Recently we made a decision to return to Naples, if only to use it as a launch point to visit the Amalfi Coast. It was a brief return to enjoy the food and some of the sites we fell in love with four years ago.

Naples

When we travel to Naples, we usually stay in Chiaia. It is an upscale and slightly newer part of Naples that offers a bit more quiet and relief from the tourist activity in the center. It also offers a furnicular to Vomero, which can be used to hop over to the Spanish Quarter, as well as great metro and regional train service.

Coming into Spanish Quarter – Naples, Italy

Getting There

We took the FrecciaRossa TrenItalia service from Torino’s Porta Nuova. It takes about six hours and makes about just as many stops along the way. We normally purchase or make sandwiches for such trips, so that we may enjoy the trip without getting overly hungry.

Hotel Pinto Storey

Again, we booked the Pinto Storey hotel in Chiaia. A simple, quiet three star hotel occupying one floor by the Piazza Amadeo. It is a very convenient place to stay, because there is the metro and regional train stop in the Piazza, which gives you quick access to the entire city and beyond.

Capri in the distance – Chiaia – Naples, Italy

Hotel Pinto Storey – Chiaia – Naples, Italy

Continental Breakfast – Hotel Pinto Storey – Chiaia – Naples, Italy

The Spanish Quarter

We visited the Spanish Quarter before and see that there is much more activity here now, since we were last here at the end of the pandemic. It is worth a walk through if you have never been here and there seem to be several streets now that have active stores and street vendors on them.

Centro

The center part of the city has not changed a bit. The central shopping street is just a busy as when we were here last time. A stroll up the christmas street is also a must if you come for a visit.

Voremo

One our way back to Chiaia we took the furnicular up to Voremo to get a few photographs of Monte Somma and Vesuvius. They do not cost much and provide an easy means for getting around the more difficult parts of the city.

Tickets for Two – Vomero – Naples, Italy

Restaurants

We came to Naples having only one restaurant on our list of places we wanted to visit. Any others were based on proximity or a quick search for a place to eat. However, half of the time we were here, we didn’t even eat dinner. Preferring rather to enjoy a large lunch at our day trip destinations instead.

Osteria Pignatelli

A highly rated restaurant, that for all intents and purposes you should call for a reservation, since it tends to get very busy. The interior is appealing and fairly modern. The food is very good as well. Perhaps not the best I have had in Naples, but equal to the Michelin stars they have earned.

Patti – Osteria Pignatelli – Chiaia – Naples, Italy

Table Setting – Osteria Pignatelli – Chiaia – Naples, Italy

Eggplant and Stuffed Pumpkin Flowers – Osteria Pignatelli – Chiaia – Naples, Italy

Potatoes with Cheese – Osteria Pignatelli – Chiaia – Naples, Italy

Pasta Genovese – Osteria Pignatelli – Chiaia – Naples, Italy

Portico Pizzeria é Trattoria

On Via dei Tribunali is the Portico Pizzeria é Trattoria. We stopped here for lunch and enjoyed a nice meal at surprisingly reasonable prices for this part of the city. The service was timely and the food was very good, so it is commendable.

Entrance – Portico Pizzeria e Trattoria – Naples, Italy

Patti – Portico Pizzeria e Trattoria – Naples, Italy

Pasta Fresca and Insalata Mista – Portico Pizzeria e Trattoria – Naples, Italy

Mozzarella Spoon – Portico Pizzeria e Trattoria – Naples, Italy

Erick – Portico Pizzeria e Trattoria – Naples, Italy

Pizzeria Staiano Dal 1964

This is a small family own trattoria that specializes in pizza. They also have a menu that changes each day, which contains a nice selection of local specialities.

Pizza Margherita – Pizzeria Staiano dal 1964 – Chiaia – Naples, Italy

We were luck enough to visit twice, so that we could try both the pizza and the pasta dishes.

Naples, Italy – Our Brief Return