DK Travel : Naples & the Amalfi Coast

From one perspective, this area is an anomaly, at once one of the earth’s most beautiful and yet most accursed places. It has been the choice of the great and wealthy as their playground, while also being the scene of some of the greatest natural disasters and the grittiest human misery. Perhaps these irreconcilable twists of fate are at the root of the Neapolitans’ famously optimistic cynicism. The city of Naples itself is a vibrant urban setting, almost non-European in its intensity, while the beauty of the surrounding coast has been known to make grown men weep.

Orto Botanico, Naples

The “Royal Plant Garden” was founded by Joseph Bonaparte in 1807 (see Orto Botanico).
Osmis

This little shop carries a charming line of locally and internationally crafted jewellery, masks, lamps, mirrors and candles.
Ospedale delle Bambole

Children are captivated by the Doll Hospital, both for the concept as well as for the array of dolls that are here to be “cured”. Adults, too, will find the collection fascinating, with some pieces qualifying as museum-quality treasures. The place is a shop as well, so your child won’t necessarily have to say goodbye to a new-found friend at the end of the visit.
Ostello Mergellina, Naples

Not very central, but the district and the position are attractive in their own right. The facilities have been upgraded recently, rooms are well maintained and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. Private double rooms are available and the evening meal is a real bargain for the area. Be aware, though, that it has a curfew.
Osteria da Tonino

Excellent dishes here include seafood stew. Always lively.
Otto Jazz

A Neapolitan tradition for jazz enthusiasts, this club spotlights local musicians and more mainstream trends in jazz, with a dash of southern Italian folk music.
Paestum

Three intact Greek temples standing on a tranquil plain are one of the chief pleasures of the area.
Paestum

Most evocative at dawn or sunset, when it is possible to imagine what the ancient city might have been like, these Greek temples and their verdant setting are a reminder of all that is loveliest in life. Spend the day here to explore these remains of one of history’s most evolved cultures.
Paestum

These ancient Greek temples are among the most complete – and most evocative – to have survived into modern times, even taking into account those in Greece itself. Besides the beauty and majesty of these timeless structures, this site has offered up countless other treasures, the remains of the Greco-Roman city that thrived here for some 1,000 years. The wonderful on-site museum is the repository of many unique finds, including the only known Greek paintings to have survived the ages. Taken from a tomb found nearby, the frescoes include a depiction of a joyous banquet of lovers, and a renowned diver – possibly a metaphor for the Greek conception of the afterlife.
Paestum

Some of the best preserved Greek temples in the world stand in timeless splendour on this evocative plain south of Naples.

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Restaurant price categories

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Hotel price categories

For a standard, double room per night (with breakfast if included), taxes and extra charges.
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