So today is our first trip into Naples to explore the city. When we arrived at the Caserta train station, the train was sitting at the platform, we bought tickets and hopped on, 30 minutes later we were in Naples, or Napoli as the locals call it. We found the tourist information centre, grabbed a map and tips of where to walk, and off we set on a Tania tour of the town.
We were a little apprehensive as to what to expect, but as we worked our way around the city, we loved it ! It was not any more dirty than other large European cities, people were not aggressive or rude, we didn't feel unsafe at any time, but traffic was just crazy, especially the motor cycle and scooter riders. Our first impressions were that the buildings here are very powerful, reminding us a little of Vienna. They are huge apartment blocks, with decorated dominating archways leading into the inner courtyards. There are of course, many churches, monuments, castles, and small winding laneways in the old town.
At 10:30 we joined the line for entry into Napoli Sotterranea, the underground catacombs and rooms of the city. This was just one area of underground rooms we could have visited. Originally these cavities were the underground quarries created by the Greeks in the 5th century BC. They then were repurposed across the ages by various civilisations to be underground aquifers, water storage, right up to being bomb shelters during World War II.
What a history and what a story these underground chambers could tell, including how the city of Naples has been built layer upon layer over the centuries.
The rest of the day was spent walking around (over 20,000 steps today) before catching the train back to our place in Caserta.
I see Diego got a look in among the photo gallery.
Well done.