean Sea- Praja, Calabria