Campania

Naples

28th April: On my way to Naples (Napoli/Neapel)

On my way to Naples I had to change train at Roma Termini. Because I have been in Rome before, I did not plan to visit the city. When I was entering the train from Roma Termini to Senigalli there were horrible many people at the platform for this regional train. I asked a traveller to help me with my suitcase and he would, but another man where going between. I was so surprised and also for me it was the most important, that I come onto the train together with my luggage, so I did not forbid him to lift my suitcase up. At the train the helper ask me for money. I gave him some coins and he was counting them. Anyway he left the train and I was sitting there with my luggage. A woman passenger told me, I should not have given money to that man, because they are thieves. I thought, this people become thieves due to people do not give them some money for their helping hands.

In Naples I did not have any host either like in Venice. It was really difficult to get hosts in Italy! Therefore I chose the hihostel in Naples-Mergellina. I have heard so much about Naples, therefore I was wrong for two things: That Naples is a very beautiful town and that it is very much crime there and therefore you will be lucky if you have your belongings left when leaving the city. However already at the Central Station there were so many police- and security men, that it was not possible to take things, which not belong to you. The beauty of Naples is most at the sea side and there are a few great buildings.

Just Arrived in Naples, Italy

The hihostel is situated on the top of a hill close to the train station Mergellina. For coming to the hostel everyone has to go under a bridge, where men are urinating, so it stinks terribly. To pull a suitcase is hard because the shape of the street and also the way up to the hostel is very steep. Anyway I made it up there. Even it is April and also a lot of tourists are in town, the hostel still has some rooms vacant. Therefore I have got a bed in a dorm where I was the only guest. I only had to pay for the bed. Unfortunately the bulb in the bathroom did not work. I already made my bed and when I was talking with the manager he told me I have to switch to another room or use the bathroom in the corridor. He has no possibility to change the bulb. The same way he was answering when I was asking for an elevator, because I had to go to the second floor with my heavy luggage. He told me, that someone did not close the door properly and therefore the elevator was not working. I was lucky, that it did work a short time after that again. He was absolutely not service minded! He was not easy going either when I was asking for the breakfast next day. The way to the breakfast room was not good signed. The hostel really was a shame for being a Hihostel.

On my Way to the Hihostel Mergellina (it is on the Top)

For an European breakfast I had to pay two Euro extra. I could only make this during breakfast hours, not in advance. Moreover the European part of the breakfast was two slices of cheese, two slices of breakfast sausage and one slice of bread. Therefore I put all the cheese and the sausage on that slice of bread! The Italian breakfast is included in the price and before I coulf order the European breakfast I have got a Cappuccino and a croissant on the hand. The servants at the breakfast bar were not service minded either and there were no many customers!

They day for arrival I was not leaving the hostel anymore because the shape of the way and also I thought it might be dangerous coming home when it will be dark.

29th April: O mia bella Napoli

This day I have to go further and therefore I checked out directly after breakfast. I was going by train to the Central Station to deposit my luggage there. The train I used the evening before and also for coming back to the train station they call Metro in Naples but it is simply a regional train. The train back was not going to Central Station but the Garibaldi Station. What I did not know that it is the same station, but different levels of it. So I was trying to go from Garibaldi Station to Central Station by train. I was asking conductors and security people and walking around and around before I was asking at the customer desk if that maybe is the same station but different levels. The Garibaldi Station is for regional trains only. The Central Station is for the trains going to all other cities of Italy. There is one more part of the stations, too, where the “round trains” are going for e. g. to Pompeii. When I deposited my luggage this time, I was allowed to leave two pieces – my suitcase and my backpack.

One of the Streets with the Old and Uggly Houses

Without my luggage I was going to the city of Naples. It took not a long while to find the right direction, but first I chose wrong. The first area I walked through was a horrible sight but there were shops with luxury articles. I also found some churches and old buildings for remembrance. In the song “O mia bella Napoli” they sing “du Stadt am blauen Meer” (city by the blue sea), so I was looking for the seafront. When I finally found it, the houses here where much brighter and nicer than the others I have seen before. Close to the sea side there are also some interesting buildings and finally I found “old Naples” with a castle etc.

One of the Churches in Naples

“The Clock Tower”

View throughout a window (Mediterranean Station)

The Modern Naples – Office Buildings

Noble Houses at the Seaside of Naples

Not a House but a No Named Monument

Galeria Umberto

Napoli_Maschio-Angioino, Building of Art

Castle of Naples

I had to be back to Naples Central Station before 8pm to get my luggage back. The price was 19,80 Euro for around 8 hours. When I picked up my luggage the servant dropped my backpack onto the floor, because it was put on my suitcase, which was falling onto the floor. With the backpack on it the suitcase could not stand upright. I hoped that my laptop will be ok after that, but could not try because the situation.

After that I only could be at the station, but my train was not leaving before 11pm. I chose the night train to Siracusa because I had to be in Pozzallo to catch a ferry on the 30th April. There was no ferry in the morning of the 1st May and the evening ferry will be in Valletta to late for getting keys to an apartment. For my heavy luggage I could just look around at the Central station, checking people and their luggage who was leaving or coming. The later the hour the less people of course but the police officers and also security officers were watching and taking the one or other person with them. Therefore it was never a problem with robberies or begging.

Where will the night train take me? Nosy? Click here!