After witnessing the easy-on-the-eye style of Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli last season, a trip to watch them in person should be on every Serie A traveller’s must-see list for 2017/18. Spearheaded by captain Marek Hamsik in the midfield – and a deadly attacking lineup of Lorenzo Insigne, Jose Callejon, Dries Mertens and Arkadiusz Milik – the Partenopei fired in 94 goals last term whilst delighting all who watched them at the same time.
Travelling to Italy’s most densely populated city can seem daunting to those who have never visited before, its streets always busy and full of noise. But here at the Sportsman we have you covered, with expert advice coming from Naples-born food writer Gino De Blasio, creator of The-Mouthful.com.
But before we go delving into the delights of Neapolitan pizza, we’ve sorted the practicalities of getting there. Budget airlines fly to Naples International Airport, including Jet2 from Manchester. This is of course situated outside of the city, but shuttle services run roughly every 20 minutes from the terminal into the central areas.
Depending on time of year, it may prove to be more economical to fly to Bologna airport with Ryanair or Easyjet and catch the high-speed Frecciarossa train down the country. This may take over 3 hours, but could save a considerable amount with fares starting from just €10.
Places to stay are plentiful with Hostelworld.com providing a good selection at a reasonable price. Centrally located B&B Miseria & Nobilita comes highly recommended, with prices for a single room starting at £47 per night. From this central area you can take a train or the metro line to Stazione Napoli Piazza Leopardi, less than a 10 minute walk from the stadium.
The area around the stadium is perfect for a bit of “Diego spotting”, the Napoli fans having left constant reminders of their hero Diego Maradona all around the area. There are obviously many of these shrines in the downtown areas, but this is probably best avoided in these dangerous locations.
Like so many others, the Stadio San Paolo underwent extensive renovations for the 1990 World Cup and has a running track that separates the fans from the action. It is now in serious need of further restoration, but none of this should detract from the exciting matchday action. Tickets are available online in advance via Listicket.com, or from one of the various official vendors in the city. It is not advisable to turn up on matchday without a ticket, and you always need your passport to gain entry into an Italian stadium.
In terms of eating and drinking, no trip to Naples would be complete without sampling its world-famous pizza. Here are the recommendations from Gino De Blasio.
Sorbillo. “Want to experience a real Neapolitan pizza but do it in style? Sorbillo is around the corner from the famous Cathedral where every September 19 they celebrate San Gennaro (St. Jannarius) and it’s the place to go. Wood fired pizza perfection that can suit all appetites. You may need to queue but it’s worth the wait.”
Bar Del Professore “Forget your Costa and tSarbucks, this is the business. Bar Del Professore in Piazza Trieste in the city centre near the gallery is where you should head to for the perfect coffee; with over 100 flavours to choose from and served faster than any UK coffee chain can.”
Sfogliatelle Antasio “In Vico Ferrovia there is arguably the best Neapolitan pastry going. A Sfogliatella (Sfoh-lee-ahh-te-lah) which is filo filled with creme patissiere and candied fruits. If you prefer your shortcrust variety ask for una Frolla.”
Pizzeria De Figliole “On Via Giudecca Vecchia there is a pizza place that does things a little differently, serving fried pizza. Well before Scotland got their hands on the idea, fried pizza was the norm in Naples in the early 1900's. They are light and fresh, President Bill Clinton ate there as well as a host of many Napoli players - Cassano definitely did!”
Not just content to point out perfect places to eat, Gino also shares his local insight for the best places to visit during your weekend football trip. “No matter the season, if it is dry, a long walk up the Lungomare to Mergellina should be done,” he says. “You pass parks and you will see Vesuvius with the water to your left. When you get to Mergellina, there’s lots to see and it’s then a cool walk back or there’s a bus to the centre.”
“Then, there’s the Catacombs of San Gennaro is in the northern part of the city. These are underground paleo-Christian burial sites and show how ancient Neapolitans used to live. Lastly, take a car or bus to Pozzuoli (If you don't want to go to Amalfi that is) and visit the thermal baths. You will eat the best fish of your life and enjoy a unique area of Naples that is still relatively unknown to Foreign travellers.”
In short, Naples is yet another city in Italy where you can combine a weekend of great football, food and places to visit for relatively little money. It’s a bit of a no-brainer really.
