Sunshine, pizza, wine, history, and la bella vita. Italy is a dream destination for many travelers. Instagram is full of Rome's great architecture, influencers posing in Positano, and tourists strolling through Venice. A city that doesn’t seem to rank high on many bucket lists is Naples - for a couple of reasons.
After Rome and Milan Naples is the third largest city in Italy, but also one of the poorest places in Europe. The unemployment rate in the area is above 10%. In Naples itself, this number is even higher. Also, the infrastructure in Southern Italy isn't great. So far, there is no high-speed line and only one connection that travels down South to Sicily.
Naturally, economic difficulties often come with a high crime rate. The Camorra, the local mafia, seems to do good business in Naples. Maybe that is the reason why I came across a couple of tanks and soldiers in the city’s touristy center when I was visiting? I need to emphasize here, that even though I have had several bad experiences with crime and pickpocketing in Italy, I did not experience or witness anything along those lines in Naples. Keep an eye out, of course, and be safe, but don't go expecting trouble.
Naples also has a waste problem. It's obvious when you wander the streets of the city. But the bigger problem is the industrial waste that has been dumped in the area for years, some of it toxic. Even though these kinds of things have shaped Naples' reputation, this reputation might also give visitors some kind of thrill.
And the most rewarding relationships are sometimes the ones that require the most work. I can't tell you whether or not you should be frightened, but I do know that you should visit if you can. At least, you will experience something real.
Have you ever been to Naples? What did you think about the city?
Kate recommends: Maybe hold off with reading Roberto Saviano’s Gomorrha until after you visited Naples. The book is an international bestseller, in which Saviano describes the business of the Camorra, exposing its territory and business connections. The author grew up in Naples himself and worked as an assistant at a Chinese textile manufacturer, on a construction site and a waiter at a Camorra wedding, so you will get a first-hand investigative report - just hold off with it until after your holidays.