The Historic Centre Of Naples, A UNESCO Site, Naples, Italy

Naples is one of the oldest cities in Italy, its Greek origins pre-dating even the Romans. This mixed heritage, combined with its origins as a port city, gives it a particular cultural flavour. I got a sense of this unique identity walking around the historic centre of Naples, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What I found was a recognisably Italian town, but with a few quirks of its own.A UNESCO World Heritage SiteThe historic centre (“centro storico”) of Naples became a World Heritage Site in 1995. This is partly because of its antiquity. You are very much aware of the age of the city as you explore the old town: as UNESCO describes it, the “contemporary urban fabric preserves the elements of its long and eventful history”. A second reason for the inscription is the town’s location on the Bay of Naples, making it a meeting point for different cultures since early times.

The World Heritage Site includes the streets of the old town. It also encompasses the waterfront area with several important buildings from varying eras, such as the 13th century Castel Nuovo and the 19th century Piazza del Plebiscito.

This historic centre is compact, and easy to explore on foot. I walked through a maze of tiny streets, packed with churches, shops and private dwellings. The area has that typically Italian flavour, with old stone buildings, the smell of freshly baking pizza, and Vespas dodging in between the crowds. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).