Tag: fiorella squillante tour guide

Coffee as a trait d’union

Posted on by alice


Often we think of Naples and London as polar opposites but you’d be surprised that they actually have something pretty big in common. Not the sun, not the sea, not the river but coffee, ‘o cafe’ as it is called in Neapolitan dilect, or maybe I should say language! Though I live in London, coffee will always be my favorite go-to in the cold months, as well as in the summer.

Alice:
It’s no surprise that my love for coffee began over 20 years ago in Naples, almost exactly at this time of year. The weather was rainy, gray and cold – though nothing rivaling a UK January. It’s no surprise that my love for coffee began in Naples. About 20 years ago, while spending a month in the city researching Eduardo De Filippo, the famed Neapolitan playwright, I learned more than I’d anticipated about the culture of coffee that permeated the city (as well as the plays of Eduardo). I’d meet a director or interview an actor and inevitably they’d offer to buy me a coffee. I’d go to change my Travelers checks at the bank and the teller would offer me some of the coffee he’d just been delivered from the bar. It took me a while to see how Naples and coffee were intrinsically linked – the gesture of hospitality that we associate with Naples along with the everyday, perfect ritual of standing up at the bar, chatting with the barman and the strangers next to you for a few minutes while you start that day. It might have taken me even longer to get used to the ease with which people would offer to buy each other coffee. Now that I am mainly based in London, it’s a beautiful thing that I miss because it wasn’t particularly tied to how well you knew a person. Just a moment, a gesture of belonging.

With Naplesfabulous, we do a lot of food tours about coffee in both cities, Naples and London, and never tired of finding new spots or uncovering fresh stories about this ubiquitous drink, that we always like to combine with delicious pastries, historical and daily-life episodes about these two metropolises.

Spending so much time in both places, it is fascinating to notice the similarities and differences each city has in its relationship – both actual and historical – it has to this everyday drink. We cannot help but connect Napoli with London and search for ways to incorporate Naples into our tours here as well as a little London in our tours over there. In fact, to understand Neapolitan culture, you must get to know its relationship with coffee. Equally, in order to understand London as an economic power, you need to be familiar with the role coffee played in trade, banking, and insurance.

The best place to start in order to do that, is to head first to the City in the heart of the most ancient London (Londinium), at the Jamaica Wine House, site of what is believed to be the first coffee house in London and perhaps England. We’ll wander around the alleys around the Royal Exchange where coffee houses like Jonathan’s, Lloyd’s, and Garraway’s used to be, head to the Bank of England while we learn how the existence of these coffee houses were intrinsic to how politics, law, banks, insurance, commerce, the postal system and newspapers were shaped.

We’ll discuss how coffee came to England, why the coffee house culture here was strikingly different in comparison to other European countries and how these spaces laid the foundation for establishing hotspots where major global players could meet, receive post, participate in auctions and decide how they were going to invest their rapidly growing wealth. As we travel along the storied streets of the Golden Mile, we will visit the lost legacy of former coffee houses scattered around the City as well as contrast the coffee houses with historic pubs which were also important in London’s role as a superpower. We may have to stop for a chocolate break along the way, not only to taste some of London’s best but to also discuss how chocolate emerged in London at the same time as coffee and how it had a much different history and influence on London’s elite.

As we wind around the city streets, we will focus on the new and old coffee traditions that can be found in London. To understand how coffee made its way back to London after tea took its place as the number one hot beverage, we’ll need to go to Soho which was once an area known for its high population of immigrants who, unlike typical English folks, were used to drinking coffee. The neighborhood was primarily Greek, Italian and French and you can still see evidence of this in some of its shops and restaurants (Maison Bertaux, Bar Remo, The Life Goddess). This last part of the tour will include a visit to one of London’s newest and most trendy cafes where coffee pouring is art and you can choose your roast from an array of different countries. We must go to Bar Italia for London’s best cannoli and to see the first Italian Gaggia coffee machine in England which is still in use (and chat about the Swinging Sixties and Bar Italia’s connection with the iconic jazz club across the street, Ronnie Scotts). After that cannoli, we’ll turn the corner to visit the iconic Algerian Coffee Stores from 1887 which has more coffee and tea than Fortnum and Mason in about 35 sqm.


We might even get a chance to visit William Curley for some of the best chocolate as we head to end the tour at the Old Coffee House pub (one of the few remaining coffee houses turned pubs) for a pint because after all that walking and coffee sampling from places around the world, you can try yet another beverage at one of the most homely and quintessential icons of UK culture, the corner pub.

Procida and its female soul

Posted on by naples

 

We hadn’t been to our place of soul, Procida, since the beginning of September.

 

        September 2021   PANORAMA  One and Twenty-Four Chairs Performance by Adrian Paci

 

 

We’d always attempted to keep it a “secret”, to protect it from mass tourism which unfortunately seems to inevitably arriving.

 

 

Alice: I bet you missed our “volcanic rock” a lot during the period of restrictions, especially since you’ve been going there since you were a child.

Fiorella: Absolutely. But I know you missed it as well. Right after you got here twenty years ago you told me that Procida was your favourite getaway in the summer but also in the beautiful days in the fall and winter. Since we’ve known each other, we have walked on every corner of our beloved island. There isn’t an alleyway, a rock, a beach that we haven’t covered…or a delicious dish or cool drink that has escaped us!

Recently we have watched our island change. She, the smallest and least known of the three islands of the Gulf of Naples, is visited more and more by those from all around the world. In addition, the creation of a very efficient sailing port has become attractive to many boat-renters and sailors has also helped her popularity.

In addition, during the Covid Era, Procida was nominated Capital of Culture in Italy for 2022. Very few procidani are happy about this. Why? Because Procida’s economy has always been based on sea commerce and fishing. The Nautical Institute of Procida has trained many captains of the Italian navy, and the procidani liked to enjoy the quietness of their island in summer, when they were coming back home after having spent months at sea.

 

 

On a crisp, sunny December day we decide to give ourselves a long, well-deserved day in Procida. As we leave the port, we take in the gulf of our Fabulous Naples and we remember parts of Il Mare (The Sea), one of the Leggende Napoletane (Neapolitan legends) written by Matilde Serao, an extraordinary woman who founded two newspapers and wrote many novels and stories. ( * you can find her brief biography at the end of the post).

 

 

These passages from the Legend of the Sea well describe a summer day in the waterfront of Naples, the same fabulous bay that we are admiring and loving while our ferry departs for Procida.

The sea of ​​Santa Lucia belongs to the Neapolitan people, it is for them. It is a deep blue sea, calm and safe. A large and bustling colony of villagers live on that shore. The women sell the spassatiempo (nuts), the sulphurous water, the octopuses cooked in sea water; men make fish traps and nets, go fishing, smoke pipes, drive boats, sell seafood, sing and sleep. It is a bright and lively landscape…The blazing sun breaks the stones. The children fall into the water, rise to the surface, shaking their curly hair and shouting with joy. Street musicians improvise concerts…

The laundry dries in the sun, fluttering in the westerly wind…Songs, cries of children, curses of porters, rolling of trams, fragrances and bad odours, rise in the serene air; they shun angry and penetrating colours; the dawns set the reflections on the sea ablaze; the sanguine sunsets ignite sea reflections which that seem to be made of blood. It is the sea of ​​the people, a laborious, faithful and fruitful sea, a loving and beloved sea, for which the Neapolitan people live and with which they live.

 

 

As soon as we got to Procida, without even talking about it, our internal navigators lead us directly to Dal Cavaliere, our fixed stop for a coffee and a warm lingua di bue lemon cream pastry. What a fabulous start!

 

 

A short up-hill walk a flight of down-hill steps and we are at the Corricella, the old fisherman port which is also the sunniest and warmest spot in winter.

 

 

Luckily, other than fishermen, we are almost the only people at the port and Maria alla Corricella-better known as Maria the Fisherwoman– is open.

 

 

Here we sit for four fabulous hours, during which we eat some of Maria’s specialties and we drink one wonderful bottle of white wine…or was it two?

 

 

As the bright sun is beginning to recede and we were finishing the last of our food, we start chatting with Maria’s cousin, Francesco and the charming waitress.

 

 

When all the other customers are gone Maria sits with us and we start talking about how much we all love Procida.

 

 

Francesco tells us about his cousin Maria who has always worked extensively as a mother, homemaker, fisherwoman and cook. He helps us to understand that there is more sea water than blood running through her veins! It is clear that Maria has always loved fishing. She smiles and with dreamy eyes she tells us that the most beautiful moment for her is at dawn when she goes to pull up the nets while her family still sleeps. Returning to land, she admires the pastel colours of her cherished Corricella.

In the past, every fisherman painted their home with a strong colour so that they could recognise it from the sea. Maria tells us that as a child the “Upper Procidani” didn’t love to come to this little marina because the smell of fish disgusted them. Seeing our sad expressions, she reassures us by telling us that neither she nor her neighbours ever suffered from that discrimination. On the contrary, coming home to play amongst the fishing nets, hungry cats and their father’s and brother’s coloured boats in a place where even today those stairs shield from cars and noise, made them feel privileged and free. Walking up from Corricella, she says, was stressful on their ears.

“The sea raised my children. When I went to throw the nets in the water, I would nestle my child in their baby seat among the fish crates while they would laugh, eventually falling asleep to the swaying of the boats. I would relax, far away from everything. Fishing was never a difficult job for me and before opening the restaurant often I would cook for my family and friends. I’d set up rustic tables and prepared all that the sea had given me. Then I had the idea to open a restaurant. Yet still today my true passion is going out to sea in my boat.”

Embraced by her young grandchild, she tells us that she never goes to Naples and that she never goes to Procida. As if to her the Corricella isn’t Procida!

 

 

By this time it is 4 pm and the sun has gone. The cold has started creeping in and we start putting layers on. Maria, wearing a thin shirt and an apron, unfazed by the temperature, tells us goodbye. Francesco makes an appointment with us for the next sunny day as we look nostalgically at Terra Murata, the place where pre-Covid we used to spend nights dancing and listening to music at the silent parties organised by Unico Bio Bar far until the early morning.

 

 

The only thing left for us to do is go to the port to get the ferry back to Naples, yet there are two stops we must make before leaving: one is to walk to the 16th century Casale Vascello, to take in the colours, the vefi (roundshaped windows and balconies typical of Procida) and the intricate steps of this unique example of local architecture.

 

 

The other stop is to have a coffee accompanied by a long chat at Nadia’s home.

She is another hardworking woman who lives at the island’s port and from which she leaves only for necessity. In the summer she is a hostess and cook aboard a sailboat and in the winter she embroiders, sews and works with leather. Everything is done by hand, as if sewing machines and electronic devices have never been invented. Since a few months, she has started a new activity: she brings old ship helms back to life, covering them with leather. Making holes, she threads the thick cotton strands through by hand.

 

                         

 

On her glass veranda overlooking Sent’ Co’ – this is what the Procidans call in dialect Sancho Cattolico – the main port of Procida, Nadia works for hours at her helms between delicious coffees and quick lunches. Born in a country town, then living in Naples’ bustling city centre and now since a few years this other industrious woman has decided to live on our dear island, or rather a Sent’ Co’. She never leaves the port, neither in winter nor summer, like Maria who can’t be pulled away from the marina of Corricella.

 

 

We leave Nadia’s, greeting an amazing sky which is the backdrop of many sailboats. Our ferry takes us back to al Mare by Matilde Serao. A fabulous day dedicated to women, full of sun and stories to remember in the darkest moments of this winter; another difficult and complicated year that seems neverending.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture of the Performance by Adrian Paci is by Jasmina Trifoni. The two pictures of Casale Vascello are by Paola Buttà. All the others are by Naples Fabulous

 

 

 

* Matilde Serao is one of the most prolific Neapolitan writer, although not very well-known internationally. Born in Greece of a Neapolitan father, she and her family moved to Italy where she would later found the daily journal Corriere di Roma with her husband, Edoardo Scarfoglio. When the couple moved to bella Napoli, Matilde edited the newspaper Il Corriere di Napoli and in 1892 she and her husband founded Il Mattino which is still one of the most read daily papers in Naples. She also started her own newspaper – Il Giorno – and wrote many novels and stories. Matilde Serao was respected and well known during her life but almost ignored for a long time after her death because of her ambiguous political ideas and writings. Most recently her works have been reconsidered and brought to fame again. 

A true world in a glance – Jasmina Trifoni

Posted on by alice

We are very proud to open our Artist Window with the work of Jasmina Trifoni.
Jasmina Trifoni is a journalist living in Rome who specializes in travel writing and narrative journalism. She works for Italian and International magazines including National Geographic and Meridiani, among the others. In a world where the “big frames” have almost all been discovered, she loves to find those small stories that can make the difference in the perception of a place. She has traveled extensively in all the continents (with the exception of Antarctica, and with a preference for everything that is “south”) but she doesn’t like to just check the country off the list and move on. Instead, she prefers to return to the same place several times to deepen her research. She has written several books which have been translated in many languages (100 Adventures of Our Lifetime, World in Danger, Patrimonio mondaile dell’Unesco, 80 Islands to Escape to, among the others).

 

The word that comes to mind when looking at Jasmina’s photos is spontaneity.
An avid traveller originating from Rome, she seems to truly have Naples in her eyes.
Our first encounter with Jasmina was by way of her photos. As it often happens, we’ve found her to be the exact embodiment of what her camera illustrates – a curious, inquisitive, impassioned woman who is in love with the most extravagant sides of life.

She’s always ready to laugh authentically at all that she sees in her surroundings. For her, she looks at the world and from the first glance she is categorising everything that interests and fascinates her – or what does not, in an instance! It’s true, we are all a little like that though few people blend integrity and flamboyance so seamlessly.
What is more extravagant that the human spirit – be it in depictions by talented artists or in the unbridled exuberance of people in the streets?

If you try to compliment Jasmina on her photos, she will squint her eyes and look at you as if you are saying something strange. Even if she is prolific in her photography, she doesn’t consider herself a photographer and doesn’t want to hear that her lens has immortalised a portrait of society in a precise – and fabulous – way.
What we love about Jasmina’s photos is her simple but earnest staging of life. Through her lens, a nameless street becomes the backdrop for neorealist theatre full of faces captured in their most honest moments.

Unique to many, Jasmina does not try to photograph dramatic or intense moments. Hers is a different approach: through the faces and bodies she shoots – quickly and without creating any kind of set – all of the depth of a moment is immortalised. In that moment lies all the complexity of life which her humour and exaggeration can render solemn and powerful.
In Jasmina’s photos, the landmarks, architecture and cities disappear and become irrelevant. Her objective concentrates on the representation of the souls narrating a psyche. Often you discover that her instant snapshots of faces precisely express the inner life of that person. What sets Jasmina apart is that she doesn’t stage a situation around the person in order to get a good shot. She doesn’t prepare the scenery in any way yet magically the realness of life reproduces a detailed biography in one quick click of the camera. This spontaneous process results in telling a deeply resonating story of the life of a stranger that seems to be someone that Jasmina has already known.

 

The harbor of Naples and the entire seafront stretching from the Castel Nuovo to the eastern extremity of the town, offer extraordinary exhibitions. This was the region of the Lazzaroni: the finer-looking or merrier vagabonds than those who are now found in it, it is not easy to meet. The streets that they frequent, and in which they may be said to live, lie in this quarter, and are altogether unique. Brawling, laughing, cooking, flirting, eating, drinking, sleeping, together with most of the other concerns of life, are all transacted here beneath the canopy of heaven
James Fenimore Cooper From the letters describing travel undertaken in 1828-1829

 

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The large stage of the world

 

Around every corner of the city you’ll hear someone singing, you’ll catch the tune of a Pino Daniele song or notes from the posteggiatori going trattoria to trattoria, encouraging the crowds of diners to sing along to traditional songs. Music is at the heart of the city and the greatest artists started in the neighborhoods we love, the number one being the Sanita’, well-known recently for its street parties with all kinds of musical performances going into the early hours of the next day. One of our favourite Neapolitan singers and icons, Ria Rosa, quotes the bridge of this neighborhood in one of her incredible tunes recorded in New York.

 

One of the most popular theatrical traditions of Naples is the commedia del’arte dating from the 16th century whose origins go back to the ancient Roman Atellan Farce (Fabule Atellane).
The main character of the commedia dell’arte is Pulcinella, now one of the most popular souvenirs from bella Napoli.

Pulcinella has a strong and contradictory personality, like the characteristics Naples is known for: exuberant and lazy, reliable and crazy, cynical and happy, funny and sad. He is a great representative of that emblematic cunning spirit for which Neapolitans are – or maybe were – famous.

 

 

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Being Neapolitan it’s wonderful

 

The Patron Saint Gennaro was martyred in 305 AD. Three days a year the saint is celebrated in the cathedral of Naples where believers and curious folks wait for the miracle of the liquefaction of his blood secretly and securely kept in a vial.
On September 19, New York celebrates the San Gennaro Feast in Little Italy. All began in Mulberry Street with the building of a small chapel dedicated to the Saint where offers for the poor people of the neighborhood were collected. Now it’s a party complete with fried zeppole.
San Gennaro is becoming more and more popular in Naples, not only as an historical and religious icon, but also in the design and top-quality arts market.

 

 

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The black gold of Naples

 

Coffee in Naples means espresso and the traditional caffè is ristretto, very short and dense.
Neapolitans consider coffee a necessity, something you cannot live without. This explains why the Suspended Coffee started in Naples, maybe after WWII. You drink a coffee at your favourite bar, and you pay a second caffè for someone who may not be able to afford it. The bar holds on to the “suspended” cup until someone comes and requests it. Why coffee and not bread? Because caffè in Napoli is considered as important as primary food. In a Neapolitan bar you always chat with the busy barista (coffee-maker) so it’s like sharing kindness, friendship and much more.
In his Neaplitan song Tazza ‘e café parite Giuseppe Capaldo compares coffee to a desirable woman, strong but with the sugar that once melted will make the drink beautiful!
We Neapolitans think our coffee is the best, and we are pretty sure to be right!

 

 

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Naples is synonymous with food

 

Red like lava, the piennolo tomatoes grow in volcanic soil. These small round-shaped tomatoes with a pointed tip and a thick skin are called “Piennolo” after Latin pendulus (hanged)  because of the system adopted to preserve it in bunches similar to grape and hanged in dry and ventilated places. The piennolo is represented in the traditional Neapolitan nativity scenes as well as tripe which is also sold as a street food and dressed with lots of lemon and salt.

The King of the Neapolitan snacks is the tarallo ‘nzogn e pepe (in Neapolitan dialect).  Some of the traditional tarallifici, where taralli are baked daily are in the Sanità neighborhood, but the tarallo was probably invented in the densely populated area of the Port of Naples in the 18th century. Due to poverty, bakers were mixing the leftover bread and dough with lard (“nzogna” in Neapolitan) and pepper.
In the past, taralli were sold by the “tarallari”, a man or a woman walking along the waterfront of Naples with baskets filled with warm taralli for people strolling along the coast.

 

 

 
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Art in the Art

 

From the murals and the masterpieces within Naples’ stunning museums to the hidden workshops of the tireless Neapolitan craftspeople, this is what Jasmina creates while capturing art with her immediate glance.

 

Artists like Turner and Warhol have flocked to Naples’ from all over the world to experience its energy and depict its landscape in their works. More and more, there are international artists coming to Naples to paint Naples itself. When touring the historical center, it is not unlikely to see a new colorful work pop up just around the corner.

The features of our face are hardly more than gestures which force of habit made permanent. Nature, like the destruction of Pompeii, like the metamorphosis of a nymph into a tree, has arrested us in an accustomed movement. Marcel Proust

 

 

 

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A bustling and struggling humanity

 

Mark Twain during his Neapolitan stay in 1867 wrote: “It is Broadway repeated in every street, in every court, in every alley! Such masses, such throngs, such multitudes of hurrying, bustling, struggling humanity! We never saw the like of it, hardly even in New York, I think. There are seldom any sidewalks, and when there are, they are not often wide enough to pass a man on without caroming on him. So everybody walks in the street–and where the street is wide enough, carriages are forever dashing along. Why a thousand people are not run over and crippled every day is a mystery that no man can solve.”

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

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The vertical city

Naples is a vertical city and from its belly to its hills, two cities cohabit in harmonic chaos with elegance, deterioration, noise, and silence. The diametrical oppositional humanity lives under the same sun and breath of the same salty breeze.

 


Mr Giancarlo Maresca, Gran Maestro of the Guardian Knights of the Nine Doors

 

Everyone in this city follows the sun. In the summer, people from all neighborhoods flock to the seafront to get a chance to soak in the rays. Every corner will be covered with those looking for a relaxing moment of sunshine.

 

 

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Piety and superstition in the womb of Naples
The Fontanelle Cemetery

In this ancient quarry where tuff rock was extracted, the remains of 40,000 victims of epidemics -and not only- are displayed in a very artistic way.
Fontanelle is located at the bottom of the hill of Materdei, where once streams ran down to the valley (thus the name fontanelle, little fountains). Despite its 54,000 square feet, this cavity has a very intimate atmosphere due to the soft lighting and the warm affection that Neapolitans express to the “poor souls” who live here.
Candies, toys, plastic flowers, written messages, a soccer shield, next to bus tickets and coins to pay Charon for the journey to the other world, are offered to those “little beggar souls” as the tradition calls them. They implore a prayer in exchange for who knows? Maybe one of the generous legendary skulls will appear in a dream providing a couple of lucky numbers to be played at the lottery.

The use of the quarry as a cemetery has stopped, but piety, mercy, love, superstition and devotion go on.

 

Some might lament that I were cold,
As I, when this sweet day is gone,
Which my lost heart, too soon grown old,
Insults with this untimely moan;
They might lament—for I am one
Whom men love not,—and yet regret,
Unlike this day, which, when the sun
Shall on its stainless glory set,
Will linger, though enjoyed, like joy in memory yet.

-Percy Bysshe Shelley
(Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples)

A New Kind of Sospeso

Posted on by alice

In this covid19 era there is a new kind of giving added to the roster: paying for a stranger’s Covid test.
This initiative is supported by ‘SaDiSa, Diritti alla Salute’, ‘Fondazione Comunità di San Gennaro Onlus‘ and the Presidency of the 3rd Municipality of Napoli.

Though not a surprise that this Neapolitan world of subtle and anonymous generosity now includes a Covid test sospeso, the fact that it is happening in none other than the church of San Severo fuori le mura makes it even more unique.


Church of San Severo fuori le mura

This church is where the sculptor and resident Jago, has exhibited his haunting masterpiece called “Figlio Velato”.
Jago is just one of the superstars in via Vergini. Another hero of the neighborhood is Father Antonio Loffredo who collaborates with Ernesto and Giuseppe Albanese, founders of L’Altranapoli.


Giuseppe Albanese with architect and designer Riccardo Dalisi in one of the “houses” opened in the Sanità neighborhood

They’ve been integral in bringing significant alternatives for the children in the area with, among other things, the creation of the orchestra Sanitansamble, a football pitch on the roof of a church, a gym, a recording studio designed by architect Giuseppe Albanese on top of the graveyard of the church of San Severo fuori le mura.


The recording studio designed by architect Giuseppe Albanese

“This recording studio offers music and joy also to the people buried there” Father Antonio said, and now L’Altranapoli will be expanding its work to the Forcella neighborhood.

As the public health care is saturated with testing needs, many must turn to the private sector. However, the costs for many, especially in this economic climate, are quite prohibitive. This grass-roots group is one of the non-profits behind the idea of the “suspended” swab test which is putting Naples on the map, once again, for its generosity and altruistic spirit.

Alice: Fiorella, speaking of generosity, I’ve got to tell you about one of my first memories of Neapolitan hospitality. I was in Naples for a month researching for my thesis in a time before the debit card so my American ATM only worked at only certain banks. The machine wasn’t working at the branch at the intersection with Montesanto and the teller literally walked me to the next branch on Via Toledo, along the way offering me a coffee at a small bar along the way.
We got our coffee in the bustling café and then went up to the till to pay. The man quickly and effortlessly put his hand to stop me and paid the bill – around 1,000 lire – was paid. I was flustered and kept saying “grazie, grazie…ma perche’?”
Why would a stranger pay for my coffee? He explained that it was just what was done in Naples, especially for a “guest” and that it was “just a coffee”. This impressive instance of Neapolitan generosity is just one of many.
I later learned to be a gracious in offering as I was accepting coffee and also about the culture of “caffe (or pizza) sospeso”, just one of the examples of how Neapolitans have a way of taking care of each other. This concept of “sospeso” can be applied in “gifting” anything for a person you don’t know who might be in need. A friend of mine told me that at her salumeria people paid it forward for those who needed a sandwich. With dignity and no questions asked. This is the spirit of Naples.

Fiorella: Totally fabulous. Yes, we’ve mentioned this idea about the caffè sospeso. Apparently it began in the post-war 1950s with coffee and has been a tradition of “paying it forward” in Naples ever since. In recent years, we’ve seen many more bars and pizzerias place signs or posters for people to leave change for the “suspended” coffees or pizzas. Visitors and locals happily participated and this tradition had not changed, even in the pandemic. In fact, this idea of paying for a stranger has now taken on a new form.
In the darkest times of the first lockdown, Naples made the news with how people were leaving food for others hard-hit by the economy, often in the famous panaro (the basket lowered down from the balcony); both the gesture and the basket emblematic of the inventiveness of the city we love so much.


Church of Immacolata and San Vincenzo, now a Theatre in Sanità. Sculptures by Riccardo Dalisi


Giuseppe Albanese and Luigi Malcagni manager of Save the children Campania in the Cristallini House celebrating the installation Flag Down by Mariangela Levita

Sailing virtually in the Bay of Napoli

Posted on by alice

Let’s dream about going sailing virtually in the Bay of Napoli!
Maybe this immersion in the fabulous Bay of Naples will make us feel a sense of freedom by breathing in our blue sea air and visualizing the history that surrounds us.

We’ll start our trip from Posillipo which in Greek means “respite from suffering”. Posillipo was a seaside resort for the Roman patricians, who loved to come here (especially in the Imperial Age) to enjoy the beauty of the bay and the Greek culture. Pliny the Elder, Suetonius and Martial wrote about this fascinating area and it is said that Virgil wrote his Georgics in a villa in this corner of the Empire.

The glory of Posillipo declined with the fall of the Empire and again in the Middle Ages but the fascinating archaeological remains of its glorious times are still visible. In fact, many walls in opus reticulatum can be seen along the coast and under the water.
A theatre and an odeon–once part of Pollio’s estate–are still standing. The open-air theatre has been restored and in the summer houses a theatre festival. You can read more about Vedius Pollio in our post 5 fabulous things to do in Naples.


Odeon

The romantic ruins of the so-called Palazzo degli Spiriti represented in many engravings and paintings now stand amongst boats of fisherman, families, and “scugnizzi” (boisterous youth from Naples) that populate its surrounding cliffs in the hot summer months. Most of the Roman ruins have been integrated into modern private buildings or fancy condos and also restaurants like the renowned Cicciotto.


Palazzo degli Spiriti

During our virtual sailing trip we approach the Borgo Marechiaro (borgo means small village). It was a fishing community with its church named Santa Maria del Faro, because it was built on the site of the ancient Roman lighthouse (“faro” means lighthouse).


Chiesa di Santa Maria del Faro

The 14th century church was renovated thanks to the Mazza family, nobles who owned properties in Marechiaro. In the 18th century architect Ferdinando Sanfelice remodelled this lovely church that still shows the Mazza coat of arms of 2 crossed sticks.


Façade of the Church Santa Maria del Faro

The Gaiola and Trentaremi incorporate relevant sections of the Pausilypon Villa, the vast estate belonging to Vedio Pollio of whom Palazzo degli Spiriti was probably a nymphaeum. Augustus inherited it after Vedio Pollio’s death in 15 BC. What an imperial property! In an incredible setting beteween Vesuvius and the island of Capri, Pausilypon was a typical example of a otium (leisured culture) villa where one could enjoy nature, peace, reading and meditation.

The Gaiola most likely gets its name from caveola, due to the many caves still visible in the yellow tufa stone which is soft and easy to erode.
The school of Virgil was located here as well as a temple dedicated to Venus, whose name Euplea was attributed to the still existing islet, on top of which stands an abandoned villa.
The villa belonged to some of the wealthiest people in the world, amongst them Agnelli and Paul Getty. Due to a sad destiny, non of these modern-day patricians enjoyed this enchanting property because of tragic events that fell upon their lives.

Today the Gaiola is a protected area, because on the sea bed it is possible to identify fish-ponds, docks and arcaheological remains of the Villa Pausilypon which is now under the sea level due to bradyseism (the gradual lifting or falling of the Earth’s surface due to volcanic activity). Infact, this volocanic phenomenon affects the coastline from Posillipo to Bagnoli and all the way to the pictoresque town of Pozzuoli, the ancient port of Rome.
In the 17th century Posillipo experienced a renaissance, once again becoming the chosen location for the aristocrats who “recycled” entire sections of Roman architecture as building materials or foundations for their fabulous residences.
In the 18th and 19th century this enchanting area started to be very popular also amongst artists. Many artists, also from other European countries loved to spend their time in this corner of paradise; painting outdoors and studying the light and colours of the South. The School of Posillipo, indeed, was started by the Dutch A. S. Pitloo in 1824, anticipatiing the much more well-known French Impressionism.


Anton Sminck Pitloo, The Grove of Francavilla at the Chiatamone

It was in the 19th century that many more private villas and the public street to connect Posillipo to the centre of Naples were built. Luckily a decree by King Gioaquin Murat protected the coast from construction facing the sea.
This is why looking at Naples from the sea is always a fabulous experience. It is a totally different prespective from the lively and bustling historical centre. Posillipo is another thing that sets Naples apart: where else can you rediscover gardens, beautiful ancient villas, citrus and pine trees, and also vineyards to in such a densely populated city?

Gaiola draws many people year round to canoe and kayak-who could resist a jump in the turquoise waters to cool off?

After a nice swim, let’s get back in our ecologically-friendly virtual sailboat to head to Castel dell’Ovo.


Castel dell’Ovo and Borgo Marinari

With its impressive walls in yellow tufa, the castle is said to get its name from its elliptical, oval shape or from the legend telling that Virgil had deposited an egg in its foundation. This icon of Naples stands on the islet of Megaride. Here the Greek settlment of Partenope was established between the 8th and 7th century BC in this already inhabited spot of the Bay. The story of Megaride is very stratified as in the 1st centry BC the Roman patrician Lucius Licinius Lucullus, famous for his palate, built his villa on this site. Some elements of the villa are still visible even if at the end of the 5th century a Basilian monastery was erected where the villa once stood. From the 12th century onwards, this castle which was modernalised by the lineage of kings of Naples, has continued to dominate the islet, today surrounded by bustling restaurants and cafes.

We must end our virtual tour with an aperitivo of traditional taralli and a beer at one of the kiosks lining the seafront as we watch the sun set upon our beloved city. In the past taralli were sold by the “tarallaro”, a man or a woman selling their basket-filled treats to people stolling along the coast, just as we are doing today.
The tarallo was probably invented in the 18th century in the populated area of the Port of Naples. Due to rampant poverty, bakers were mixing the leftover bread and pasta dough with lard (“nzogna” in Neapolitan) and pepper. They would make two little strips and then twist them to then form into a doughnut shape which would be baked along with their bread. At the beginning of the 19th century the “’nzogna e pepe” (lard and pepper) tarallo would be enhanced with almonds. This recipe has remained the same until today. Taralli have to be eaten when warm in order to appreciate their perfect consistency and fragrance. Aren’t you eager to taste them? If so, ask us for the recipe and we’ll send it to you!

A fabulous day on Ischia

Posted on by alice

We want to share with you the fabulousness of a day we spent on the Green Island at the end of October. The weather was splendid and everywhere we went we were treated so warmly.
Ischia is full of hidden gems and populated by lovely people who take the time to say hello and tell you about their home. There are so many things to explore, food to eat and sites to visit, but our favourites are the highlights of our custom tour: Villa Arbusto, the enchanting visit of Giardino Mediterraneo, the agriturismo in Punta Chiarito and the walk to the exceptional hotel Mezzatorre.
Ischia is often known to be a great destination for thermal baths which is, of course, f a b u l o u s but there is so much more.
Inhabited since the Bronze Age, the island has a rich history for visitors to enjoy and many sites to explore such as the Aragonese Castle, the churches of Santa Restituta and Soccorso the Mortella Gardens as well as many other natural spots for hiking and taking in view of the island.

It was very hard to choose but we decided to do the first stop at our beloved archaeological museum in Villa Arbusto.

We love this eight room museum beacause of its panoramic position. It overlooks the bay and the town of Lacco Ameno and faces the promontory of Monte Vico, once the acropolis of Pithecusae which is the ancient name of Ischia.

Villa Arbusto was built in 1785 by the Duke of Atri, Carlo d’Acquaviva. The last owner was the publisher Angelo Rizzoli who bought the estate in 1952. The principal archaeological section of the museum was inaugurated in 1999 with a section dedicated to Rizzoli and his strong connection to Ischia opening in 2000.
Villa Arbusto displays the archaeological finds of Pithechusae, the oldest Greek settlment in VIII BC on the coast of Southern Italy until Roman times. Terracotta and bronze objects from necropolis, adorable donkies in clay and vases testifiy to the trade vocation of the island. Votive objects from the Temple of the Nymphes in Nitroidi celebrate the cult of the nymphes and their terapeutic water which continues to be lauded on the Green Island.
The most prestigious artifact in the museum is the 8th century BC clay cup from Rhodes known as coppa di Nestore (Nestor’s cup) because of the epigram engraved on it saying “I am the beautiful cup of Nestore, the one who will drink from this cup will be immediatly enraptured by the desire of the beautifully crowned Aphrodite.”
The three verses referring to the Nestor’s cup described in the Iliad, are one of the oldest examples of written Greek and the oldest example of poetry in original writing.
A walk in the garden to admire the stunning view, surrounded by the Mediterranean flora of olive and pine trees, laurel, pomegranates, oleanders make the visit to this museum ever-marvellous.

Alice: Yes! Pure poetry. Can we talk about another magical place with a splendid view? Giardino Mediterraneo. Incredible.

Visiting the wine cellars from 1800 was charming but the high point was taking the “elevator” through the garden to the top for the view of Procida and even Capri on a clear day.


Fiorella: And when we got to the top, our gracious host gave us the most delicious homemade chocolate hazelnut torrrone desert and, of course wine.

Alice: I cannot wait to return to try their food! Such a chic and simple place to enjoy a meal or aperitivo



.
Driving along the winding roads of the largest of the islands off the coast of our beloved Naples there are vineyards and sumptuous gardens immersed in the rich greens surrounding Mount Epomeo.

Along the roads are plenty of restaurants where you can taste local pastries, unique dishes, wines and liquors while chatting with locals.
Fiorella: I loved where we ended up having lunch in that incredible agriturismo overlooking Sorgeto beach with the best eggplant parmesan I’ve ever had!

Alice: Punta Chiarito was incredible.

Yet another view to take in and savour. The people were so welcoming and even gave us a tour of the garden where they were harvesting their olives. I loved that the vegetables we ate and wine we drank were all grown there! Would be a great place to stay the night to also take in the thermal baths at the adjacent hotel.

Speaking of hotels, I’m so glad we got to check on Mezzatorre.

It’s a hidden, romantic place overlooking a private emerald-water bay.

The 16th century watchtower was home to the movie director Luchino Visconti and now provides joy to his guests with a spa, pools, terraces and a restaurant for the highest level of luxury.
What a great place to spend the day!

caffè freddo, please!

Posted on by alice

Alice: Fiorella, I’m craving a fabulous coffee in the shade. Is it possible?
Fiorella: Bar Marino! Not trendy at all, but Salvatore makes an excellent, strong coffee and we can sit in the shade of Porta San Gennaro, the oldest door of the city.
Alice: I love Bar Marino. It’s just enough out of the bustle of the crowds and it a perfect postcard of a typical Neapolitan street scene. But it’s hot, it’s so hot… I don’t think I can manage to drink a hot espresso.
Fiorella: You can get a caffè freddo! It’s a perfect Neapolitan drink for the summer. Forget about Frapuccinos. It is just cold, iced espresso with sugar. Perfect for the nearly 100 degree heat. And Bar Marino has such a nice breeze under the arch of the great door of the city.
Alice: Yes, please!
In Naples coffee is the great connector. Wherever you go, in any situation, you’ll share a coffee. In tragedy, happiness, stress, in everyday life, there will be coffee. You can have it delivered anywhere -even just one coffee and even to my apartment with a five floor walk up. Most people have their favourite bar to start their day and Bar Marino is one of the places that carries on the Neapolitan tradition where the coffee is good, strong and served hot (or cold, if you prefer). Architects, teachers, tourists, students, artists and plumbers all crowd around the chrome of this old school establishment.
This not-so-swanky bar sits in front of one of the most historical pizzerias in Naples -Pizzeria Capasso- with the original marble doorway where many people have passed through, including the cast members of the acclaimed show “Gommorra”. Some of the staff were even featured in the series.
At the foot of Porta San Gennaro, which tells the story of the old Naples, the passing scooters, prams and groups of chattering people set the scene below.
Fiorella: If all the tables are occupied it might happen that an old lady with bags of food for Sunday lunch asks you to share the table with you… it doesn’t mean you have to have a conversation, it is only the fabulous Neapolitan humanity and friendly attitude.

Porta San Gennaro is the oldest gate of Naples, already documented in the 10th century. It was the only entrance in the city from the North, where the hill of Capodimonte and the catacombs of San Gennaro are…hence why it’s called Porta San Gennaro.
It was also known as the tufo gate because through it the tufa stones from the quarries of the Sanità entered the town.
It was originally next to the fabulous Baroque church of Gesù delle Monache (enter the church to admire the airy stuccoes by Lorenzo Vaccaro and Troise!!!). In 1537 because of the expansion of the walls under Don Pedro de Toledo Porta San Gennaro was moved to the nearby via Foria, it’s current location.
After the horrendous plague of 1656, Mattia Preti was commisioned to do the fresco including the Saints of Gennaro, Rosalia and Francesco Saverio imploring the end of the epidemic. The marble statue in front of the fresco represents San Gennaro and St Michele. Three years later the bust of San Gaetano was added inside the gate on specific request of the Theatini.
The niche with the Virgin surrounded by silver ex votoes was placed under the arch in 1887 in memory of the cholera outbreak in 1884 and is still worshipped by the locals.

Walking Naples. Craftsmenship, art and food

Posted on by alice

Alice: Hey, Fiorella! Do you know what one of my absolute favourite things to do in Naples is?
Fiorella: Does it involve food and walking in the side streets of ancient Naples?
Alice: Of course it does, you know me so well. One of the best things about Naples is going food shopping and preparing local dishes with the absolute freshest local ingredients. And while I’m checking out the best produce, fish, bread, and vegetable stands in the historical centre, I love taking in the beautiful streets of this fabulous city and its local artisans. Here I feel that there is always a vicolo to be explored, a conversation to be had. Don’t you love those bodegas where time just seems to have stood still?
Fiorella: Naples is a place where people use their hands a lot, not only to gesticulate (body language is so Neapolitan!) but to create crafted items and to work any type of material from terracotta to metal, from cloth to food! And what is amazing to me is to see them at work literally in the street as it used to happen in small villages decades ago.
Take for example Talarico. This store and small factory has been operating since 1860 and after five generations it still makes some of the most artistic and resistant umbrellas I’ve ever used.

It is a great experience to visit the tiny workshop in vico Due Porte a Toledo where you can see the small worn out wooden desk where umbrellas for internationally known people have been custom made.

Let’s stop by and have a chat with lovely and enthusiastic Mario, junior.

Alice: Sure! I have to thank him! Last year that umbrella saved me with all the terrible weather we had. Today I saw someone in the street with my same Talarico umbrella and we both looked at each other as if to say: we know, this is a fabulous umbrella. What I love about this shop is that you can take your time looking at all the different kinds of umbrellas and Mario is always proud to tell you about the history of his family that I am never tired of hearing.
One of his ancestors was a painter of the Royals, another member of the family a violinist at the San Carlo Opera House, then umbrellas became the frontrunner in the current chapter of the family history.
Fiorella: He talks while both smiling and working on a new piece, but always finds a moment to open a box or a drawer to show you 100 years old handles and knobs in silver, crafted wood or ivory or the silks and fabrics hand painted for a custom made umbrella.

We like these fabulous local spots. While in the Spanish Quarters we have got to stop by the little croissant factory just a few vicoli away from Talarico. Handmade delicious cornetti filled with custard cream and black cherry that just melt in your mouth.

Alice: That would be one of the best starts to a morning of sightseeing and food shopping. Cornetto alla crema, per favore! And the guys of the laboratory are also so nice.


After a cornetto and a coffee we are ready to start again and go shopping at Pignasecca, a must see on our food tours to taste some of the best mozzarella and cheese at our favourite grocery store or fried fish at the Pescheria Azzurra.

A mandatory stop for the ones who like tripe is Fiorenzano. We are not so keen about tripe, but tripe-experts say this is one of the best tripperie in the city (the other Kingdom of Tripe is the Tripperia O’ Russ near Piazza Carlo III).

The Tripperia Fiorenzano is also a Trattoria (family run restaurant) named le Zendraglie. The word zandraglia or zendraglia most likely derives from the French word ‘les entrailles’ which was yelled by the servants of the court when they threw the remainder of the King’s dinner from Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino) to the people down below.
Common women would crowd beneath the castle to collect the food scraps, thus taking on the name zandraglie.
The word zandraglia in Neapolitan is quite offensive because it means a sloppy, vulgar, noisy and dirty woman but don’t let the name put you off-if you like tripe then you’ll love this spot!

While walking in Pignasecca and buying some food for a late lunch we will definitely end up in piazza Santa Maria la Nova, which is such a special piazza.
Fiorella: I love the cloisters of Santa Maria La Nova.

The small one in particular is a fabulous hidden spot.

The monastery of Santa Maria La Nova was founded following the wishes of King Charles I of Anjou but the complex was reconstructed by G. Cola di Franco (1596-99) and included two cloisters.
The Grand Cloister, today the seat of the Provincial Council of Naples, is named San Francesco after a long since lost series of frescoes dedicated to the saint.
The light invades the lawns and reflects onto the arcade supported by white marble pillars and the Small Cloister opens like a precious box in front of your very eyes, revealing the many images which all refer to St. Giacomo della Marca. The series of frescoes attributed to A. de Lione and assistants (1627-28), opens with a scene of San Giacomo in the womb before his birth. In the frescoes he is reassuring his mother, urging her not to be frightened of thieves. The life of the saint is told over nineteen scenes, each very elaborate.
Four gates give access to the centre of the small garden where the well is found. This fabulous Franciscan cloister is further enriched by the tombstones and funeral monuments of the illustrious members from the Court of Aragon.

Alice: This is also near a place where I buy the best produce. Let’s go to get some tomatoes, olives and capers to make linguine alla puttanesca.

Apart from fresh produce, the best thing about this place is the father and son duo. The father runs the shop and the son makes hand-woven goods. Did you see those baskets? Of course I had to buy one for myself but I’ve been noticing them all around Naples. He’s a self-taught artist who is carrying on the old tradition of basket weaving. All while working right on the street like in old times.

Fiorella: In Naples you can discover things like this and realize how people invent their job every day.
After a fabulous walk in the many wombs of bella Napoli it is time to go home to cook our linguine. Pasta alla Puttanesca, in Neapolitan aulive e chiappariell (olive and capers) is one of the easiest-but no less fabulous-pasta to prepare. We would like to share our recipe with you.
There are a number of stories about the origins of this zesty sauce, the raciest being that a puttana, or Lady of the Night, could cook it in the time it took her to take care of a client, and then enjoy it afterward while recovering from her exertions. Whatever the story, it is good and a classic here in Naples.
Do you want to know how we make it?

Serves four: once you cook it, invite a couple of friends as we always do!
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup pitted black olives,
sliced 4 boned anchovy fillets
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons extra vergin olive oil
1 tablespoon rinsed salted capers
Three or four ripe plum tomatoes, finely sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
A pound pack of linguine (or spaghetti) preferably from Gragnano

PREPARATION:
Chop the garlic and sauté it in the oil with the anchovies, stirring the mixture about to break up the anchovies.
When the garlic is lightly browned, add the olives, capers, and tomatoes. Check seasoning to taste.
Simmer the sauce for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Make sure you salt the water first! Stir the sauce into the pasta after it has been drained and serve with a nice glass of wine.
White? Go for a Fiano di Avellino, a Falanghina dei Campi Flegrei or a Coda di Volpe
Red? Aglianico del Taburno, Falerno del Massico or Piedirosso
The end of a fabulous walking tour of our ever-beloved Naples.

Follow the red thread in the Royal Palace

Posted on by alice

The hanging garden of the Royal Palace has been reopened to the public after a long restoration last November.

The Japanese artist Uemon Ikeda (residing in Rome), along with 12 students from the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples, has installed  An Enchanted Garden to the East of the Sun in occcasion of the garden’s reopening. The red wool and silk thread that leads from the courtyard of the Palace through the fabulous marble staircase and the rooms of the Royal Apartment is still present.

   

 

 

We can follow it along the halls displaying the famous and delicate tapestries from the Royal Factory of Naples, the amazing rococò stuccoes decorating some of the ceilings, furniture, paintings and the fabulous doors of the royals.

The thread weaves a connection among art, arhitecture, the flora of the garden and of course the enchanting view of the Bay.

 

 

 

After a tour of the Royal Apartment a coffee at the Gambrinus cafè is mandatory. This 19th c. historical caffetteria is at the corner of via Chiaia and Piazza Plebiscito, in front of the San Carlo Opera House.

Neapolitans stand by the counter to sip the espresso surrunded by the original Liberty Style stuccoes, paintings and decorations.

 

Three fabulous doorways

Posted on by alice

Fiorella: Sometimes I walk in the same streets where I have been so many times and I still appreciate the fabulous details. All the staircases, balconies, walls or portals that you can only find here. Other times I am horrified by illegal remodels or additions.

Alice: Any street that you walk on holds so many surprises. I really love the Neapolitan portals. When I came here many years ago I would get lost looking at the details of seemingly hidden places that had so many stories to tell. There are innumerable incredible doorways in Naples that it is very hard to choose which ones I love most. Let’s try to pick two or three of them.

In a shabby but charming corner of our fabulous Naples Antonio Penne, the secretary of King Ladislao di Durazzo built his palazzo in 1406. Some ashlars of the façade are sculpted with the French lily, symbol of the Royal family, some others show feathers. Penna in Italian means plume, feather so the symbol refers to the name of the family and the role of Antonio Penna as the King’s Secretary. The façade is a mix of central Italian and Catalan style with its depressed arch.

Among the centuries the building was owned by different noblemen, an ecclesiastic order and a volcanologist. More recently it has been purchased by the Regione Campania.

 

What make this building (who desperetly needs restoration) fabulous is the sober, geometric façade. It shows some unexpected symbols and the inscription above the portal carved in what looks like a marble ribbon is especially of note. It is an epigramm by the poet Marziale «QUI DUCIS VULTUS NEC ASPICIS ISTA LIBENTER OMNIBUS INVIDEAS IN-VIDE NEMO TIBI» You who grimace, you poisonous who does not read gladly these verses. May you be jealous of everyone and may no one be of you.  Antonio Penna uses Marziale’s verse to tell passers-by that he knows his beautiful home can generate envy, but envious people are stupid fools to be ignored…

For an unknown reason some unique Neapolitans put ceramic tiles with a similar meaning outside their bassi (street level homes) or shops and, in addition, a horn of good luck. However, facade of their buildings are not so classy though the sentiment still prevails that others can still envy their status. Not so fabulous, but…

Alice: Speaking of fabulous, I would definetly mention the doorway of Palazzo Zevallos.

Fiorella: I am with you darling… In via Toledo at n.185 stands the impressive façade of the 17th c. Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano, commissioned by the Spanish merchant Giovanni Zevallos to Bartolomeo Picchiatti.

Alice: His son Francesco Antonio was an archaeologist, antiquarian and architect and had renovated the church of the Pio Monte della Misericordia. They had good genes!

Fiorella: This is a Palazzo where I always go to admire the very interesting collection of paintings and sculptures, with some emblematic 19th c. examples and of course the indisputed star of the museum, the Martyrdom of Saint Ursula which is known to be the last work by Caravaggio. The palazzo itself is a work of art, but let’s focus only to the portal that impresses all the passers-by.

Zevallos commissioned the building and when he died from the horrendus plague in 1656 his heirs sold it to his financier agent Jan Vandeneynden. Vandeneynden was a merchant and an art dealer. He was close to Flemish artists and restless collectors such as Gaspare Roomer. Thus Palazzo Zevallos housed amazing artworks for two generations of the Vandeneynden family. One of Jan V.’s granddaughters married a Colonna prince of Stigliano thus continuing the amazing role of the residence as a house museum under the Colonna di Stigliano.

The fabulous doorway shows the coat of arms of the Colonna di Stigliano family which had displayed in the residence works by Luca Giordano, Titian, Anton Van Dyck, Poussin and many others and hosted musicians such as Farinelli, Scarlatti and Pergolesi. In the 1830ies one of the Colonna sold the 1st floor to the banker Carlo Forquet who redecorated it with the stuccoes and frescoes that we can still appreciate. By the 1920ies the Banca Commerciale had bought the whole building and run a quite theatrical Art Nouveau renovation of the courtyards and the internal loggias. In 2007 the Palazzo became a museum housing a permanent art collection well displayed in this fabulous architectural framework.

The majestic portal opens these wonders and memories to visitors. It is impressive with its geometric and at the same time eccentric pillars in marble and piperno. They are decorated with diamond-shaped elements and end with two vases. A rich garland and curls in white marble support the crowned coat of arms.

 

There are many other portals which deserve to be mentioned, but in talking about geometry, ashlars and diamond-shaped elements we cannot forget a walk we did in the side streets of Quartiere Sanità. Here we noticed many bizarre balconies and doorways.

One of them-not the craziest-perhaps has the ambition of recalling the façade of Gesù church or the pillars on the sides of Palazzo Zevallos’ portal. Who knows…these are only some of the mysteries of our fabulous city

                            
pillar of Palazzo Zevallos’ portal 
detail of the façade of the Church of Gesù.
Picture by Raffaele Lello Mastroianni