Pompeii and perfect pizza: a guide to Naples | Naples holidays

Pompeii and perfect pizza: a guide to Naples

"See Naples and die" the old saying went, suggesting that the beauty of the city might overwhelm you. Modern visitors have more often been finished off by the heat, the cars and the filth. I have spent a decade working on the nearby ancient city of Pompeii and during that time I have found much to love about Naples - and discovered some of its hidden pleasures.

1. Favourite place to stay

For years I shelled out ridiculous amounts of money for a noisy Vesuvius view in a sea-front hotel, or suffered in sweaty, seedy B&Bs. Then I discovered this wonderful place in the old city: five minutes' walk from the Archaeological Museum, at the back of a typical Neapolitan courtyard -(where you'll find a carpenter's shop and assemblage of dying cars), boasting a tiny luscious garden, swimming pool and elegant 19th-century villa atmosphere. It's small (only 20 rooms and suites) and not cheap, especially with a plummeting pound. But worth it, for the good night's sleep alone.

Costantinopoli 104 (Via S Maria di Costantinopoli, 104). Double room and good breakfast starts at €220.

2. Favourite restaurant

Ristorante Bellini serves tasty old-fashioned Neapolitan cooking at old-fashioned prices (a good meal for €30 a head). It's been going since the 1940s and some of the waiters seem to go back almost that far. They serve pizza, but I'd opt for the fish and the pasta. For a perfect blow-out, try the 'linguine al cartoccio' – a medley of seafood and pasta, cooked and served in what can only be described as a large paper bag.

Ristorante Bellini, Via S Maria di Constantinopoli, 79-80. Closed Sundays.

3. Favourite pizzeria

Pizza is the cheapest food option in Naples, and especially useful for filling up children for little more than a fiver. Lombardi has been in this spot since 1892. It's a sprawling place with (air-conditioned) rooms upstairs and down. The pizzas are the Real Thing.

Pizzeria Lombardi a S. Chiara, Via B Croce 59 (don't confuse it with the Pizzeria Lombardi in Via Foria).

4. Favourite museum

Don't expect much in the way of visitor services here at the National Archaeological Museum. There is a book shop and a rudimentary café, but that's about all. You will find many galleries closed off and most of the labels unhelpful. Doesn't sound promising? No – but the objects themselves are stunning. The most impressive Roman finds from Pompeii are here. Look out for the paintings and mosaics that decorated the ancient houses (kids will like the "Cave Canem" - "Beware of the dog" – mosaic). Stop also in the rooms that house all the bronze finds. Most people walk quickly through the rows and rows of cases. But if you take a look, you'll spot all the bric-a-brac of Roman life: from keys, to cooking utensils and tweezers.

National Archaeological Museum (Piazza Museo, 19, +39 (0)81 440166; open all day, closed Tuesday). EU citizens under 18 and over 65 get in free, but take a passport to claim this.

5. Favourite painting

Caravaggio's The Seven Works of Mercy is tucked away in the headquarters of a 17th-century charitable foundation, Il Pio Monte della Misericordia (Via dei Tribunali, 253), where it forms the altar piece of the chapel. Painted in 1607, when Caravaggio was on the run from a murder charge in Rome, it depicts all kinds of iconic acts of generosity, ancient and medieval (I like the woman breast-feeding her own father in prison). The chapel and formal rooms of the Pio Monte are open most mornings. The best view of the painting is from the upstairs rooms overlooking the chapel. You can make a virtual visit at piomontedellamisericordia.it

6. Favourite excavation

The archaeological site underneath the Cathedral of Naples is one of the most surprising remains of antiquity anywhere in the world. For a few euros you can climb down into large tracts of the ancient city of Neapolis. It is an intriguing underground world, where you go down through the Roman buildings to the fifth century BC Greek city. There are more antiquities to explore underground at the nearby Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore (Piazzetta S Gaetano).

Cathedral of Naples, Via Duomo, 149. Open most days, but closed between 12.30 and 4.30pm.

7. Favourite catacombs

The catacombs of San Gennaro are much more impressive than anything you can see in Rome itself. These early Christian burial grounds go back to the second century AD, but were still in use centuries later – becoming the resting place of the city's patron, San Gennaro. Go to see the extraordinary early Christian paintings, still visible on the walls. Parties are usually taken around in the mornings, but details change. Check it out first with the Tourist Information or by phoning +39 (0)81 7411071

Via Capodimonte, 16; enter next to the Church of the Madre del Buon Consiglio

8. Favourite trip out

Pompeii, the city buried in 79AD is the queen of archaeological sites, and big enough to hold the millions of visitors it attracts. Allow at least half a day to get the feel of the place. Resist the tourist guides, get a map and a guidebook – and be independent. Part of the fun is finding a quiet spot and just wandering down an empty Roman street. Otherwise the high-spots include the Villa of the Mysteries (for stupendous painting) and the newly restored brothel (for the seedier side of ancient life).

To reach Pompeii take a Circumvesuviana train from the central station to Pompei Scavi - Villa dei Misteri. The site is open every day, for €11 (with the same concessions as the Archaeological Museum). pompeiisites.org/, +39 (0)81 8575111.

9: Favourite bar

Station bar, Pompei Scavi. My own enthusiasm for bars depends on my need for a rest and a drink. A day in the ruins makes me beg for a campari soda. The entrance to the site is generally crowded with pushy salesmen and bad bargains. The only thing you should buy from them, on the way in, is a bottle of water. What is special about the bar at Pompei station is that it is so ordinary and reasonably priced. On your way out, wait for your train with your glass in hand.

10. Favourite miracle

The blood of San Gennaro. If you are in Naples on 19 September, 16 December or the Saturday before the first Sunday in May, go to the cathedral and get a glimpse of the famous miracle: the dried blood of the patron saint, stored in a little flask, is supposed to liquefy in front of the waiting crowd. Is it true? How is it done? Go and see for yourself.

Mary Beard is professor of classics at Cambridge University and author of Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town published by Profile Books.

Getting there

Alitalia fly from London Heathrow to Naples with return flights in March currently available for £144.10rtn. EasyJet have flights from London Stansted to Naples in March from £147.83rtn

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