Seniors, Let’s Take in Naples

Seniors, let’s get out a good compass and head south to Naples. By now you well know me as a supporter of  World Heritage Sites and Naples is another gem. Naples’ historic city centre is the largest in Europe, covering 1,700 hectares and one of the principal reasons for being named a World Heritage Site.

Naples ( Italian: Napoli) is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country’s west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples, about 2 hours south of Rome.  It sits on the coast on the northern edge of the Bay of Naples, one of the most beautiful bays in Italy. Its harbor is the most important port in Southern Italy.

Art, History, Culture and More

Naples is known internationally for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music, and gastronomy, and has played an important political and cultural role on the Italian peninsula and beyond throughout its 2,800-year existence. Naples is the fourth-richest city in Italy, after Milan, Rome and Turin. Culinarily, the city is synonymous with pizzawhich originated in the city.

Old, But Just How Old is Naples?

Founded in the 9th-8th century BC as a Greek colony, Naples is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Originally named Parthenope and later Neápolis – English: New City, it was among the foremost cities of Magna Graecia, playing a key role in the merging of Greek culture into Roman society.

What Can Seniors See and Do In Naples?

Naples is widely known for its wealth of historical museums.  With one of the world’s most extensive collections of artifacts of the Roman Empire, the Naples National Archaeological Museum is one of the city’s main museums. It also houses many of the antiques unearthed at Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as some artifacts from the Greek and Renaissance periods. Due to its close proximity to many interesting sites, such as Pompeii and the Bay of Naples, makes it a good base for seniors to explore the area. Naples is a lively and vibrant city full of wonderful historical and artistic treasures and narrow, winding streets with small shops, making it worth at least a few days visit for senior travelers.

Getting Around Naples

Naples has good public transportation and lots of traffic problems so it’s best for senior visitors to avoid having a car in Naples. Naples has a large but crowded bus network, trams, a subway, funiculars, and a suburban train line, the Ferrovia Circumvesuviana, that will get you to Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Sorrento. TripAdvisor can help on your flight to Naples from wherever you are, plus provides hotels, rentals and lists of things for senior visitors to do.  The World66 Travel Guide for Naples  is a fine URL as well. Buon divertimento a Napoli!  jeb