By Ewelina Lepionko
Sun rays shine down a narrow street in Naples. Italian Balconies protrude into the street at all levels and wooden shutters stay closed, causing pedestrians to wonder about the mystery and history they conceal.
In some ways, you need to put modern-day Naples aside. The trash, the chaos, the petty crime, even the mafia – yes, it is a large part of what this Italian city is today. But it really doesn’t do Naples the justice it deserves.
The narrow streets of the old town tell tales of Greek settlements, the Roman Empire, and Byzantine reign.
Known as Napoli in Italian, Naples is the third most well-known city in Italy. It is considered the biggest and most populated in the country.
The city has more than 100 alleys that intertwine from the old town to the outskirts. Throughout the centuries, these alleys have been given the strangest and most unusual names. Each one reflects a piece of the city’s history.
The Vico is the most recognizable symbol of the city. To see the real Napoli just walk down these narrow streets and you will see the hiatus of daily life in the city. For a tourist, its amazing to walk along these historic streets were rainbows of laundry wave in the wind. There are bustling crowds, pungent aromas and shouting merchants offer Fellini-esque slices of life. It´s not so dangerous as you may think as long as you are careful.
Just walking the streets, you’ll find yourself surrounded by incredible buildings that appear to have no special status, they are not tourist sites and don’t even look like they’re regularly maintained.
Walk aimlessly and you’ll probably actually see enough to give you a good impression of how impressive the architecture and history of Naples is.
