1st Day: The Isle of Procida
If you take a
hydrofoil from Naples, in less than an hour you’ll arrive to the Isle of Procida (Pròceta in
Neapolitan), the smallest isle of the Neapolitan gulf. Marina
Grande “Sent’Co” like it is called by the Procida’s people is the first
postcard that collects the tourists that have just arrived on the island. In
the promontory of the antique fortress of walled land, the Cathedral of San
Michele Arcangelo guards the precious painting of San Michele which defeats the
Satan attributed to Luca Giordano. The visit continues on foot to the historic
centre which is around 90 m higher than
the sea, until Palace of Avalos. Ex prison of Bourbon. The most antique navy of
the isle is the Corricella.
Curiosity: Corricella obtained a planetary
fame when Apple and after that Microsoft, have advertised the
respected products (iphone and tablet) with the sea image of this beautiful
village. The magic moment of this small navy has been seen also in different
scenes of the movie “Il Postino” with Massimo
Troisi.
2nd Day: Capri Island
In less than
an hour with a ferry-boat from Naples you’ll arrive al Grande Navy, on the isle Capri, the “stone queen” of Pablo Neruda, which has always been
associated to a glamorous and elite tourism. Visit of Anacapri and the Villa
San Michele by minibus, built by the Swedish doctor and writer Axel Munte. Walk
in Capri: The Via Camarelle of luxury shopping, the famous Piazzetta, the
Augusto Gardens from which you can enjoy superb view between Faraglioni and
Piccola Navy.
Curiosity: Capri and Anacapri have embellished themselves of elegant villas,
caprice from this or that magnate. He styles are different like were different
the sensibility and vices of costumers. “Casa come me” the villa of Curzio
Malaparte on the Punta Masullo, built in 1938, is one of the masterpieces of
the modern architecture. It is told that in his abode, Malaparte has written a
big part of “Kaputt”, one of his most famous novels. This jewel of the rationalism of the twentieth
century is photographed from so many “tourists of the architecture” fascinated
by its grandeur.
3rd
Day: Ischia Island
From the Pozzuoli’s port direct boarding to the isle of green thermals
and the clear sea: Ischia. Casamicciola and Lacco Ameno, areas rich of thermal
sources; Forio, which conserves its historic centre dominated by Epomeo Mount;
Serrara-Fontana, the highest community; Barano, from always well-known for its
beauty and the spectacular panoramics.
Curiosity: Ischia was unknown touristic destination for the biggest part of the
Italians, when in 1951 Angelo Rizzoli, an editor and cinematograph, arrived
there on its yacht. Long story short in less than 10 years Rizzoli trasformes
the isle in one international destination: invites divas from Hollywood,
Italians, artists, musicians. With his magazines advertizes the Ischia’s hotels
in entire world and with the cinematographic house films movies that have made
Ischia a place loved in whole world, almost a obligatory destination for the
“people who count” in the years 50s and 60s. Richard Burton, Liz Tylor, Ava Gardner, Charlie Chaplin, the Duchi of
Windsor, visited Iscia and remained enchanted.
4th
Day: Pompei
The antique city of Pompei is
the archeological side most visited in the world thanks to the remains well
kept the city buried from the volcanic eruption in 79 AD. Its population didn’t
know how to live under the shadow of one sleepy volcano from more than 1500
years and because of that they didn’t escaped on time despite the old Plinio, the admiral of the roman
fleet tried to save them right after an eruption. The city was erased from the
collective memory for hundreds of years until the first diggings. Long the
principal streets (lecardines or decumani) and the secondaries (viae or
itinera), were rising altars for the cult of the gods Lari, also stores, offices,
on which walls there were aside graffiti, epigrams, love poems and
inventiveness of Greek, Latin Oscan and Aramaic languages too.
Curiosity: the House of the Tragic Poet
is the emblem of the abode of the imperial authority, on a mosaic floor it is
represented the dog tied on a chain, the famous “Cave canem”. The House of the
Surgeon, from the roman age, one of the oldest residences of the city, owes its
name to the discovery of about forty surgical tools such as probe, catheter,
forceps, pincers and scalpel. The House of
the chaste lovers hosted an industrial bakery with an oven, for
the preparation of the bread, stores, place for sale and stable when there were
found skeletons of mules. The House of the rich baker was in restoration. The
name of the house is born from fresco found in the dining- room which
represents two chaste lovers on banquet. The
House of the Faun is one of the most ample houses in the city, it owes its
name to one bronze statue, satyr symbol, the entrance has on its colorful floor
a writing, which reports the greeting Have, just to show the culture of the owner, expert in Latin language.
In the afternoon visit to the historic centre of Naples: the San Gennaro’ Duomo, Via of the Tribunals, the San
Lorenzo Maggiore’s Church one of the first monumental complexes of the city,
Via San Gregorio Armeno, Spaccanapoli, San Domenico Square, The Capella
Sansevero known by the amazing statue of veiled Christ, Santa Chiara’s Church
with its splendid earthenware cloister, Square of Jesus that hosts Pignatelli
and San Felice the palaces from eighteenth-century, the baroque Guglia from the
Immacolata and the Church if New Jesus.
Curiosity: Naples is a town of magic and superstition. For its alleys it is said
that they “si aggirino ‘o munaciello”
(spiteful spirit) and they ‘a bella
‘mbriana (kind spirit). Very famous is also the antique Neapolitan smirk where
you can obtain the loto numbers with the interpretation of the dreams.
5th
Day: The Amalfi Coast
A day on the Amalfi Coast: a panoramic
break on the Positano’s Belvedere
just to enjoy from a high point the suggestive scenario from this authentic
jewel heartfelt in the stone. From every point of the land you can admire the
dome in multicolored majolica of the Collegiate of Santa Maria Assunta that
inside it safeguards the Madonna Nera’s icon.
Curiosity:
it was discovered by one elite holiday people composed of intellectuals,
artists and celebrities that in the beginning of the Twentieth century chose
Positano for an exclusive place for a vacation. From Escher to Steinbeck, from
Picasso to Klee, from Zeffirelli to Liz Taylor. “Voluntary prisons in one
mythological scenery” like they liked to call themselves.
We proceed to Praiano, fisherman village
and seaside locations. Break in Concadei Marini and a visit of the Gritta
dello Smeraldo, named like that because of the particular coloring of the water
produced of the light that penetrates you. Arrival at Amalfi, the most antique maritime Republic in Italy. Visit of the
Duomo, founded in IX century, dedicated to S.Andrea and the gracious historic
centre. Other fascinating localities: Minori, Maiori, Cetara until you arrive
to Vietri sul Mare.Curiosity: Minori praises one “sweet” primate: it
is “the city of the taste”, famous for the production of sweet: most famous the
lemon candies are the honor of this area. Cetara has its name from Latin “cetari” or fisherman of big fishes. It is a funny fact
the circumstance of the economy of the small community which holds on the hunt
of anchovy!
6th
Day: Reggia di Caserta
Caserta, visit of the Reggia
Venvitelliana. Between the most luxorious palaces in the world, the Reggia was
achieved from Vanvitelli in XVIII century under Carlo Third’s authority of
Borbone; the complex is decorated by one park rich of waterfalls and fountains from
the English Garden, a real vegetable garden rich with plants and flowers
derived from all the parts of the world.
Curiosity:
it extends on 47.000 sq.m. which makes it the planet’s most real and ample
residence. More than 1200 rooms and 1742 windows, all disposed according one
very strict order. The construction work began on the 20 January 1752, the day
of the king’s birthday. There would have been finished several decades later
after one complex cost of almost 8.800.000 ducats: today more than 300 billion
of Euros.
In
Reggia di Caserta were filmed some scenes of two movies from the saga Star Wars: Ep. 1 The Phantom Menace;
Ep. 2 Attack of the Clones.
Anecdotes:
the biggest movement tied to the Reggia di Caserta is the one related to
cataloguing of the objects from the Piemonte’s functionaries after the
annexation of the Kingdom of the Due Sicilie, that happened in 1861. In front
of one object that was never seen (and used) before, one of the officials of
the Savoy noted: “A strange unknown
object in form of guitar”. It was the bidet.