Spaccanapoli District

For savoring the delights and charm of Naples, our favorite tour is in the Spaccanapoli District. Here, on the site of the old Greek-Roman city, you find tiny plazas, little boutiques, outdoor restaurants, coffee shops, markets, and a seemingly endless number of churches. Make your way to the pretty Piazza Gesü Nuovo, where you will find the tourist office facing the square. Pop in here and ask for their map that outlines a walk exploring the Spaccanapoli District. If for any reason, the office is closed, the route is easy to find on your own. Basically what you do is follow streets in a rectangular pattern, returning where you began in Piazza Gesü Nuovo. Leaving the square, head east on Via Benedetto Croce that soon changes its name to Via San Biagio dei Librai. Continue on until you come to Via Duomo where you turn left and go a couple of streets to until you see on your right the Cathedral (Duomo di San Gennaro). Next, retrace your steps on Via Duomo for a half a block and turn right, heading west on Via Tribunali. When the road dead-ends at Via San Sebastiano, turn left, go one block, turn right and you are back where you began. You will see many churches along your way, including two that are on the Piazza Gesü Nuovo (The Church of Guesü Nuovo and the Cloister of Santa Chiara). Most of the churches are open only during services, but the fun of this walk is not so much sightseeing as savoring the flavor of this colorful, ancient part of the city. Make this a leisurely stroll, looking into the little shops, sitting in the small square, maybe a cappuccino at a small café or a pizza, which originated in Naples.