04-29 Naples - Pizza Country

We have SO been looking forward to getting to Naples because this is the birthplace of pizza and we love pizza. Will all the rumors and stories be true? Will this be the place where Italians show their pride in their pizzas as much as Seattle prides its rain. Let the taste tests begin.

But there's always a "but first" with me isn't there? But first, let's take a look at our grand hotel. The Hotel Rex is truely a first class hotel at a 2 star price. We arrived around 2pm after a $30 robbing from the cab driver. Our room was ready and we were shown our room by one of the maids (nice touch).

It was another room with a "killer" view. This time not only did we get the Bay of Naples but the twice-convicted killer (Pompei and Herculaneum), Mt. Vesuvius, could be seen as well.

Other wonderful things about the Hotel Rex: Spacious room, queen sized bed, dresser drawer/desk, area for hanging clothes and more drawers, free safe, free wifi, big bathroom (with another Italian favorite, the tiny shower), clean floors, veranda with a view, and free breakfast.

We put our stuff away and headed out the door to visit the huge Royal Palace a few blocks away. It sits facing the Bay of Naples and occupies about a full city block. It has beautiful marble floors throughout room after room after room. There always seemed to be another room. We don't really pay much attention to the artwork but the architecture is great. One item that did catch our eyes though was a desk with 8 panels that revolved so the person at the desk could review page after page of something.

We left there and headed for "pizza alley" about a mile away. We shopped and strolled our way there until we finally located L'Antica Pizzeria. $4 per pizza and they only make two kinds; tomato sauce and mozzerella cheese or just tomato sauce. I was skeptical. How good could a "plain" pizza taste? WELL, my cousin seems to be enjoying it!

This is one of those places that uses a real wood-fired baking oven and they turn the pizzas with those long-handled paddles.

It WAS delicious. The thin crust and the edges were still pliable and not hard, the sauce had taste and despite the lack of mozzarella the whole thing melted in your mouth.

We went across the street to try their competitor but they weren't open. They weren't open the following night either, so we were going to go back to L'Antica on our second night but...

We ended up eating pizza a few blocks away at Vera Pizza and theirs was similarly as good. They just must know how to do pizza in this town - or they are all copying L'Antica (which wouldn't be a bad formula).