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Looking for inspiration, reasons to love Naples

A few years ago I read an easy Italian reader short story that included a great description of a young couple's exploration of Naples (the man was a Naples native showing off his city to his new girlfriend). That story inspired me to want to visit Naples and really get to know the city. I visited last year for 4 days and enjoyed it but want to keep going back.
Now my sister is heading to Naples as part of a longer trip in Italy, and although she has been a few times, she isn't really excited about the city. I'd love to suggest stories/books/movies etc that might inspire and excite her. She has traveled to Italy many times, enjoys spending time in one place for several days, staying at small family run B&Bs or renting apartments. She likes museums but is not likely to last more than a few hours. She really likes to explore the less touristy areas.

Any recommendations for how to get inspired to love Naples would be much appreciated.

Posted by
5109 posts

The Elena Ferrante books/tv adaptations are set in Naples.
It's a lovely sentiment, but not everyone loves a place equally, and that's okay. You see people even complaining about Venice! So, different strokes and all that. If she does not enjoy the vibe or the history, then does it really matter in the end? She'll be going plenty of other places...

Posted by
1151 posts

The Hand of God by Paolo Sorrentino on Netflix.
He grew up in Naples and the movie autobiographical and a love letter to the town of his youth.

Italy's Invisible Cities Naples on BBC. Explores how the eruption of Vesuvius literally built Naples and the vast underground world below.

=Tod

PS The Florence episode of Invisible Cities is also very good. It was the first place I head about the The Vasari Corridor.

Posted by
267 posts

Thank you for the suggestions. She has read My Brilliant Friend (I just finished it too). Great story but I'm not sure it is the best advertisement for Naples.
I do like the idea of having her check out some of the videos. I just wish I could think of a modern day story or movie that lets Naples shine, besides eating pizza in Eat Pray Love.

Thanks.

Posted by
627 posts

Katherine Wilson's memoir "Only in Naples" is an account of how an American student fell in love with both the city and her Neopolitan husband. It's an enjoyable read.

Posted by
16138 posts

“La mia amica geniale” (My brilliant friend) is largely set in the Naples of post war Italy, therefore it may not depict a true picture of the Naples of today. There are numerous movies set in Naples, but many are also old and therefore depict an outdated picture of Naples. Besides Sorrentino’s “È stata la mano di Dio” (the hand of God), suggested above, one recent good one is John Turturro’s “Passione”, a movie that explores Naples and its music.

Posted by
759 posts

A lot of us on this forum have been to Naples. We went with our RS Southern Italy tour. My suggestion is to just ask people what they like (or didn't) about Naples. Also, I think there may have already been a thread about this.