Foto: The castle Nuevo (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Italy - Today we’re heading out to explore the old city. As soon as we leave the main Via Armando Diaz, we enter a very narrow alleyway. At every corner, it’s uncertain whether the alley continues or ends at a house. It turns out it continues—though the end is full of garbage and clearly used as a toilet. We quickly move on to Via Santa Chiara. Along this street lies the monastery of the same name. The Santa Chiara Monastery and its adjoining church were built in the 14th century. The rectangular courtyard was decorated in the 17th century with mosaic pillars and benches. The tiles depict religious scenes. Orange trees also grow in the courtyard. The monastery garden is an oasis of calm in the busy city. A service is currently underway in the church. The 110-meter-long church is simply decorated in Gothic style. Baroque decorations were added in the 17th century. During World War II, the entire complex was heavily damaged by bombings. Everything has since been restored to its original state. Around the monastery, the narrow streets are busy. Tourists and locals alike stroll through the lanes. Groups of musicians weave through the crowds, waving flags and playing carnival-like music, while asking bystanders for money. When two groups cross paths, they play a tune together before continuing on their separate ways. We walk through the narrow streets of the old district toward the Duomo di Napoli. The cathedral is the most important church in Naples. Inside is the chapel of San Gennaro, the patron saint of the city. The chapel is richly adorned with Baroque statues and frescoes—beautiful to see. A bust of San Gennaro stands on the main altar, and his remains lie beneath the altar in the crypt. It is said that his blood was collected at the time of his beheading in 305, during the Christian persecutions. Several days a year, this blood is brought from the crypt and placed on the altar in the Santa Chiara cathedral. The congealed blood is said to liquefy—seen as a sign that the city is protected from disaster. The Duomo was built in the 13th century over the original baptistery of San Giovanni. In this old baptistry, which dates back to the 6th century, fragments of the original mosaic floor remain. Back outside, we enjoy a drink at a terrace. In the afternoon, we split up to spend time as we wish. Nicolette and I walk to the Cappella Sansevero. This former family chapel of the Princes of San Severo is now the most visited museum in Naples. Inside are beautiful works of art in Baroque and Rococo style. At the center is the sculpture of the Veiled Christ. Carved from a single block of marble, the veil over the body appears incredibly lifelike. The weather remains nice, and it’s still bustling in the streets. Luckily, we find an open table at the cozy Piazza Bellini. We order a drink. As our final activity in Naples, we visit the Underground City. Beneath the surface are remains from the Roman period. The Roman city was built atop Greek foundations. During an eruption of Vesuvius around the year 500, part of the city was buried under lava. The current street level of Naples now lies higher.
Florence
Italy - Florence is located in the photogenic region of Tuscany, in the heart of Italy. Known as the cradle of the Renaissance, the city is filled with architectural masterpieces and artworks from that era and earlier. The most famous example is Michelangelo’s ...
The Ancient City of Pompeii
Italy - We disembark and follow the stream of tourists to the entrance of the ancient city of Pompeii. Around the beginning of the Common Era, Pompeii was a thriving Roman city with 20,000 inhabitants. In 79 AD, it was buried under a four-meter-thick layer of ...
The Cinque Terre fishing villages
Italy - With the map in hand, we begin the hike to Vernazza. Just outside Monterosso, the narrow trail ascends. Via stone steps, we climb into the hills. Behind us, we have a beautiful view of Monterosso. The weather alternates between cloudy and sunny. At times ...
The Colosseum
Italy - The Flavian Amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum, was built in the 1st century AD in Rome and was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. It was constructed by the so-called Flavian emperors. Construction began under Emperor Vespasian in ...
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Italy - The (leaning) Tower of Pisa is the freestanding bell tower of the cathedral in Pisa. The tower is one of the main landmarks of the Piazza dei Miracoli. Its architects were Gugilmo and Buonanno. Shortly after construction began in August 1173, the tower ...
The Monastery of San Fruttuoso
Italy - Today we’re visiting Portofino—a picturesque town on the edge of a peninsula. Due to its sheltered location and tourist appeal, parking is difficult. Rates go up to six euros per hour. As an alternative, we park in Santa Margherita, a town earlier ...
The Rolli Palaces of Genoa
Italy - Along the Via Garibaldi, the palaces of Genoa stand in a row. In 1576, the Republic of Genoa compiled a list of the city’s most important noble palaces. The palaces on this list, the Palazzi dei Rolli, had the privilege of hosting state guests. Most ...
The Vesuvius volcano
Italy - From Pompeii, a local bus runs to Mount Vesuvius. The next bus departs around 1:00 PM. We quickly buy a sandwich and walk to the stop. The driver gestures for us to just get on. It seems we’ll pay later. The bus heads toward the volcano. At the base ...
Venice
Italy - When we arrive in Venice by train, we are not yet in the city itself. The main train station is on the mainland. From there, shuttle trains run to the heart of Venice. Ten minutes later, we pull into the station in central Venice. As I step out of the ...