Is Naples really as bad as they say?

Question

I'm going to Naples at the end of August and they say it's dangerous, filthy, "the armpit of italy" (somebody else's words, not mine) I refuse to believe that. I expect it to have some problems, just like any other big city, but is it really that bad? What will the weather be like at the end of August? (Hot I know, but how hot?)

Answer 1

No, it is a lot worse. (The reports try usually to be at least in some way sympathetic.)

Answer 2

Yes.

And it will be very hot in August

Answer 3

Pickpockets are horrible here, as well as in Florence. When I was there, it was raining, and when the 'gypsies' (what the tourguide called them) were around, we used our umbrellas to block them when they came around.

Answer 4

SOME OF IT IS PRETTY ROUGH. ESPECIALLY ROUND ABOUT HERCULANEUM, BUT IT'S WORTH A VISIT ANYWAY. IT'S AMAZING. THE WEATHERSHOULD BE PRETY HOT.

ENJOY

Answer 5

i HATE naples..................................... worst city in the world...ps :i'm italian

Answer 6

no - naples is supposed to be lovely. watch out for the italian men all hitting on you though!

Answer 7

noway what are you sick in the head or somtin. my mom is from napoli[naples] and my dad is from sicilia[siciliy] and we go there every year it is gorgeous there

Answer 8

http://uk.holidaysguide.yahoo.com/p-trav...

check out this link it contains everything you need to know about naples.  Hope you have a lovely time on your hols, buono viaggio.

Answer 9

I knew of a group who went there , and most of them had they pockets picked.

Answer 10

We were in Naples in May 2006.  It is a very dirty city, compared to Florence and Rome which were lovely.  We went to the National Museum which houses the relics of Pompeii and Herculanum.  A local man even made hand gesture to my husband (he didn't speak English) to keep his camera in front of him and hold onto it.  We didn't have trouble with pickpockets, but heard of those who did.

Answer 11

There are nowords todescribe Naples..it's just FANTASTIC...of curse it has the same problems of a big city but don't be scared!

Answer 12

It is not too bad really, just watch your bag !

The traffic is horrendous !

we went July and it was stifling but we too are going there in Sept via a cruise and are going to visit Pompei we are really looking forward to it .I have posted for info for the train etc hope i get some answers !

Hope your trip is good !

Answer 13

Naples is a beautiful, friendly historic city. Remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You won't be sorry you went.. As far as the weather go to the Weather channel and put in Naples,Italy in the search box and it will give you the mean temperature for the end of August.

Answer 14

There are some dodgy parts of Naples and it's not the prettiest place in Italy. Just be sensible as you would in any large city. The biggest danger are the drivers, they are suicidal. If you're driving, be careful and watch the other cars like a hawk. Pick pockets are also a bit of a problem in Italian cities but if you just keep the cash you carry to a minimum and use a money belt or a neck purse you'll be fine. It'll be very hot  in August but just head for the coast. That's what the Italians do.

Buon fortuna

Answer 15

"We stopped at the tourist office in Stazione Centrale just as they were about to close for a break. One of the men who was leaving gave us directions to the E.P.T. office in Piazza dei Martiri. He was a sweet guy who insisted upon taking us to the right bus at the end of Piazza Garibaldi and we were lucky he did. The piazza was a zoo with hoards of people, striking workers, ongoing construction, a sea of buses and no directory of any kind to help you find your way.

We met another kind man who, with his limited English but great pride in his city, managed to communicate quite a bit during the bus ride. As we got off the bus at Piazza Trieste e Trento, he pointed out the famous places surrounding us: Castel Nuovo, Teatro S. Carlo, Palazzo Reale and the glorious Galleria Umberto, all hovering over the sea.

The tourist office was very helpful in providing maps and suggestions for our short stay. They recommended that we visit the area around Piazza Trieste e Trento, where we got off the bus before walking to the tourist office, the old city center and the National Archeological Museum.

One does not visit Napoli without eating pizza and luckily for us it was lunch time! We were heading for Pizzeria Brandi and stopped a man for directions. He managed to communicate to us that the pizza was good at Brandi but that we should try something different and better at Rossini Trattoria/Pizzeria, via S. Carlo 27/29, 39-081-252-0072. The "different" is the house specialty, rotoloni. The superb pizza dough is rolled (like a jelly roll) and stuffed with mozzarella and prosciutto, garnished with fresh basilico and served in slices. In addition, we ordered two basic pizzas, a Margarita and one with bocconcini and tomato. Yup, we had three kinds and it just doesn't get any better. It is worth the trip to Naples! Theories abound as to why the pizza is best in this place: the wheat, the water, the wood in the ovens, the freshness of the cheese; it tastes like all of the above. The place was packed with local business people. A high, beautifully-painted ceiling and pastel walls creates a nice, bright environment. Next trip we can eat around and make comparisons but if this is any indication of what we will find, we're already salivating at the thought.

No sooner had we finished eating when it began raining and hailing; that inclement weather stayed with us most of the afternoon.

After leaving the trattoria we dashed into the Galleria Umberto and were awestruck by the beauty of the tall stone buildings, arcaded in steel and glass and topped by a vast dome - just stunning.

Via Chiala is a very nice, upscale shopping street to the west of Piazza Trieste e Trento. We walked north on via Toledo (also known as via Roma) toward the old city center and were enraptured by the long, narrow streets lined with tall apartment buildings running west off of via Toledo. Despite the rain, we were drawn into these streets, with the laundry hanging (now covered by plastic) from every balcony. Via Toledo links the northern part of the city to the center and is lined with traditional old shops and bakeries as well as banks.

Piazza Gesu, bordered by the Church of Gesu Nuovo and the Convent of Santa Chiara, is a good starting point for the journey through the old city. We walked along via B. Croce to Piazza S. Domenico Maggiore and via S. Biagio dei Librai, the route called the Spaccanapoli, which in ancient Neapolis split the city in half. The skinny cobblestone streets are filled with wonderful palazzos and churches. The old stone homes are in nice repair and even after the pizza, the smells and the sight of people at their kitchen tables enjoying the home cooking would have led us to accept an invitation to join them, if one was offered. It was incredible to witness the cars and scooters speeding through the narrow, crowded streets at fast speeds with horns blaring. Several times we had to plaster ourselves to walls to survive - hey, this is Napoli! With more time and less rain, a more in-depth visit to the old city is in order.

From via Tribunali, we headed north on via S.M. di Costantinopoli to Piazza Museo and the National Archeological Museum. If you have been to Pompeii and were dazzled by what you saw then you must visit this museum to complete the experience. The collections of artifacts from Pompeii is breathtaking: mosaics, paintings, sculpture, jewelry, ivory, glass and more - a treasure trove beyond compare. Do not miss the Secret Room, which displays an explicit collection of Roman erotica.

It's a fun city in which to walk with changing environments from one piazza to the next. There is a great deal of reconstruction in progress as well as a major program of building new metro stations in several piazzas. There's no shortage of cafes and pastry shops to delight you along the way. Don't be concerned about getting lost because when our map failed us, the wonderfully, friendly people of Naples took us by the hand and led us to the right spot."

Weather: http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weath...

Answer 16

Have you considered staying in Sorrento instead?  It's much smaller, much more beautiful, and a lot safer.  When I first arrived in Naples I asked a man for directions, and he stole my map.  Honest to God.  It was hilarious... and depressing.  Typical Naples.