A bubbling cauldron of cultural life and relics of forgotten history, Naples is unlike any other city in the world. Once the largest city in the Mediterranean, the unofficial capital of southern Italy promises enough magic, fascination and curiosity that, after returning here countless times, we’re still discovering new things to love about this place. For a vacationer on the way to the Amalfi coast, a stopover in Naples is a great idea. Meanwhile for travellers after a colourful experience that differs from the average holiday a few days in Naples is an absolute must. Nevertheless, we couldn’t be more delighted about the fact that the streets of the historic centre are becoming safer and more approachable to visitors than ever before.

Roaming Spaccanapoli, the bustling street that cuts through the historic centre of town, is a major point of interest for international tourists but also domestic visitors, as many Italians visit Naples as though they were visiting a foreign country. Though different from the rest of Italy, Naples is very much a stage for the quintessentially Italian daily routines of this city’s residents. It’s also the birthplace of Pizza! Take part in the local passion for good food and you’ll quickly feel part of the action.

Then there’s all the great palaces, which were primarily built by powerful foreign Rulers from Spanish and French bloodlines, several of which house great collections of art and antiquities. After all, when Caravaggio lived and worked in Naples, the city was Second only to Paris. The great 17th century painter’s works can be found, among other places around town, in the Capodimonte Palace, and the church of Pio Monte della Misericordia. Great treasures of the ancient world are housed in the National Archaeological Museum. There you will find riches excavated from the Roman settlements of Pompei and Herculaneum, lest you forgot from the image on the takeaway pizza box that Naples stands in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.

It’s the town’s volcanic but relaxing, informal, but regal mixture that drives us crazy for this place. While it’s not the easiest city to sink your teeth into, once you’ve bitten from Italy’s forbidden fruit, you’re in for a real treat!