The Girl From Naples Is Back!

Back on the road again!

Hi there! Here I am again! I have just realised that my last blog was dated 2018! .

We all know very well, the last two/three years have been very difficult. We had a global pandemic that has changed not only our lives but also our way of travelling, so keeping up with all the restrictions and rules have made writing a travel blog very challenging, almost impossible and quite frankly, very depressing. So I am sorry for this long absence. I will try to write more often because there is still so much more to know about my wonderful city and region.

I have to say I really do miss travelling. Properly travelling, discovering new places, new countries, new cultures. It’s one of the things I have been missed the most. I have been travelling back and fourth between England and Italy for family reasons and had few outings in Italy without going too far. But I so miss that excited spirit that comes with a new adventure! As I said before our way of travelling has changed and so did we. A lot of people were (and still are) very scared to go to a foreign country, without knowing if they have to quarantine, having tests, etc. Let’s face it. It also has been very expensive and quite stressful to travel. Book the right test for all the family, get the green pass, quarantine in a hotel, ‘no you might not need to quarantine’, etc. How many times did you hear all this?

My very first holiday after two years, one of my favourite destinations: the island of Ischia (August 2021).

Fear also changed everything. I went to Ischia last August and even though it’s still my favourite, it was strangely too quiet, not as buzzy as it used to be. Most of the tourists were italians or local.

Thankfully, the situation is getting better everywhere. Now when you come to Italy, you don’t need to quarantine or show a negative test anymore. Since April 1st, all the travel restrictions have stopped. Hooray!

Even wearing masks indoors and having to show your green pass (the QR code showing you had two jabs and a booster) when travelling or indoors restaurants and bars has stopped.

If you test positive, you still need to quarantine until you have a negative result and must wear a mask.

Hopefully, even those few restrictions will drop by the end of April/beginning of May, so we can all enjoy the summer, the very first summer without stress!

I can’t wait to write more about my region. This summer, to celebrate the end of the pandemic, there are a lot of events and new places opening to visit for the very first time.

A place I definitely will write about is the island of Procida that this year has been nominated as Italian Capital of Culture 2022. Many events on the land and sea have been organised and a taste of the flavours of the Mediterranean cuisine. Definitely a place to visit!!

Finally also in Napoli, tourists are slowly returning and actually, for the summer, many hotels and b&bs are already fully booked!

Of course, please consider that rules to visit museums and art galleries are changing on a daily basis so I will try and keep all information up to date. It is recommended to book ahead of a visit to a museum as now in many places there are limited spaces for visitors. Remember also that from April to October it is free entry in all museums every first Sunday of the month.

It’s so good to know that we can start to think about travelling again and return to our ‘normal’ life.

Napoli is finally open to the world once again! Welcome back! Bentornati!

Welcome back to Napoli!

A Neapolitan very committed to social distancing!

Caravaggio in Napoli.

When you look at Caravaggio's paintings you are also looking at Napoli. It is in the chiaroscuro, the contrast between the dramatic darkness and light, in the visceral depiction of bodies, dirty hands, expressive faces which are taken directly from the poor streets of Napoli.

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) visited Napoli twice, in 1606 on the run from a murder charge in Rome and in 1610, just before his death on the way back to Rome.  Napoli was a part of the Spanish Empire at that time and the city was a vibrant cultural and economic centre due to its important port.  Many artists from all over Europe were attracted to the city by the commissions for the many churches and cathedrals.

In Napoli Caravaggio painted The Madonna of the Rosary (now at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna), The Flagellation of Christ (now at the Museo di Capodimonte, Napoli) and the stunning Seven Works of Mercy for the high altar of the Church of Pio Monte della Misericordia, which still stands today, together with the painting in its original position. This is definitely one of my favourite Caravaggio paintings.  The architecture of the church seems to be constructed around the painting in a silent devotion to the artist. Caravaggio gave to Napoli one of his most breathtaking masterpieces.  The painting is an image of the city where he tried to find comfort in a desperate time of his life.

Pio Monte della Misericordia was an institution founded by a group of noblemen dedicated exclusively to acts of human charity.  The word misericordia means mercy.  Caravaggio, portrayed in the painting the seven acts of physical mercy, which are; to bury the dead, visit the imprisoned, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, visit the sick and refresh the thirsty.

The scene is a revolutionary vision.  All the acts are taking place in a mysterious dark neapolitan vicolo (alley) in the lower part of the painting, whilst in the top part are two floating angels supporting the Madonna of Mercy with Child.

Caravaggio was very successful and famous in Napoli, however after a few months he decided to leave the city and ended up in Malta with the Knights of St John and then Sicily.  

He finally returned to Napoli in 1610 on the way to Rome, in order to receive forgiveness from the Pope for his misdeeds. This is when he  painted The Denial of Saint Peter, (now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York) and John the Baptist (now in Villa Borghese, Rome) and his last masterpiece Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, which has recently been attributed to him. This is the last dramatic painting of a unique artist.  From the dark background, figures emerge in a silent procession of human bodies, the Saint and villains all together.  Even Caravaggio himself participates in the scene, just behind Saint Ursula's head. The flesh is so pale in contrast with the black and the red of the clothes. 

For sure, Caravaggio understood Napoli and the neapolitans like no other painter and after him the artistic life in Napoli would never be the same.  He left behind a very prolific Caravaggesque movement with Neapolitan artists who kept alive his style, painting subjects that Caravaggio himself made popular.  Artists like Mattia Preti, Salvator Rosa, Joseph de Ribera and Battistello Caracciolo, who was considered to be one of his truest followers.

Running until 15th January 2017 at London's National Gallery is the exhibition Beyond Caravaggio.  It's worth visiting as there are many references to Napoli and Neapolitan artists which will make you understand better his his life and his connection with Napoli.

 

Where to see Caravaggio in Napoli: 

Pio Monte della Misericordia, via dei Tribunali, 253 - 80139 Napoli. Tel. +39 081 44 69 44 / Tickets: €7 / Reduced: €5

Opening hours:  Mon - Sat, 09.00 - 18.00 / Sun 09.00 - 14.30

 

Museum of Capodimonte, via Miano, 2 - 80131 Napoli. Tel. +39 081 74 99 154 / Email. mu-cap@beniculturali.it / Tickets: €8 / Reduced: €4

Opening hours:  Every day except Wednesdays, 08.30 - 19.30

 

Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano, via Toledo, 185 - 80132 Napoli. Tel. +39 800 454 229 / Email. info@palazzozevallos.com / Tickets: €5 / Reduced €3  

Opening hours:  Mon closed, Tue - Fri 10.00 - 18.00  / Sat - Sun 10.00 - 20.00