Another walk along our now familiar route took us from the Hotel Palazzo Alabardieri, east on the pedestrian-only Via Chiaia and north on Via Toledo, and then west for about a block on Vico Giardinetti to our destination at #78A at the edge of the Spanish Quarter, Hosteria Toledo. This cozy two-level restaurant was close to empty when we entered, but before an hour had passed the first floor room where we were seated was full and hopeful diners were being turned away to the door or told to return in an hour. The diners were a mix of tourists and locals and the ratio changed to mostly locals as the night progressed.

The hosteria is run by a friendly couple; she waits on tables and he takes orders and supervises. The printed menu, supplemented by daily specials, reads like a greatest hits of Neopolitan classics.

For our last dinner of the week, we had:

Salad of mozzarella red peppers and tomatoes

Buccatini al forno.. long pasta baked with tomatoes and mozzarella (this was one of my partner’s favorite dishes of the week)

Sote di vongole..a very good rendition of one of my favorite dishes of the week (perhaps not as spectacular as the version I had enjoyed at A Paranza, but still excellent)

Paccheri Toledo..house special pasta consisting of thick wide tubes of cut pasta with mozzarella, peas, tomatoes and mushrooms. Cheesy goodness!

Eggplant Parmigiana..wonderful, wonderful!

With water and a bottle of house wine (unlabeled bottle), the bill totaled 55 euro.

Hosteria Toledo is a SlowFood eatery, closed Tuesday at dinnertime.


We walked back to the hotel. The next morning we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before checking out and leaving for the airport in a taxi about 10:30. The ride took us through Chiaia and Vomero and we were able to catch a few last glimpses of the Bay of Naples before heading out on the highway to Capodichino Airport. The ride to the airport took about 30 minutes, maybe less, on that Sunday morning. Although the taxi meter read 18 Euro, the driver claimed a price of 25 Euro due to the travel to the airport and the charge for the two suitcases. I had no doubt then, and I have little doubt now, that he was padding the charge by a few euro but we were in no mood to argue and had not checked the matter out beforehand. In any case, the hotel had quoted us a price of 40 euro for the trip to the airport with a private driver. (I suspect we could have managed to get a better price for this had we been interested).

Our Iberia flight took off just a few minutes late and, soon after 1pm we were aloft and looking down at our last glimpse of the city of Naples and its glorious harbor. We had been anxious about our short connection time (70 minutes) in Madrid but, as I said earlier, the Madrid airport is a marvel and we had transferred terminals and arrived at the departure gate for our JFK-bound flight in 30 minutes, leaving time left for some quick last minute browsing of the airport shops before boarding the aircraft.

And that is the story of our marvelous, unforgettable week on the Amalfi Coast and in the city of Naples. It will not be our last visit!


http://www.hotelfloridiana.it/


http://www.hotelpalazzoalabardieri.com/

ek, thanks for all the great information. I can't wait to be there in July!

Thanks so much, ekscrunchy!

I LOVED reading your report. (and it made me hungry!)

am counting the days till we leave for italy (only 29!!)

dina

Ditto to everything Dina said ! (Only 25 in our case !!)

I am glad to share the joy! I am so excited for you both to be on your way soon!

I just tripped upon your report and am enjoying it very much. I'm saving it in my notes for another trip to Italy. Thank you for all of your details and site addresses as they come in so handy. I try to look at places others have mentioned when I'm planning and I have never been disappointed with the recommendations given here. Thank you for taking the time to share your adventure.
Kim

Thanks eks ! Already planning the next trip after that, thanks to you ! Any idea yet where you will go next ?

Thank you to both of you!

Caroline, I gushed about the trip so much that two older friends of mine want to take a trip to Italy with me in September and we (I) are busily planning one to the Ligurian coast. Have you been there? As usual, I am up to my obsessive questioning on another thread with "Liguria" in the title..

Here is one more note: I thought that we had been overcharged when the taxi driver requested 25 Euro for the trip from our Naples hotel to the airport. But I just read in the Fodor's Naples/Amalfi Coast guidebook that that price falls into the expected range (20-25 Euro) The meter read only 18 Euro but there is a charge per bag, an extra charge for Sundays, and a supplement for airport drives.

Loved the report, I hope the next one turns out just as well...I am sure it will, your attitude will lead the way.

Hi eks. Lucky you. getting to gp twice this year ! No, I haven't been to the Ligurian region - so will look forward to your trip report of that ! Best regards, Caroline.

Eks -

Thanks again for all of the great detailed info on this report and others. We leave tomorrow for Italy and are taking many of your recommendations posted here. The way you describe food assures me that you mean business when it comes to a delightful meal.

Jami

To Ekscrunchy-I don't believe one word of your posting. I believe you stole a scipt from an old Erroll Flynn movie.

I mean "script", not "scipt"

But I am too dense to know what you mean..which film??
I can assure you that EF was nowhere within my sights although I did spot a number of Marcello M. types!!

I think it is the fabrics and tailoring of the clothing and the swagger..and they ALWAYS have good haircuts!

You know, the one in which he tours Europe with Linda Darnell, and visits all the exotic places we always dream about. Come on, you must have seen it!

Thanks for such a great report. I am going to Italy in October and will spend about 10 days in the Amalfi Coast area. It will be a return trip for me to this area,last visit in 2000. Looking forward to new adventures and places to see and eat. Thanks again. Tina

Thanks for the detailed report eks! Glad you had such a good trip. I just got back from my five weeks in Italy, and I was thinking on the plane that next time I go to Western Europe (if the dollar ever recovers, that is) I should really go back to France. But then I thought about spending more time on Capri, and that I didn't make it to Ischia, and now that I've read your report I know that I need to spend more time on the Amalfi Coast. I'll be keeping your suggested places in mind, thanks.

Tina and Thursday (welcome back!) I am glad to whet your appetties!! I certainly want to go back someday soon...I think Cetara would be a great base for a few days before perhaps moving on to Amalfi and then one of the islands....

Waldo..so what is the name of this film or are you putting me on?? Someone that I know claims to be EF's son!

I am so pleased to hear a positive review of Naples. I have been traveling there for almost 40 years to visit my in-laws who live on the Vomero. I agree it takes a certain mind-set to enjoy the city but if you can get into that mind-set it can be so rewarding.

Last year was the first time we had seen an abundance of paccheri on the menu and I brought some home with me. The label says the name has two origins. One is from the Greek "pan keir" which I am told means made by hand and the label indicates that of course paccheri must be made by hand because of its size and shape. The second origin of the name is due to the sound, "pac", the cooked pasta makes as it hits the bowl, a slapping sound. I don't know the truth but both stories are fun.

I will take this opportunity to add the name and address of a new favorite trattoria in Naples open only for lunch and very reasonable, about $20 for lunch for two. It was recommended in August 2007 by Mark Bittman in the Wednesday NYTimes Food section. Its called La Tavernetta and is located in Naples, near the harbor at 13/15 via Loggia di Genova, telephone 011-39-081-204435). The eggplant and pasta dish was fantastic. Everything is so inexpensive you can try lots of things.

Hi again Ekscrunchy, I enjoyed your Naples part of your trip report as much I as enjoyed the Amalfi part.

As some other people have stated, I'm glad to hear positive reviews about Naples. I was going to visit it in 2006 along with Capri but, after having read a few discouraging reviews, I ended up visiting only Capri.

I decided to visit it this year after having read trip reports like this one, but today my mother met a guy from Campobasso, Molise, and practically bombed her with warnings and told her to talked me out of going because, according to him, Naples is one of the most dangerous, unpleasent and unattractive cities in Italy.

Now my mother is all worried and concerned about my safety.

I'm staying for 5 nights at a B&B called Bellini 67 located on Piazza Bellini (I'm dedicating two days to explore the city and two days to daytrip to Pompeii and Caserta). Ekscrunchy, what was your general impression of Piazza Bellini besides the overflowing trash bin? Do you guys have any advice concerning this area?

My bookguide says: "... in the city center simply be aware, not wary".