Holidays in Italy: Where to sample the best pizza in Naples
Giuseppe Mascoli arrived from Naples to work at the London School of Economics but a mid-life rethink led him towards a new career a pizza-maker.
His mini-chain of pizzerias called Franco Manca offers authentic Neapolitan pizzas and has just added a new outpost at the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre in London. In Naples there are strict rules on pizza-making that cover everything from the flour you can use to the terrifyingly hot 932F (500C) temperature of the wood-fired oven.
A slice of heaven: The marina onthe island of Procida is just a ferry ride from Naples
According to true believers in Naples, pizzas come in only two varieties: the marinara (largely tomato - nothing to do with seafood, as some suppose, but named after a fisherman's wife who made tomato pizzas for her husband's packed lunch) and the margherita (tomato, mozzarella and basil).
Giuseppe regrets that too few British travellers have discovered the charms of Naples - he suspects that the city's lawless reputation may have something to do with this. But with new direct flights from the UK to Naples being added next year, he believes the southern Italian city will become a big favourite.
Pizza the action: Giuseppe with oneof his Neapolitan pizzas at his FrancoManca restaurant in London's Chiswick
He says that while there are run-down areas, Naples also has plenty of smart, upand-coming districts such as Posillipo and Marechiaro where a lot of the old handsome buildings have been restored.
These are his reasons for vi! siting - they start of course with eating out, and the search for the perfect pizza...
Giuseppe's Naples
Best place to eat: L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele: This famously featured in the Julia Roberts film Eat, Pray, Love and is widely regarded as not just the best pizzeria in Naples but possibly in the world. The pizzas here are very like the ones we serve in Franco Manca: sour dough cooked in a very hot oven - the pizza comes out soft and foldable, perfect street food, something like naan bread. My other favourite restaurant is Mattozzi Europeo in Piazza Carita, which serves very good food: the macaroni cheese is fabulous.
Best island: Capri is lovely but flooded with visitors, Ischia is also very beautiful but slightly over-touristy - my favourite is Procida, which is nearer than either Capri or Ischia and is extremely beautiful: an undiscovered gem. It can be reached by ferry from Naples.
Best museum: The National Archaeological Museum has wonderful ancient Roman and Greek treasures. Have a look at the so-called 'special' room featuring the famous collection of brothel artwork that was found during the excavations in Pompeii. Since its discovery the Vatican has battled to keep this collection closed to the public - Garibaldi opened it up, for example, but Mussolini followed the Vatican line. The opening and closing of the 'pornography' room reflects the political shifts of Italy. Currently it's open, and has been since 2000.
Mouthwatering meals on wheels: Two girls take home a pizza in Naples
Best resort: I grew up in Positano, along the Amalfi Coast, so obviously it's the place I love most. It's a bit off the beaten track, slightly tricky to get to, so it isn&! #39;t so overrun with tourists. There are famous and expensive hotels such as the Sireneuse, but there are also many good-value B&Bs such as La Fenice, perched on a hill with villas and cottages that gradually drop down by a series of steps, lush with cascades of bougainvillea, lemons and vines, to the Tyrrhenian sea.
Best book: If you want to get an idea of Naples and how it has been formed by recent history, Norman Lewis's superb book Naples '44: An Intelligence Officer In The Italian Labyrinth paints a fascinating picture of a city at a crossroads in the aftermath of the war. It's a book that once you start, you can't put down.
Getting there
British Airways (www.ba.com) has twice-daily flights from Gatwick to Naples with return fares from 77.40. EasyJet flies to Naples from Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Gatwick and Stansted. One-way prices start from 25.99. Visit www.easyjet.com.
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