This Italian City Is the Birthplace of Pizza-and It Is Packed with Fascinating History

"Naples is nothing if not a sensory overload. Scooters zip through the streets, vendors loudly hawk their wares at outdoor markets, street musicians play old songs, the smell of pizza and all kinds of fried delicacies wafts in the air, and laundry hanging off of balconies flutters in the wind. The grand piazzas, elegant cafes, monumental palaces, and incredible art contrast with graffiti-covered back alleys and grit."

"The city looms large in literature and film, as the setting for "Parthenope," a film by award-winning director Paolo Sorrentino, the hit Italian TV show Mare Fuori, and Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels, which were adapted into the HBO series My Brilliant Friend. It's no wonder-Naples is often called Italy's most operatic city, where splendor and squalor have long existed in equal measure."

Naples offers a dense mix of sensory experiences, with scooters zipping through streets, market vendors, street musicians, aromatic pizza and fried foods, and laundry on balconies. Grand piazzas, elegant cafes, monumental palaces, and significant art coexist with graffiti-covered alleys and urban grit. The city features prominent roles in film and literature, including Parthenope, Paolo Sorrentino, Mare Fuori, and Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels adapted as My Brilliant Friend. Naples is a pilgrimage for pizza lovers, hosting both traditional margherita-and-marinara pizzerias and next-generation gourmet outlets. Boutique accommodations include Atelier Inès Art & Suites, a B&B attached to a working art studio.

Read at Travel + Leisure