We were thrilled with the idea of living in an early-17th-century palazzo, and it more than lived up to our expectations. The apartment is beautifully decorated, with hand-made tile accents in the kitchen and bathroom and antique adornments throughout. That said, it's also completely modern in its conveniences. The kitchen is well equipped for cooking, the pantry supplied with essentials, and the bathroom stocked with soaps, shampoos and plush towels. The beds are comfortable and the loft room is cleverly designed, with lots of closet and dresser space.
Giulia, our host, could not have been more gracious and helpful. We arrived to a table full of brochures and maps and a house book full of suggestions from Giulia of places to see, foods not to miss, and advice about day trips. She kindly called a friend living in the Paestum area to find out how we could get from the train station to the archeological site and then mapped it out for us on her phone. Though she was out of town during part of our stay, she was quick to answer questions by email. She even left breakfast foods for our first morning there - including homemade preserves. We felt well cared for.
The location is ideal for exploring Naples. We were able to visit all the sites in the historic center on foot. Special highlights for us were the national archeological museum, with its treasures from Pompeii and Herculaneum; Santa Chiara cloister, with its beautiful 18th-century majolica-tiled columns and benches and 17th-century Old Testament frescoes; and the beautiful waterfront, with its views of Mt. Vesuvius and Capri. We also loved Via San Gregorio Armeno, a few blocks from the apartment, where artisan workshops still produce the figures for the elaborate Nativity scenes found in churches all over Italy, with the village people going about their business as, somewhere within the scene, three wise men pay homage to a newborn baby.
The stay for us was magical. We had a beautiful home-away-from-home, with a charming and attentive host, in a fascinating city.
