Spaccanapoli, the road dear to the Neapolitans, the one that cuts the city in two. What is Spaccanapoli and how to get to the heart and true culture of the city of Naples, through a very fascinating route and tour.
Spaccanapoli. We hear a lot about it but few know exactly what it is, what its boundaries are and what history it has fallen into.
Spaccanapoli is, in more noble and less common terms, the lower decumanus which, at the time of Hellenic society, was one of the three most important arteries of the city. His borders they have expanded over the centuries. The Hellenic project, the initial one, provided for a connection between Via Duomo and Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, subsequently there has been a progressive expansion reaching, up to the present day, to connect, listen to this, the Spanish Quarters in Forcella, passing through via Toledo, crossing Piazza del Gesù, along via Benedetto Croce, until you reach Piazza San Domenico Maggiore and then continue along via San Biagio dei Librai to exit onto via Duomo and then finish at via Giudecca Vecchia which is a part of Forcella.
Not just a road therefore, but a journey through Neapolitan society, from the degradation of the neighborhoods, passing through the sumptuous shopping of via Toledo, flanking Gay Odin and Scaturchio, pastry shops that have made Neapolitan history, and, again, the house of Benedetto Croce, the one who told the story.
To find oneself then, in the heart of Christianity with the Church of the Gesù, the complex of Santa Chiara and the Church of San Domenico Maggiore, and, continuing towards San Biagio dei Librai, immerse yourself in the eternal Christmas of via San Gregorio Armeno (connection between our lower decumanus and the major decumano) and catapult yourself again, again, among the elite shopping of via Duomo, a small fashionable parenthesis before the gloomy conclusion in that of Forcella, a district that too many times, in the past, its despite it, it was the scene of bloody ambushes by the Camorra.
Spaccanapoli, union and separation. A union of poles apart from each other. Separation of the northern part of the city from the southern part. For those who wish it is always available a Free tour of Naples to see all this live.
But how to get there?
By car, I recommend to take the Doganella exit of the ring road, and continue towards piazza Carlo III, corso Garibaldi, then Corso Umberto up to piazza Bovio. From Piazza Bovio, go up along via Sanfelice and then right onto via Monteoliveto. Park along the road or in one of its side streets and start the walk. Taking one of the crossroads on the left you find yourself among the Toledan luxury shopping, while, turning right, stands the obelisk of the Immaculate Conception in Piazza del Gesù, then Spaccanapoli.
By trainInstead, I recommend getting off at Piazza Garibaldi, taking metro line 2 to Cavour and from there take line 1 to Dante. I got off at Dante, passing through Port'alba and crossing piazza Bellini along the conservatory, pass piazza Miraglia and take a small pedestrian crossing immediately to the right. A few steps and you find yourself in Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, Spaccanapoli.
Cardinal points? Gay Odin between piazza del Gesù and via Benedetto Croce, with the most famous ice creams and chocolates in Naples. Scaturchio, in piazza San Domenico Maggiore with its sfogliatelle and babà, Carraturo, in via san Biagio dei Librai, with sfogliatelle and various sweets and, my latest discovery, the Aragonese coffee in piazza San Domenico Maggiore, whose hot sfogliatelle are comparable if not superior to those of Scaturchio. The sepulcher of Cardinal Brancaccio, inside the Church of Sant'Angelo a Nilo, built by Donatello.
The treasure of San Domenico Maggiore inside the homonymous church, the very famous Veiled Christ in the chapel of Sansevero, the complex of the Poor Clares, in addition to the aforementioned landmarks. As for this last indication, I can only recommend one guided tour of Spaccanapoli + Veiled Christ. Now that you know everything and you know how to orient yourself, what are you waiting for? Set off immediately to discover the heart of one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
If you are intrigued and want to take a nice trip to Naples, come and read our guide to Naples in 3 days.
