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.

1. Palazzo Reale, Naples

With its commanding position near the bay, the Royal Palace dominates the grandest part of the city.
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2. Castel Nuovo, Naples

Despite its bulky towers of volcanic stone, this Renaissance castle also features one of the most graceful archway entrances of the period, delicately carved in the purest white marble.
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3. Duomo, Naples

In effect, Naples’ cathedral is at least three churches in one, including a treasure-laden Palaeo-Christian basilica from the 4th century. The side chapel dedicated to the city’s adored patron saint, San Gennaro, is so large and resplendent that it is really a church in its own right .
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4. Museo Archeologico Nazionale

This is the repository of ancient art that has been unearthed from Pompeii and other archaeological digs around Vesuvius. These amazing finds evoke a Classical civilization of great refinement and grandeur.
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5. Capodimonte, Naples

What started out as an unassuming hunting lodge soon grew to become a vast royal palace. It is now a museum housing one of Italy’s finest collections of art.
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6. Certosa di San Martino

If there is one museum that manages to capture the true Naples, this is it. Come for the unparalleled views from the gardens, for the masterpieces of the Neapolitan Baroque and the world’s finest collection of nativity figures.
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7. Pompeii

The world’s most famous archaeological site comprises an entire culture caught in a moment of life when Vesuvius erupted nearly 2,000 years ago (see Pompeii).
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8. Capri

This small island has had a fabled history of glamour and decadence yet it still remains essentially a simple place.
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9. Ravello

High above the gorgeous Amalfi Coast this serenely elegant town offers unforgettable views, gorgeous gardens, aristocratic architecture and poetic inspiration.
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10. 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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