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After a very late night and a long day yesterday, we decided to switch up plans and spend today exploring Naples.
Originally we intended to go to either Pompeii or Herculaneum today. As it’s the first Sunday of the month entry is free!
I pre booked my time slot and printed my tickets weeks ago.
However, it is meant to rain heavily this afternoon, and I’m still not quite with it.
Quest for coffee
Our Airbnb is genuinely a B&B. There are coupons for free coffee and pastries at a cafe by the apartment.
Not gluten free pastries though. Since I’m still having an IBS flare up (oh joy) I’m not feeling hungry anyway.
Won’t bore you with the details, but suffice to say this trip will be a learning experience.
Previously Stumbling Across The World has been about my travels and mental health challenges. Now I also have gluten intolerance and IBS to contend with!
A little miscommunication as my cappuccino arrives as an espresso and mums latte is coffee-less. But quickly resolved! Espresso into the latte! And I get my much needed cappuccino.
Mum has a chocolate filled pastry, which puts me in mind to seek out a gluten free version of my own for later!
I’ve done a lot of googling and pinned some gluten free spots across Italy. One of which is a patisserie!
Finding Friendly Food
I’m going to have to learn to plan snacks into my travel life. It’s never guaranteed there’ll be gluten free food around when hunger strikes.
So we head off to Carrefour and stick up on snacks and essentials like milk. So I can at least have breakfast at the apartment (yes I packed my Nutribrex, aka gluten free weetabix).
And then we go to the place I’m most excited about: Leopoldo cafebar- senza glutine!
That’s right, a whole bakery/patisserie of gluten free food.
I could have spent a fortune but restricted myself to a chocolate croissant and a tiramisu for later!
Exploring Naples’ Christmas Street
Having dropped the shopping off back at the apartment, we head back out.
It’s not raining too much yet…
The forecast says massive downpours and thunderstorms from 1pm. So umbrellas at the ready we walk over to what I’ve read is a whole street of Christmas stuff.
Hmmm. In a word: Weird…
It’s not so much Christmas as it is nativity scenes set in Naples.
The street is called Via S. Gregorio Armeno and is known as “Christmas Alley”. Which I suppose technically it is…. Just not like any Christmas I’ve seen!
Every shop sells the same stuff. Not variation at all. Just rows and rows of mechanical nativity scenes where the prominent character are Neapolitan. Pizza makers, cheese sellers, and wine drinking characters surround Mary and Joseph.
I think the idea is you buy pieces over time to build up your own scene. Honestly I just find it odd.
Not a bauble in sight!
There is however a Vesuvius snow globe (ash globe?). Tempting… if only it would hang on the tree!!
Underground, overground, wombleing free
The street is really busy as tour groups bustle down the alley. The addition of umbrellas makes it all a bit cramped and annoying.
It’s still only raining a little and I’m not ready to siesta yet. So I drag Mum into the Complesso Monumentale San Lorenzo Maggiore.
The area consists of a church and the remains of an ancient market building.
Well first off, there’s a room with another Naples Nativity! But at least this explains the street outside.
Then the church, and the reason I wanted to come inside, the underground remains.
The Macellum of Naples was the macellum or market building of the Roman city of Neapolis, now known as Naples. Due to the rise of the ground level the macellum is now located beneath the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore. The first construction dates to 5th or 4th century BC when the area was the location of the agora during the Greek period. When Neapolis became a Roman possession it was eventually transformed into a macellum. This structure was covered by a mudslide in the 5th century AD, probably as a result of flooding.
Wikipedia
It’s quite interesting, and maybe a guided tour would have been useful, but I figure it out on my own well enough.
Having wandered the ruins I then decide to get my tickets value worth and check out the museum. Standard stuff, but the view from top floor gives me my first look at Vesuvius!
Siesta
Back outside it is now officially Raining, capital R.
A quick dash to the apartment and we decide to settle in till it stops.
Enroute I notice a restaurant not a minute away from our apartment with a gluten free sign outside.
Bingo. That’s dinner plans made!
A little lunch of cheese and prosciutto followed by a nap is much needed. I’m still tired from yesterday and didn’t sleep too well.
Our apartment is located right by Piazza San Domenico Maggiore. Which on a Saturday night doesn’t quiet down till 3am. Just in time for the street cleaners to start clearing up!
Hopefully it’s just Saturday and not every night…
Regardless, the rain is a good excuse to just take some chill time.
Exploring Naples in the Sunshine!
The rain dies off around 3:30pm and behold the sun!!
As this is now our exploring Naples day, we go out yet again. This time heading for Via Toledo.
Pretty standard shopping street. Not much to report, but it does lead down towards Castel Nuovo.
I’ve no desire to go inside (wow I’m really selling Naples with this post aren’t I!) but it’s nice to see.
Plus Vesuvius is there in the background which is pretty cool.
I had been hoping the area by the sea would be pretty. But the views are ruined by construction, traffic, and cruise ships. Not to mention the fumes. Air quality in Naples leaves much to be desired.
Hopefully we’ll get a better scene tomorrow or Tuesday.
Limoncello
I’ve had enough of walking now.
Drink time!
Not too far from the apartment we stop and grab a limoncello spritz. Delicious and refreshing, very much what I needed.
First meal in Napoli
I’m going to gush now. Be warned.
Having had a shower, put on a dress, and made myself presentable we pop over to Monsù.
This little restaurant is amazing!
Lovely waitress and waiter. The best mussels I’ve ever had, peppery and served with gluten free bread! Followed by dreamy, creamy courgette pasta, and even gluten free cake!
Topped off with a bottle of local Naples wine – mostly drunk by me, but mum did have a glass and a half!
Perfect first evening after exploring Naples.
❤️
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