Italian American Digest 7Italian American Digest FALL 2018 | Page 16

I talian A merican D igest
PAGE 16
FALL 2018
Captivating Campania Offers the Experience of a Lifetime
by Alessandro Steinhaus
“Vedi Napoli e poi muori” says an
old Italian proverb, literally meaning
“see Naples and then die.”
What this proverb means is that
before you die, you must experience
the beauty of Naples! Chaotic and
fascinating, this vibrant city offers
the opportunity to visit many histor-
ical buildings, squares and churches
as well as to enjoy a lively nightlife.
The city’s history dates back to
the Greeks in the 8th century BC and
shows the marks left by Byzantine,
French, Spanish, and Austrian rule.
One of the first sights you will
notice in the city’s skyline is the
Castel Nuovo, built in 1282 and
located next to Piazza del Plebiscito.
This large square features the Royal
Palace and the Basilica Royal. Addi-
tionally, the National Archaeological
Museum deserves to be seen because
it holds one of the world’s finest
collections of antiquities.
Another major attraction is the
Palazzo Reale di
Capodimonte, the
royal residence
and palace for the
king, now host-
ing the Galleria
Nazionale, one
of the finest art
collections in Italy.
Finally, the impressive 13th cen-
tury Gothic Cathedral (Duomo di
San Gennaro) hosts the treasure of
San Gennaro, paintings by Perugi-
no and Luca Giordano as well as
4th century mosaics decorating the
baptistery.
After visiting Naples, you can
The beautiful panorama of the city
from the Longboard Castle of Are-
chi is incredible. Moreover, Salerno
offers one of the best-preserved
historical centers in Italy, filled with
medieval winding streets.
In the vicinity, you will find an-
other Unesco World Heritage Site,
Paestum. This site includes three of
Limoncello sits on the shelves in many establishments in
Sorrento.
A view of Naples, a city which dates back to the Greeks in the 8th century BCE.
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explore the beautiful Island of Capri
with its stunning coastal scenery
and the Blue Grotto, one of the
symbols of the island.
Not far away from there, you
can find the frozen-in-time streets
of Pompeii. This archaeological
site shows the perfectly preserved
town that was completely buried by
volcanic material in the 1st cen-
tury AD. Don’t forget to also visit
Mount Vesuvius, the famous volca-
no that erupted and buried Pompeii.
The view of the Bay of Naples from
the volcano is unmatched!
On the next day, visit Italy’s
Amalfi Coast, with a landscape
that has drawn people for many
centuries. The towns of Amalfi and
Ravello are also home to many ex-
amples of artistic and architectural
excellence and deserve to be visited
along your itinerary.
After all this wandering, you
deserve to relax in Salerno, one of
the top destinations for lovers of
thermal centers and for those who
would like to enjoy la dolce vita.
the world’s best-preserved ancient
Greek temples as well as incredibly
well-preserved ancient tomb paint-
ings.
Finally, the trip wouldn’t be com-
plete without a visit to the monumen-
tal complex of the Caserta Royal Pal-
ace, commissioned by Charles III of
Bourbon in the 1700s and one of the
most famous works by the Neapol-
itan architect Luigi Vanvitelli. The
magnificence of its exterior, together
with the beauty of its interiors, is a
perfect example of how opulence can
be disorienting.
However, don’t underestimate
the beauty of its park and numerous
fountains and waterfalls!
Are you interested in this beauti-
ful itinerary? The American Italian
Cultural Center’s springtime “Amalfi
Autenica” trip will take you there,
along with many local friends from
New Orleans, from May 25 to June
1, 2019. Call to reserve your spot
today—you don’t want to miss this
amazing trip!
Arrivederci!