Naples and the Sorrento Peninsula Essential: History, sea, and limoncello

Naples lives with overwhelming energy, stretched along one of the world's most famous bays with Vesuvius as its backdrop. The historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a labyrinth of alleys hung with laundry, lined with baroque churches, votive shrines and artisan workshops. Spaccanapoli cuts the city in a straight line between the cathedral, keeper of the blood of San Gennaro, and the chapels of the Pio Monte della Misericordia with their Caravaggios. Beneath the streets lies a subterranean Naples of cisterns and tunnels, while the National Archaeological Museum holds the treasures of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Along the sea, the Caracciolo promenade, Castel dell'Ovo and the Chiaia district offer elegant strolls. Pizza was born here, and Neapolitan cuisine — sfogliatelle, babà, fried street food — is pure joy. From Vomero, reached by funicular, the city unfolds in a breathtaking panorama. Chaotic and theatrical, Naples seduces with its unfiltered authenticity.