Campania

The Case for Napoli

Posted on August 17, 2026 by Ziggy

Add me to the Napoli bandwagon. It only took me about 20 years. While post Covid revenge travelers continue to flock to Florence, Rome, Positano, Venice, and Cinque Terre, there’s no shortage of emptier gems all over the country. Many of which like Turin are arguably more pleasant to visit these days. I dare to say Napoli was more enjoyable than Rome last June.

The main reason Napoli is a lot more pleasant this time than 20 years ago is safety. As our guide of the Spanish Quarters, Sarita, told us, back then she wasnt even able to visit some of these parts as a local. The safety stigma is still alive and well even today. And while Napoli isnt as rich as the north, and still possesses some of that gritty energy you’d expect, its generally as safe as any large city in Italy.

The Pizza Capital

Lets get the obvious stuff out of the way. The birthplace of pizza has a unique pizza culture like nowhere else except maybe NYC. The comparison is another discussion. But once you start researching, it doesnt take long to realize that the city is obsessed with pizza like nowhere else in Italy. The bar is so high that its almost impossible to find bad pizza. We got a small taste which I covered here.

The Seafood

It was easy to eat pizza every day, and it was hard not to eat seafood every day. You have to take a break if you want to try the more traditional stuff like Pasta alla Genovese and Pasta con Patate e Provola. But to me the seafood is the second culinary reason to come. We still talk about the tuna carpaccio and grilled red tuna at A Taverna d’ ‘e Zoccole, loosely translates to Tavern of the whores. No, that’s not why I picked our top meal in Naples.

Location Location Location

One thing that struck me this time was the amount of interesting day trips available from Napoli. You may have a heard of places like Sorrento and Pompeii, but how many of you heard of the Royal Palace of Caserta (The Italian Versailles), and Procida which I already covered. These are not just something you can do if you have extra time, but attractions that rank up there with the best of them. The more famous Ischia is another destination most Americans never even heard of.

Monuments Galore

When I first visited Naples, roughly 20 years ago, all I remember is the grand Castles and the traffic. That’s the main reason it took me this long to come back. I dont even recall having pizza, and I’m not a huge fan of castles to begin with. But upon closer look, the city is not shy of world class monuments and landmarks like Galleria Umberto I, the Royal Palace, and the vastness one can see underground. The striking Sansevero Chapel and the veiled Christ alone worth staying for a few days.

The Maradona Culture

You hear about the connection, but you dont fully understand it until you stay for a while. While touring the Catacombs of San Gennaro, I jokingly asked the guide if Maradona was buried there among the many saints, and he replied “No, Maradona is not a saint. He’s a god”. The guy put the city on the global map far beyond Football, and you cant walk two minutes without a reminder of that. The Spanish Quarter is a good place to start to understand the obsession.

Neighborhood Diversity

If we played Family Feud, the answers to “Napoli – what’s the first thing that comes to mind”, would include dangerous, gritty, pizza, crazy drivers, mafia, dirty. Only one answer so far is a compliment. But things are very different these days. You may find that gritty energy I mentioned earlier in the older neighborhoods, but you’ll also find attractive modern neighborhoods like Vomero and parts of Chiaia. Though we never felt unsafe at the older areas like Rione Sanità, and Spanish Quarter. Staying on the east side of Chiaia would be my preferred location.

Hidden Gem in Plain Sight

Been to Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Rome, Positano, Capri lately? Wall to wall visitors, in many cases quite literally. So many simply use Naples as a transport hub, or overlook it entirely. That’s what still makes Naples feel more real and authentic. Its a perception issue that’s tough to shake off. Personally I have plenty of unfinished business, about 23 pizzerias to start.

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Three Gems in Forio (Ischia)

Posted on July 29, 2026 by Ziggy

After Amalfi Coast, Ischia felt like a totally different animal.  The herds are gone, Americans replaced by Dutch, and pizza replaced by rabbit, and more pizza.  It’s the vacation after vacation you didn’t know you needed when you booked the Amalfi Coast. In fact it didn’t take long for it to feel like a Caribbean island, starting with our Dominican shuttle driver.  

Food was a bit more hit and miss than I normally like, which feels like a trend lately. Not the best timing before our first trip to Lima. But we managed, and always end up finding some juicy nuggets. Other than our one meal in Procida, all our eating was in Forio since that’s where we stayed. Didnt feel the need to venture too far from the excellent Tenuta del Poggio Antico.

Montecorvo

While many do the pilgrimage to this old timer, it just happened to be a five minute walk from our our hotel. Walking more than 5 minutes on these roads reduces the chances of making it alive 1% for every minute. Montecorvo opened in 1983. The original owner passed away a few years ago, and son Nicola runs the place now. Easy to reserve the same day via Whatsup, including how many rabbits you will need. One was plenty for the four of us.

Just about every traditional place in Ischia serves the famous Coniglio all’ischitana (Ischia-style rabbit). And many offer it with Bucatini cooked with the braising sauce. The Bucatini here is indeed superb, but the Tagliatelle with wild boar is even better. The rabbit itself is stellar. Juicy, tender and flavor packed. Like Cacciatore on crack.

With that said, its recommended to start your meal at Montecorvo with the house antipasti that took me back to Puglia for the amount and quality. Wash it all down with a local Tommasone, Tenuta Monte Zunta, an exceptional red blend of mostly Piedirosso. Our favorite dinner in Forio.

La Tinaia

From the outside La Tinaia doesnt look like much, and inside it looks more like a tourist trap than a place that would make this list. But locals swear by it. Our trusted driver Antonio almost ran over someone from excitement when I told him about our lunch plans. Owned by the same family since 1988, with the original owner’s wife and four daughters running it today.

You cant go wrong with any of the pizzas. Light, thin, with just the right chew and char. But as good as the pizzas were, you absolutely need to save room for pasta and even dessert. A special of Spaghetti with olives, capers and seafood, sublime. A seemingly simple Lemon Pasta, of the baby angels singing variety. One of the best dishes of the trip. And one of those pistachio cheesecakes you still talk about days later. Exceptional value for Americans. Pound for pound, one of the best meals of the trip.

Pietratorcia 

Forget everything you know about winery dining. In Ischia they skew more rustic, and unpretentious. This is a small family producer, dishing out solid, homey, comfort food paired with their delicious whites. Hard to find Ischian wine in the US, so make it count.

Terrific eggplant parm, bean soup with mussels and clams. A fine Fusilli with zucchini cream and guanciale. More delicious rabbit of course, but in this case you dont need to order a day or hours in advance.

Not in Ischia Bonus: Ristorante da Maria alla Corricella (Procida)

This is on the sister island picture perfect Procida. Recommended by our trusted skipper that took us on a tour around Procida. Another place that looks like a tourist trap, but there were hardly any tourists here. In fact there was a table full of fishermen right next to us. I already wrote about this place here

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The Amalfi Coast Survival Guide

Posted on July 8, 2026 by Ziggy

Resistance is futile. If you look at my countless of posts on Italy, you’ll see that I’ve been resisting the Amalfi Coast for over 15 years. But just like everyone else, I eventually caved in. Family pressure and social media won, and the end result was actually great. I wonder though if this was all a mistake and visiting the area decades ago would have been the right move. More pleasant and a whole lot cheaper. But you can probably say the same about Tuscany, Venice, Sicily, Florence, etc etc.

Overtourism in Amalfi Coast is no joke. And it’s about to get worse with the release of “Positano” starring Matthew McConaughey and Zoe Saldaña sometime next year. It was actually filmed while we were there, mostly in Praiano, causing all kinds of havoc. But even without the movie, post covid revenge travel is alive and well.

With all that said, the Amalfi Coast still has its appeal, and not all hope is lost. Allow uncle Ziggy mitigate some of the pain.

Temper expectations

First things first. There’s a good chance that when you visit Positano, Amalfi, or Capri during the day, you’ll get Disney vibes you havent experiences in Italy before. Instead of the magical place you’ve seen on Tiktok, you are left channeling your inner Japanese train pusher. Unless you are actually staying in one of these towns, you’ll have a hard time avoiding the herds. Even in the shoulder seasons you need to know what to expect.

Stay in Praiano

Not that I stayed anywhere else to compare. Staying in Positano certainly has its advantages, and Sorrento is a good transport hub. But after visiting the most popular villages, we were very happy to return to Praiano every day. Its smack in the middle of the coast highlights, about 10-15 minutes from Positano, and 20 from Amalfi town. A sleepy village of around 2000 residents, with surprisingly excellent dining (more on that later, but if you cant wait, check out my report on Hungry Onion). Shopkeepers and employees here just seem happier and less stressed. And its a good starting point for the Path of the Gods hike.

The biggest issue is getting to other villages, even the close ones. There’s no ferry connection. The buses are not reliable and sometimes dont even stop. And taxis can be expensive. But since its not called Postiano, you’ll save on accommodations and meals. Take a look at Villa Il Frantoio / Lilmar. The views and breakfast alone worth considerations.

Mix in some Experiences

My task was to entertain a larger than usual group this time, and it didnt take long to realize that simply visiting the towns and all the highlights just wont do in this case. Whether its a cooking class in a farm, a boat tour, the spectacular Path of the Gods hike, or even something you’ve never done, like a photo shoot with Andrea and his red Fiats, its these typical Amalfi Coast experiences you’ll remember most.

Make sure to visit Ravello

Much of the focus in Amalfi Coast is on the more famous places like Positano, but I feel Ravello is its brightest, almost hidden Jewel. Not as easy to reach means you wont find similar hoards like Positano and Amalfi, and there’s just enough to see and do to make you wish you stayed longer. The streets, shops, the two grand villas, and the jaw dropping views from its elevated position, add up to a much more pleasant visit. The views will make you change plans and eat at a tourist trap like Hotel Villa Amore on purpose.

Try to pre-plan your transportation

If you think you can simply catch a taxi whenever, wherever you wish, think again. You may get lucky, but luck will come with an added cost. Desperate times will sometimes call for desperate measures. This is something I wasnt ready for, and we did have a local angel that helped us out during a few emergencies. Dont simply rely on the Sita bus as you’ll be hardly the only one. Look into other shuttles like Amico, and try to connect with a few local taxi drivers. Many of them use Whatsup. Our “Angel” was Lorenzo Mansi, a private driver that can also hook you up with local taxis. Highly recommend him.

Pair the coast with Ischia and/or Naples

Just about all the Americans we met in Amalfi Coast never even heard of Ischia. Compared to Amalfi Coast Ischia will feel like the vacation after vacation. The contrast is striking. And there’s a reason why I chose Procida, Ischia’s little sister island, as the first post. Its like Positano without the penis shaped Limoncello bottles and tourists. And Naples really surprised us with its diverse neighborhoods and monuments. Both compliment Amalfi Coast very well.

Slow down and smell the Lemons

Like, literally. Something tells me Amalfi Coast is like NYC in a sense that you will discover it only after your second or so visit. Staying in Praiano, and experiences like the cooking class I mentioned will certainly help with the FOMO of seeing every famous village and island. Or do what our trusted driver, Lorenzo told me. Stay in Minori, his home town, and check out the slower eastern half of the coast. A village like Cetara seems like another great food village.

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Napoli – Three Days, Three Pizzas

Posted on June 17, 2026 by Ziggy
50 Kalo

For decades I’ve been defending NYC pizza, and claiming NYC the pizza capital of the world. The argument speaks to our culture, and the diversity beyond NYC style, which is really a bastardized version of the Neapolitan. But mainly its the fact that you can find pretty decent Neapolitan these days in NYC.

What makes a good pizza city to me is the proximity to quality pizza from any corner of the city. In NYC you dont need to travel much no matter where you are. But in Naples, you are not just close to good pizza, you are literally surrounded by greatness that could crack the top 10 in NYC. But in order for me to pass the torch, I need to be adopted by a nice Neapolitan family. Now that I added gardening to the repertoire, I dont see how anyone would pass on this opportunity

Choosing pizza in Naples for first time tourists is like, well, choosing pizza in NYC. Except imagine if all the best pizzas were in one borough. There are roughly 1,000 pizzerias in Naples, and 8,000 when you include suburbs. That doesnt include regular restaurants, even seafood joints that serve pizza. The obsession with dough, availability of quality ingredients, and the local pizza culture, makes it very difficult to find subpar pizza in Naples.

What else did I learn.

Neapolitans generally dont eat their pizza with a fork and knife. I’ve been living a lie.

For “individual pies”, the pies were quite large. Two pies can easily feed three.

Compared to NYC, pizza is dirt cheap here. About a third of the price. So very easy to overorder.

Locals pair their pizzas with coke and beer. Even local legend Maradona enjoyed his pizza with coke. Wait, did I assume coke the beverage? 😉

Palazzo Petrucci Pizzeria

So where did we eat. I didnt choose any of the mega touristy legends like Da Michele, Sorbillo, Starita. Although I am intrigued by Da Michele and will probably try it next time. We were 7 people so places that take reservations took precedence, but I didnt budge on quality.

50 Kalo

A highly regarded gem by dough expert Ciro Salvo. Two locations, both near each other and out of the tourist zone, hence the only place where we were surrounded by locals. We chose the newer Piazza della Repubblica location since they take reservations. #12 in the recent best 50 pizza in the world list.

The pizzas were solid all around. Margherita and Diavola were pretty much what you expect from a place like this. Dough was light, airy and delicious, although I preferred a bit more of a bite in some parts. It was almost too soft. The Montanara (fried pizza, top pic) with its intense tomato sauce was a particular group fave which meant we ate Montanara every day in Naples.

Palazzo Petrucci Pizzeria 

Also on the Top 50 list and highly regarded by this guy and others, but sort of gets lost in the shuffle in Naples. Even with the prime tourist location its very easy to get a table or even reserve one. Owners also have a Michelin star restaurant, and the pizzeria has probably the best terrace/pizza quality combo in Naples. Second floor terrace overlooking the lovely Piazza San Domenico Maggiore with that pizza, priceless.

While the sauce of the Montanara here wasnt as intense as 50 Kalo’s, I’d still order it again. The EVA with smoked mozzarella was good, though some in the group found the smokiness weird (same weirdos people dont like Mezcal). The star however was the Diavola. This is one of the most respected Diavolas in the city but also one of the most elaborate, with spicy salami, sweet pepper cream, yellow tomato cream, orange zest, and sun dried pepper. I have a love hate relationship with hot honey, but the sweetness here works.

Pizzeria Attilio’s

If I have to pick one of the three, this is it. But I really liked all three for different reasons. Unlike the other two, Atillio felt like a real Pizzeria, not a restaurant. Its also more popular so requires careful planning. Best to come right before they open or risk waiting. Its in the middle of a vibrant street market in the Spanish qtr. Third generation Attilio, same name as his grandfather, very much present inside. He’s been helping out in the restaurant since he was 6 after his dad sadly passed and his mom was running things.

One notable app here was the excellent Crocchettone, a massive potato croquette. With the way Italians name things I’m surprised they didnt name it Pene di Cavallo. Its stuffed with provola, broccoli rabe, and bits of sausage. The pizzas were light and great as expected. Atillio was one of the first to dish out star shaped pizzas with the points filled with ricotta. I particularly liked the salami strips in the Diavola, but every pie was exceptional.

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This is Procida

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Ziggy

A hop and a skip from Naples is one of Campania’s remaining hidden jewels. While tourists, mostly Americans, do the trains, planes and automobiles pilgrimage to Positano and Amalfi, Neapolitans hop on a quick ferry to the island of Procida. Most tourists we met on the Amalfi Coast havent even heard of the more famous Ischia, let alone its little neighbor Procida.

Whats so special about Procida? Only everything. Its like Positano without the tourists and Limoncello in penis bottles. Winning the coveted Capital of Culture prize in 2022 put Procida on the map, but mainly for Italians. I’m told, the residents are honored but would prefer the island to remain as is.

I first heard of Procida from Katie Parla years ago. So when we finally decided to visit Campania, Ischia and Procida became a priority, and ultimately replaced Capri. Easy decision after seeing Positano, and being told Capri is even more crowded.

To visit Procida, you can take a ferry from Naples, Ischia, or hire Giovanni from Dolce Vita to take you there which is what we did. Giovanni offers private boat tours from Ischia for around half the price you pay in Amalfi Coast. He will take you to picture perfect Marina di Corricella, Procida’s crown jewel, and let you explore the area on your own.

The cool thing about a boat tour is seeing Corricella from the water. But the classic shot from above is a short walk to Belvedere Corricella where we met an enthusiastic school group visiting from Naples. Their teacher told us to try the local octopus. You dont have to tell me twice.

Giovanni recommended Ristorante da Maria alla Corricella for that Octopus, right by the dock. Octopus with potato salad was just what the doctor ordered. We also indulged in mixed pasta with beans and mussels, gorgeous sweet Prawns, and a sublime carbonara with local tuna instead of guanciale. But one particular appetizer stole the show.

When life gives you lemons in Procida you make a Lemon salad, not lemonade. Procida has its own huge, ugly lemons with the kind of sweetness and low acidity that rivals the one from Amalfi. It can be eaten on its own or as in this case, a salad with balsamic vinegar. Outstanding stuff in one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.

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