Hi,
My husband and I were planning to go to Italy in October. I read about the garbage situation in Naples and it sounds beyond horrible. The paper said that they tested the buffalo cheese and found dioxins. Do you think it will be better by October?? How do I know if it will be safe and what is ok to eat? We were really looking forward to the pizza. Thank you for any advice.

You'd have to eat a ton of mozzerella, literally, to be affected. Don't worry about it.

As for the garbage, you're probably going to see uncollected garbage! How much in October, nobody knows. Those of us who have been traveling to Napoli long before the garbage "crisis" have always been struck by how much garbage gets left uncollected, and how much litter seems to occupy every inch of public space. We've been asking "What's with all the garbage in Napoli?" for quite some time.

Silvio Berlusconi promised to end the "crisis" and get rid of all the garbage by the end of the month -- and in reality, central Napoli will see most of its garbage removed, certainly by October. It's outside of town, on the periphery, where you'll never be, that will be the real challenge.

My advice to you is, unless you want to base yourselves in the most atmospheric, teeming part of the central city, just pick a nice hotel, well recommended on Tripadvisor, in the stylish shopping district, where all Neopolitans ahve a real stake in putting the best foot forward for the city.

I live in Italy, and Napoli is perhaps the single most fascinating city in the country, and it is stuffed with treasures. In fact, my husband and I were planning to take a jaunt to the Dolomiti shortly, and until we both said: "Woudln't we rather go to Napoli again?" And we've changed our plans, this time to include Ischia as well.

Have a great time and enjoy all that pizza -- with bufala.

I've said this before here, but I will say it once more: I was in Naples in May and saw ONE overflowing garbage bin in the center city. There may be a crisis but for the most part it is in areas that tourists do not usually frequent.

I would not hesitate for one second about eating mozzarella, or anything else in Naples. The food is fantastic! If you are from the US, have you given up tomatoes? Or spinach? Just go..and enjoy!

OK, I'm going to get it for this, but I was in Naples in May and saw lots and lots of garbage piled up. However, the garbage was not my least favorite thing in Naples. Didn't like the city at all. My opinion, remember.

Now where is this upscale shopping area? We walked for miles in Naples and saw a lot of uninteresting and lower income shopping areas. IF I go back, where is the nice, upscale area with its best foot forward? I am serious in asking this question.

I was in Naples three weeks ago and I didn't see any garbage problems whatsoever in the historic center or in the surroundings of Via Toledo, Piazza del Plebiscito or Via Chiaia. However, while I was on Procida I did see there was a bit of a garbage problem and I even heard a guy said that there were "mountains" of garbage in Pozzuoli.

I had buffala mozzarella and fior di latte more than once in Naples and Procida and nothing has happened to me yet.

I do agree that shopping in Naples was very disappointing. My bookguide states that Naples is the capital of shopping in Southern Italy but I also thought that most shops were uninteresting and of questionable quality.

In my opinion, Naples can't be defined as beautiful, but it sure is an interesting city and an example of the many "faces" of Italy.

via calabritto is the single street with most designer label shops, but much of the area of Riviera di Chiaia, by the bay, is overall upscale.

Some witty pix (not by me):

http://www.napolifoto.com/pagENchiaia.html

http://www.napolifoto.com/pagENcalabritto.html

Best ties for men in the world?

http://mfanblog.blogspot.com/2007/03...marinella.html

Napoli's galleria doesn't have the draw of Milano's, but it's not for lack of trying

http://www.artresortgalleriaumberto.it/

http://www.revver.com/video/129297/n...ria-umberto-i/

I detested Naples and have no desire to go back. I stayed with a friend, who lived there, and also spoke fluent Italian. We went all over Naples. I've been to other parts of Italy, over the years, and liked all except Naples and Rome. Happy Travels!

I wasn't that taken with Naples either, but not because of the garbage - it could use lots of power washing to get rid of the grime and the graffiti. And the traffic is horrible. I saw more garbage in May than April, but it still wasn't anything to get excited about. The area up on the hill was cleaner and quieter, and I even found a pedestrian street up there. But there are a number of sights worth seeing, and I wouldn't say I'd never go back.

IMO, the garbage problem in Naples is without solution at least until in next year it will be working the big "burner" (maybe the wrong word, sorry).
Anyway, it is the truth that in the center of the town there is less garbage than in the peripheral zones.
Anyway, Italy is so full of lovely places . . . .



Vincenzo

Just returned from Amalfi Coast on Tuesday. We flew to Napoli and stayed 1 night ... rubbish everywhere ... hard to beleive this is possible in Italy ... sorry ... however Amalfi Coast and the area is absolutely stunning!

Today the govern will have the third meeting in Naples, in order to discuss about the garbage crisis. Berlusconi has mobilized the army to clean the city and protect the garbage dumps in Chiaiano and Marano (two villages nearby Naples). Naples has changed its face in the last weeks and by October the emercency will be over. By the way, a part from the garbage crisis, I'd suggest you to go to the Cilento Coast (Capaccio Scalo [SA]) if you want to taste the best buffalo mozzarella ever!

http://www.vannulo.it/index-1.html
AZIENDA AGRICOLA BIOLOGICA ANTONIO PALMIERI
Caseificio Vannulo®

and for the best Neapolitan pizza go to:

L'antica Pizzeria "da Michele"

Napoli - Via Cesare Sersale, 1/3
(angolo Via P. Colletta)
Tel. 0815539204

Don't worry...it's totally safe! ;-)

I was in Naples 4 weeks ago and didn't notice any rubbish. If you want to stay in a smart area with posh shops, away from the centre, there is Chiaia as already mentioned and also Vomero. But I much prefer to stay in the historic centre and be right in the middle of things. We stayed there for a week 2 years ago, loved it and would love to go for another week some time.

I'm a bit confused by your original post, though - you say you were planning to go to Italy, then expressed your worries about Naples. Were you planning specifically to stay in Naples ? If not, just don't go to Naples if you're worried about it - there are plenty of other places in Italy !

The shopping area around our hotel on Via Alabardieri in Chiaia was very upscale-- Armani, Prada, Eddy Monetti, and local names as well. But as Zeppole mentioned, that is not the only upscale shopping area.

The local news tonight announced (with before-after film footage) that the crisis has been solved and the streets are clean.

Thank you for the update! My husband and I will be in Naples in November with my parents and sister. I was hoping the garbage crisis would have eased some by then

Our goal in visiting Naples was to see the historic center and the Archaeological Museum. We stayed in the historic center, but were only there for a day and a half. Which was more than enough for me. But I wouldn't be comfortable in recommending that area. If I do go back, I would pick a more upscale area.

hi, burntumber,

i reckon Naples gets the fodorites going more than any town in Italy, or even europe.

we went 30+ years ago, and it doesn't sound as if it has changed much - fascinating, dirty, and scary.

my italian teacher told us of a time he was driving through Naples and got lost and was struggling with a map- the driver next to them in the traffic opened his door and came over and they thought they were going to be robbed [yes italians are scared in naples too] but instead he offered to guide them to where they wanted to go!!!

we certainly did find a posh shopping area, as we have a picture of me standing in the middle of a beautiful glass-domed gallery.

it must have been between the station and the port, as we had taken the train from pompeii and then walked to the port to get the boat back to sorrento where we were staying. Unless they've pulled it down, I suppose it's still there.

i do remember the streets hung with washing, which in my naivety, I thought was colourful and romantic.

I'm sure you'll have a great time,

regards, ann

I didn't have the chance to check Riviera di Chiaia, but I did walked Via Scarlatti, Via Toledo, Corso and Galleria Umberto I and Via Chiaia and I only saw one shop in Spaccanapoli with very original and creative clothes.

So you didn't go to the parts of Napoli where there are original and creative clothes. So you from that you concluded they didn't exist there. And now you know better.

That's how people get to be original and creative. By not jumping to conclusions based on their limited, one-day experiences.

Like "annhig", I was in Naples over 30 years ago, and remember stories about how dirty it was back then! I didn't dislike the city, though, and actually remember some very beautiful areas.