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Stretching across the Campania region of Southern Italy, the Bay of Naples encompasses Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Massa Lubrense, Mount Vesuvius, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri Island… Each place leaves a unique impression on visitors, making it well worth experiencing and exploring this land of waves, sea breezes, and volcanic heat every day, and not forgetting to visit the Mediterranean.
Vesuvius and Pompeii – where time stands still, suspended between eternity and the moment.
Have you ever looked into a projection box? Squinting through a tiny hole, you'll see a magnified image, incredibly clear and realistic, sometimes resembling a three-dimensional film, but the image doesn't move. The images may not follow each other seamlessly, and each time you press a button, the image changes. Climb Mount Vesuvius and then descend to Pompeii, once the wealthiest city of the Roman Empire, and you'll understand why it's likened to the images in a projection box.
On the way to conquering Mount Vesuvius, you won't see anything different from other mountains, perhaps only fewer trees, porous volcanic rocks like a honeycomb, and here and there a few gentle wisps of smoke rising from the crevices. Standing on the summit of Vesuvius, you will see the entire fertile Bay of Naples, the deep blue sea, the azure sky, and a feeling of profound peace, as if the people of Pompeii were standing in their yards gazing at the sky more than two thousand years ago…
According to the legend of this region, on August 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius suddenly erupted, burying the entire population of the cities at its foot, such as Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Oplontum, in lava and ash before they could escape. On that day, Apollo failed to protect Pompeii, and the most prosperous city in the region, with its flourishing civilization, suddenly collapsed. But to atone for his negligence, Apollo granted Pompeii eternity, and time seemed to stand still for the last moments of Pompeii's existence.
Like looking through a projection box, each corner of Pompeii presents a different image, not continuous but so vivid that it seems to capture the very breath of life. Past and future intertwine in a single gaze. You will see the Dorin columns still standing tall, reaching towards the sky; the arena, theater, forum, temples, mansions of the rich, ordinary houses, and even the tiny, cramped rooms of brothels… all appear before your eyes, and you can still reach out and touch them. But the present remains a transparent barrier preventing you from returning to the past. The present will block your way with layers of lava that were once 25 meters thick, devouring every house, every life. The present reminds you of the marks of time on crumbling walls, the ruins that can never be restored. Above all, the present is frozen in plaster to preserve and shape the ashes of the past, molded by the molten lava of yesteryear.
In 1863, archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli devised the ingenious idea of casting plaster into molds of the bodies of the people of Pompeii who were buried in volcanic lava. Therefore, the figures of adults, children, and animals, along with the fears and panics of that time, remain perfectly preserved and will forever be immortalized. When you visit Pompeii, don't let sorrow and regret slowly engulf your heart like lava. You will see life reviving everywhere; on the layers of volcanic rock from thousands of years ago, a strange plant with green foliage hangs down like hair, as if to conceal the vicissitudes of life. The life and love of the people here remain as vibrant and colorful as restored murals. On the old, yellowed, and cracked walls, the image of Venus – the goddess of love and beauty – still shines brightly. In the backyard garden, amidst the soft, youthful grass, the sun blazes down on each poppy petal, burning bright red like a kiss. You'll instinctively want to lean your head against someone or hold someone's hand tightly, because here you'll realize life is fleeting, like a blink of an eye, while love is never enough, endless and boundless…
Napoli and Sorrento – Men get drunk on wine and lemon liqueur.
Naples, a city already so famous, its name as common as the intoxicating red wine that people enthusiastically clink glasses with over a fresh, three-colored Neapolitan pizza (Italian: Margherita) – the colors of the Italian flag: red from tomatoes, white from mozzarella, and green from basil. Naples is the birthplace and origin of pizza. Its people have every right to be proud that Neapolitan pizza is the best in the world. Neapolitan pizzas typically come in one size: very large, thin, and at least 40 cm in diameter. Authentic pizza must be baked in a traditional oven, darkened by long-fired bricks or stones, and heated by wood. Diners only need to add a few drops of fragrant, crisp olive oil to make the unique flavor of this "national dish" unforgettable. Pizza is cheaper than other dishes (under €10) and can be taken on the go if you don't have much time to sit down. Note that if you sit down to eat, the restaurant will charge a service fee and a cutlery fee in addition to the prices listed on the menu.
Besides its famous pizza, Naples is the economic and cultural capital of the region, and its old town center is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so there are many worthwhile places to visit: dell'Ovo Castle on Santa Lucia Bay, Nuovo Castle, Passage Galleria Umberto (a type of shopping street with a vaulted roof running through the buildings), Plebiscito Square, Duomo San Gennaro Cathedral, the National Archaeological Museum, etc. In addition, when in Naples, you should travel by metro; the system has many stations designed as "art stations." Each station is like a small museum designed by a famous Italian artist and displays contemporary art. However, visitors are requested not to take pictures at these stations.
Naples is bustling and lively, with people coming and going, but sometimes the crowds and commotion can make one feel uneasy. There, tourists must be constantly on guard, keeping an eye on their cameras and wallets because Naples is also rife with crime. This is quite different when you visit Sorrento… Naples is known for its attractive, easy-to-drink wines, but Sorrento is like a traditional, sweet, lemon liqueur, a specialty of the region. The name Sorrento isn't very well-known, and you might not be immediately captivated by the place at first sight. You might even wince slightly when the sweet, fragrant taste of the first sip of lemon liqueur overwhelms your senses, but once you get used to it, you'll drink until your lips are numb and your heart is completely intoxicated.
“Return to Sorrento, a peaceful life, just you and me, a dream my heart has long cherished…” As twilight descends upon the Sorrento cliffs, as the street musician’s guitar music resonates, gently caressing the waves lapping against the shore, I suddenly yearn for my aunt, her long flowing hair and guitar in her twenties. It was the same twilight, the same endless, melancholic glow, when her voice—that of a twenty-year-old girl—rose, drawing threads of love from her heart, weaving a peaceful dream, and she sang, “Return to Sorrento…”
The city's name originates from "Surrent," meaning Sirene, the mermaid in mythology. This city on the cliffs is named after mermaids whose enchanting voices captivated sailors. A gentle drizzle, a touch of warm sunshine on the ripe oranges in the streets, the distant, hazy silhouettes of Capri, Ischia, and Procida seen from the long, slender rocky coastline, the vibrant colors of flower-filled gardens and the fragrant scent of lemons and oranges gently embracing the old houses, the playful teal of the wind urging the waves to push the boats faster toward shore and prompting the seabirds to fly quicker back to their nests… Sorrento is warm, gentle, comforting, and soothing, like the embrace of a girl with dark brown eyes at sunset, her breasts full like ripe fruit, and her hair fragrant with the wind, tiptoeing along the cliffs, leaning against an orange tree, waiting for her lover to return…
Massa Lubrense – “an olive in a martini glass”
Nestled modestly against the mountainside and stretching out to the sea, not far from Sorrento, Massa Lubrense – a small, fresh town of about fourteen thousand inhabitants – offers a sense of peace and balance. Its somewhat isolated location in the mountains requires a long detour to reach the beach, and it's not widely known to tourists, hence the relatively affordable accommodation prices. If you appreciate tranquility, nature, and the peaceful atmosphere of the countryside, this is a place worth visiting. From here, you can rent a car or motorbike to travel to nearby cities during the day and return to Lubrense at night. If traveling in a group, consider renting an apartment with a kitchen, which can accommodate several people in one large room. Just get up early and wander through this charming little town; you'll find shops selling very fresh and inexpensive food.
Massa Lubrense offers you a complete experience of idyllic rural life. Amidst vast expanses of glistening lemon, orange, and olive trees, their canopies shading the hillsides, the mornings here are a refreshing green, like lemons blushing on a branch. The late afternoon sun shimmers, seemingly dripping through the leaves, carrying the color of olive oil pressed from fresh fruit. Because of the abundant shade and moisture-retaining trees, wildflowers bloom everywhere, and even the leaves gracefully curl together to form green flowers resembling stone flowers. Nature is generous and gentle, and the people here are equally open-hearted, offering cheerful "Buongiorno" greetings and even blowing kisses from the cheerful, curly-haired, tanned Italian men you meet along the way.
Capri and the Amalfi Coast - The legendary white land.
Have you noticed why ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman kings and nobles often wore white clothes and ceremonial attire? It wasn't just because in hot climates people needed light-colored clothing to avoid absorbing heat; in those days, before soap was invented, keeping clothes perfectly white was very difficult. Therefore, only the wealthy and high-ranking nobles, who had little to do manual labor and many servants, could maintain their pristine white garments without staining or discoloration.
Capri is known as the land of the rich. This is in the sense of being wealthy because many celebrities and billionaires come here to vacation. It's only about 14 square kilometers in size.2But Capri also boasts many extremely expensive designer shops, or, in the sense of the ancient Romans, Capri is wealthy because the island gleams with white light everywhere during the day.
Standing on the mountain overlooking the sea, the slopes are dotted with white roofs, sometimes close together, sometimes scattered. The sun here shines freely, bathing the clouds, seagulls, gulls, ships, large ferries, and even the leaves of trees in a pristine white. Wandering around the island at midday, you'll feel as if a milky white, very fine mist is floating between the sea and the sky. At times, you'll feel almost as if you're floating and drifting gently through this light, white mist, unable to distinguish between the sky and the water, for in this region, both are equally azure. The waves and foam shimmer in the midday sun like a starry sky in broad daylight. From afar, the silvery blue water is occasionally dotted with streaks of shooting stars created by trails of white foam trailing behind tiny, sparkling white boats. At that moment, you suddenly find Greek and Roman mythology very close and familiar. It's as if, on the distant rocky outcrop, mermaids are singing, their eyes wistfully following Ulysses' sails, and the two mountain ranges from the island of Capri seem to have come to a standstill again after a ship passed through the gap between them.
In Capri, if you're dazzled by the sun, you can visit the Grotta Azzura cave. This cave is also known in Italian as the "Blue Cave" because the seawater inside is incredibly blue, sparkling like turquoise. Or visit the famous Villa Malaparta, designed by architect Adalberto Libera for writer Curzio, perched precariously on a rocky outcrop overlooking the bay.
The Amalfi Coast is famous for its mountain trails that follow the sea. The high Amalfi mountains give you the feeling of floating amidst a sea of white, like Capri, but Amalfi is wilder and seems less heavily man-made. The sun in Amalfi isn't as intensely bright as in Capri; sometimes, stopping by the roadside, you see the amber sunlight filtering through layers of leaves, falling sweetly like honey oozing from ripe apricots on a young woman's lips. Wildflowers are scattered everywhere, their beauty and charm captivating. Green trees and grass provide a backdrop for the mesmerizing patches of purple or yellow wildflowers. The mountain ridges are further accentuated by gentle terraces, each topped with lush green vineyards…
Just close your eyes and let your adventurous dreams guide you here. Perhaps you'll be intoxicated by lemon liqueur, apricot liqueur, by the burning, passionate gazes beneath the curved eyelashes of the young men and women here. Perhaps you'll awaken amidst the smooth, silvery olive trees and suddenly find wildflowers nestled nearby, bags overflowing with gifts—cups, plates, pottery, miniature clay sculptures depicting daily life by the Bay of Naples, the jingling of olive oil bottles, and fragrant wine bottles… It's quite possible, just never forget your dreams, because there are many ways to turn your adventurous dreams into reality. You'll believe it when you set foot in the Bay of Naples.
Additional information:
To travel between locations in the Bay of Naples, you should use:
- Subway (Recommended as subway stations are very interesting)
- Bus
- High-speed ferry (Aliscafi)
- Ferries (Actually, very large ships, slower but cheaper than speedboats)
- Local railway
- Rent a car (however, you should only rent a car if you are a good driver because the roads in this area are narrow, hilly, and have many sharp turns, making them dangerous).
Getting around by public transport here is inexpensive and safe; you just need to buy a ticket to board any public transport vehicle.
There are two types of tickets:
-Unico – Napoli-Ticket (travel within zone 1 - Napoli).A 90-minute pass costs 1.20 Euro, a day pass costs 3.60 Euro, and a weekend pass (valid on Saturday or Sunday) costs 3.00 Euro. With this ticket, you can also use the cable car (Funicolare) in Naples.
ButUnico Campania-Ticket Sorrent and Amalfi Coast (Zone 5) ticket type.You can travel with this ticket between the following locations: Amalfi, Sorrent, Maiori, Minori, Pontelatone, Positano, Praiano, Ravello, Meta di Sorrento, Piano di Sorrento, Salerno und Vororte, Sant' Agnello, Vietri sul mare.A 180-minute ride costs 4.00 Euros, a day pass costs 12 Euros, and a weekend pass (valid on Saturday or Sunday) costs 6.30 Euros.
+ How to get there:
Naples – Capodichino Airport is located approximately 7 km from the city center of Naples. From Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, the easiest way to avoid layovers is to book flights with airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, Thai Airways, or Cathay Pacific to two major European transit airports, Charles de Gaulle or Frankfurt (prices range from 1,000 to 1,500 USD), and then choose European airlines such as Lufthansa or Air France to fly on to Naples (prices range from 300 to 700 USD).
A cheaper option, but with more layovers, is to choose airlines like Korean Air and Asiana Air (South Korea, costing around $700-$1,000) with a layover in Incheon (Seoul), then fly to Rome, and from Rome to Naples (flying Alitalia of Italy), which takes about an hour and costs around $200).
+ Room rates and currency:
If you're traveling in a group, renting an apartment is a good option, as you can cook your own meals and the price can be as low as $20 per person per day. There are many types of hotels and guesthouses to choose from, but you should ask friends or people who have been here before online for more details about the rooms to avoid being scammed about the quality of the accommodation, which is very common in Italy.
Italy is a member of the European Union, and its currency is the Euro. You should exchange Vietnamese Dong for Euros in Vietnam.
Text and photos:Nga Vu
