OH.
[ SPEAKING ITALIAN ] LUPINI. LUPINI! I'M RICK STEVES, BACK WITH MORE
OF THE BEST OF EUROPE. THIS TIME,
WE'RE EXPLORING NAPLES. IT'S A CITY THAT'S LIVING
IN THE STREETS TODAY AS IT HAS FOR CENTURIES. BELLA NAPOLI.
IT'S LOVEABLE CHAOS. NAPLES IS ITALY IN THE EXTREME. IF YOU LIKE ITALY AS FAR SOUTH
AS ROME, GO FURTHER SOUTH. IT JUST GETS BETTER. IF ITALY'S GETTING
A LITTLE OVERWHELMING BY THE TIME
YOU GET DOWN TO ROME, THINK TWICE ABOUT GOING FURTHER. ITALY INTENSIFIES
AS YOU PLUNGE DEEPER. AND PLUNGING DEEPER, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING
THIS TIME AS WE EXPLORE NAPLES. [ SPEAKING ITALIAN ] WE'LL GO SHOPPING
NEAPOLITAN STYLE, DODGE SCOOTERS
IN NAPLES' CRAZY TRAFFIC, EXPLORE THE CITY'S
VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS, ADMIRE EXQUISITE
ANCIENT MOSAICS, TASTE PIZZA IN ITS BIRTHPLACE. THEN WE CLIMB THE LIP
OF A SLUMBERING VOLCANO AND WANDER THE AMAZING RUINS
OF THE ROMAN TOWN IT DESTROYED. SO MANY EUROPEAN TRAVEL DREAMS
TAKE YOU TO ITALY. THE BAY OF NAPLES AREA,
ABOUT THREE HOURS SOUTH OF ROME, IS FILLED WITH FUN
AND FASCINATION. FROM NAPLES, WE'LL CLIMB
SMOLDERING MOUNT VESUVIUS AND VISIT THE RUINS OF POMPEII. CENTURIES BEFORE CHRIST, NAPLES WAS A THRIVING
GREEK COMMERCIAL CENTER CALLED "NEAPOLIS,"
OR "THE NEW CITY." OVER THE AGES, IT BECAME
AN IMPORTANT CENTER RULED BY A SERIES
OF FOREIGN OVERLORDS. IN THE 18th CENTURY, NAPLES FINALLY
BECAME THE CAPITAL OF ITS OWN INDEPENDENT KINGDOM. THEN, WITH THE UNIFICATION
OF ITALY IN 1861, NAPLES FELL FROM BEING
AN IMPORTANT POLITICAL CAPITAL TO JUST ANOTHER
PROVINCIAL TOWN. NEAPOLITANS LAMENT
THAT AFTER THEIR CITY JOINED THE NEWLY UNITED ITALY, ITS RICHES WERE SWALLOWED UP
BY THE NEW COUNTRY. AS THE CITY'S WEALTH WAS USED TO FUND THE INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION
OF THE NORTH, NAPLES EVENTUALLY LOST
ITS STATUS AND GLAMOUR. TODAY, ITALY'S
THIRD LARGEST CITY FEELS IN MANY PLACES
LIKE AN URBAN JUNGLE. ITS LACK OF OPEN SPACES OR PARKS MAKES IT EUROPE'S MOST DENSELY
POPULATED CITY. WATCHING THE POLICE TRY
TO ENFORCE TRAFFIC SANITY IS ALMOST COMICAL
IN THIS GRITTY CITY. THE VAST PIAZZA GARIBALDI,
FACING THE TRAIN STATION, PROVIDES AN OFF-PUTTING WELCOME
TO THOSE ARRIVING BY TRAIN. BUT GET BEYOND THIS AND NAPLES SURPRISES
THE OBSERVANT TRAVELER WITH ITS GOOD HUMOR AND DECENCY. ITS PEOPLE HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE
KNACK FOR LIVING, EATING... AND RAISING CHILDREN
IN THE STREETS. SOUTHERN ITALY'S LEADING CITY, NAPLES OFFERS A FASCINATING
COLLECTION OF MUSEUMS, CHURCHES,
AND ECLECTIC ARCHITECTURE. THIS TANGLED MESS, AS INTENSE AN URBAN SCENE AS ANYTHING YOU'LL FIND
IN WESTERN EUROPE, STILL SOMEHOW MANAGES TO
BREATHE, LAUGH, AND SING WITH A CAPTIVATING
ITALIAN ACCENT. [ MERCHANTS SHOUTING AND SINGING
IN ITALIAN ] Steves: NAPLES' FISH MARKET
WIGGLES AND SQUIRTS FROM UNDER ONE OF THE CITY'S
SURVIVING MEDIEVAL GATES. EACH STALL IS EYE-CATCHING. IS THE SEAFOOD FRESH?
MOST OF IT'S STILL ALIVE. WANDERING THROUGH THIS SCENE, ENJOY THE PLAYFUL COMPETITION
OF THE SINGING MERCHANTS. [ MERCHANTS SHOUTING AND SINGING
IN ITALIAN ] Steves: IN SO MANY WAYS, YOU'LL FIND SOUTHERN ITALY IS A
DISTINCT CULTURE FROM THE NORTH. PEOPLE HERE ARE MORE FUN-LOVING
AND EASYGOING. [ SPEAKING ITALIAN ] [ MAN SHOUTING IN ITALIAN ] Steves: NAPLES HAS LONG SUFFERED
FROM A BAD REPUTATION. UNEMPLOYMENT IS
CHRONICALLY HIGH, AND PAST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
SET AN EXAMPLE THAT THE MAFIA
WOULD BE PROUD OF. BUT LATELY,
WITH MAYORS COMMITTED TO SAFETY AND LAW AND ORDER, THE CITY HAS MORE POLICE
AND FEELS MUCH SAFER. STILL, JUST TO BE CAUTIOUS, ASSUME ANY JOSTLE OR COMMOTION
IS ACTUALLY A SMOKE SCREEN CREATED BY A THIEF TEAM
UP TO NO GOOD. CON ARTISTS ARE MORE CLEVER
THAN YOU, AND, ALSO,
ASSUME ABLE-BODIED BEGGARS ARE ACTUALLY PICKPOCKETS. KEEP YOUR MONEY BELT HIDDEN. NEAPOLITAN TRAFFIC IS THRILLING. RED LIGHTS ARE CONSIDERED
DISCRETIONARY. PEDESTRIANS NEED TO BE WARY, PARTICULARLY OF
THE MOTOR SCOOTERS. BE CAREFUL, BUT BE ASSERTIVE. WHILE MANY TIMID TOURISTS
GET STALLED ON THE CURB, I GET ACROSS QUICKER
BY JAYWALKING IN THE SHADOW OF
CONFIDENT LOCALS. RATHER THAN SEEING NAPLES
AS A LONG LIST OF SITES, SEE ITS GREAT
ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, WHICH WE'LL VISIT LATER, AND THEN CAPTURE THE SPIRIT
OF THE CITY BY WALKING THROUGH
ITS HISTORIC CORE. SPACCANAPOLI,
LITERALLY "SPLIT NAPLES," IS A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT STREET THAT DATES
FROM ANCIENT GREEK TIMES. IT LEADS TO THE COLORFUL HEART
OF THE OLD CITY. ECHOES OF ANCIENT NEAPOLIS
SURVIVE. THE ORIGINAL GREEK STREET PLAN
IS REMARKABLY INTACT, AND BACK THEN, LIKE TODAY, SMALL BUSINESSES BY DAY BECAME
PRIVATE HOMES AFTER HOURS, AND LIFE TUMBLED OUT OF
THE HOMES AND INTO THE LANES. TODAY THIS SCENE
IS JUST ONE MORE PAGE IN THE 2,000-YEAR-OLD STORY
OF NAPLES. AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT STORY, I'M JOINED
BY MY NEAPOLITAN FRIEND, AND FELLOW TOUR GUIDE,
ROBERTA MAZZARELLA. YOU NAME IT, IT OCCURS
RIGHT ON THE STREETS TODAY AS IT HAS FOR CENTURIES. KIDS TURN A WIDE SPOT IN THE
SIDEWALK INTO A SOCCER FIELD. WALLS ARE CRUSTY WITH POSTERS
AND DEATH ANNOUNCEMENTS. [ SPEAKING ITALIAN ] Steves: NEIGHBORLY CHITCHAT
AND HEATED ARGUMENTS TAKE PLACE CURBSIDE. BLUE BUCKETS HELP BUSY MOMS
CONNECT WITH THE DELIVERY BOY. EVERYONE SEEMS CONNECTED
BY CELLPHONES... ...AND FAST FOOD COMES
IN THE FORM OF A FOLDED PIZZA. THE TINY STREETSIDE CHAPEL
OF MARADONA IS DEDICATED TO DIEGO MARADONA, A SOCCER STAR WHO PLAYED
FOR NAPLES BACK IN THE 1980s. Mazzarella:
WE LOVE SOCCER. IN ITALY,
SOCCER'S LIKE RELIGION -- IN NAPOLI, ESPECIALLY. LOOK HERE.
LOOK WHAT WE HAVE -- MARADONA, OUR BIG SUPERSTAR,
THE SOCCER HERO. THAT'S HIS HAIR. AND WHEN WE TRADED HIM,
THE CITY CRIED. THAT'S THE TEARS -- "LA CRIME NAPOLETANE." SO THIS IS THE TEMPLE
OF MARADONA. THE TEMPLE OF MARADONA. Steves: EVEN THOUGH
FOR MANY ITALIANS SOCCER IS LIKE A RELIGION, CHURCHES REMAIN AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THE COMMUNITY. STEPPING INTO THE LAVISHLY
BAROQUE GESU NUOVO CHURCH, YOU'LL LEARN HOW,
ALONG WITH SPORTS HEROES, NEAPOLITANS HAVE THEIR
RELIGIOUS HEROES, TOO. THIS MUCH-ADORED STATUE
CELEBRATES GIUSEPPE MOSCATI, A CHRISTIAN DOCTOR
FAMOUS FOR HELPING THE POOR. A STEADY STREAM OF
THE NEIGHBORHOOD FAITHFUL REMEMBER HIM
AND HOPE HE REMEMBERS THEM, AS A STOP HERE IS PART OF
THEIR DAILY WORSHIP ROUTINE. MOSCATI WAS SO LOVED
BY THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT WHEN HE DIED IN 1927, THERE WAS A MOVEMENT
TO MAKE HIM A SAINT. AFTER IT WAS SHOWN THAT HE HAD
CURED TWO PEOPLE OF DEADLY DISEASES, HE WAS FAST-TRACKED TO SAINTHOOD
IN 1987. THE CHURCH
WHERE THE SAINT PREACHED HAS MADE A SMALL MUSEUM
COVERED WITH EX VOTI. THESE ARE GIVEN AS THANKS
FOR PRAYERS -- IN THIS CASE TO SAINT MOSCATI --
THAT WERE ANSWERED. EACH HAS A SYMBOL
OF THE AILMENT CURED -- HEART DISEASE, LUNG PROBLEMS,
A SICK CHILD, WHATEVER. A DISPLAY SHOWS THE GREAT
DOCTOR'S APARTMENT -- HIS POSSESSIONS AND PHOTOS. A BOMB CASING
HANGS IN THE CORNER. IN 1943, IT FELL
THROUGH THE DOME OF FATHER MOSCATI'S CHURCH,
BUT DESTROYED ALMOST NOTHING -- SOME SAY YET ANOTHER MIRACLE. THE NEARBY SPANISH QUARTER IS NAPLES AT ITS RAWEST
AND MOST CHARACTERISTIC. PAUSE AT ANY STREET CORNER TO ENJOY A VIVID SLICE
OF NEAPOLITAN LIFE. AND DON'T FORGET TO LOOK UP. WITH NO YARDS, FAMILIES MAKE FULL USE
OF THEIR TINY BALCONIES. THIS IS BASSO LIVING. BASSO LIVING.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT CAN MEAN "LOW." SO, LITERALLY, LOW? THIS IS LIKE
A SMALL APARTMENT -- TWO, THREE BEDROOMS FOR FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT,
NINE PEOPLE TO A FAMILY. THE TRADITIONAL, SORT OF
ROMANTIC LIFE IN THE STREETS. LIFE IN THE STREETS,
YEAH. MANY PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE MONEY
TO GO AWAY FROM HERE, BUT THEY STILL STAY HERE. Steves: NO TASTE OF NAPLES
IS COMPLETE WITHOUT A PIZZA. ANTICA PIZZERIA da MICHELE
IS A FAVORITE. BAKING IN JUST THE RIGHT
COMBINATION OF FRESH DOUGH, MOZZARELLA,
AND TOMATOES IN TRADITIONAL
WOODBURNING OVENS, THIS RESTAURANT IS CONSIDERED
BY MANY THE BIRTHPLACE OF PIZZA. THEY BRAG IT TAKES SEVERAL YEARS
OF PRACTICE TO GET THE DOUGH JUST RIGHT. CATERING TO PIZZA PURISTS,
THE MENU IS BRIEF -- JUST TWO KINDS. MARINARA COMES WITH TOMATO
SAUCE, OREGANO, AND GARLIC -- NO CHEESE. MARGARITA CELEBRATES
THE UNIFICATION OF ITALY. NAMED AFTER THE FIRST
ITALIAN QUEEN, IT COMES WITH THE COLORS
OF THE ITALIAN FLAG -- RED TOMATOES,
WHITE MOZZARELLA CHEESE, AND A GARNISH OF GREEN BASIL. ITALIANS WHO COME TO THE STATES ARE NOT IMPRESSED BY THICK
AND FANCY PIZZAS. JUDGING FROM THE ENTHUSIASM OF THOSE MUNCHING THESE
HOT AND TASTY PIES, WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS NOT
THE QUANTITY OF INGREDIENTS, BUT THE QUALITY. THE SWEEPING BAY OF NAPLES
ARCS FROM ITS TEEMING CITY SOUTH PAST THE ANCIENT RUINS
OF POMPEII ALL THE WAY TO GENTEEL SORRENTO,
THE GATEWAY TO THE AMALFI COAST. AND TOWERING ABOVE IS THE MIGHTY
VOLCANO MOUNT VESUVIUS. THE ENTIRE BAY IS WELL-SERVED BY A RICKETY BUT RELIABLE
COMMUTER TRAIN. BECAUSE IT CIRCLES
UNDER MOUNT VESUVIUS, THE TRAIN'S CALLED
THE CIRCUMVESUVIANA. FROM THE POMPEII STOP, SHUTTLE VANS TAKE
CURIOUS VISITORS UP THE VOLCANO
TO THE END OF THE ROAD. [ SPEAKING ITALIAN ] VERY NICE.
OKAY, GRAZIE. Steves: FROM THERE,
A 30-MINUTE HIKE TAKES YOU TO
THE 4,000-FOOT-HIGH SUMMIT OF MAINLAND EUROPE'S
ONLY ACTIVE VOLCANO. BELLY UP TO THE CRATER-EDGE
VIEWPOINTS. THE LAST ERUPTION WAS IN 1944. THE STEAMING VENTS
ARE A REMINDER THAT, WHILE VESUVIUS MAY BE QUIET, IT'S JUST TAKING
A GEOLOGICAL NAP. HIKING AROUND THE CRATER'S LIP,
YOU ENJOY SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF ITS FERTILE AND DENSELY
POPULATED SURROUNDINGS. WHILE MOUNT VESUVIUS
IS SLEEPING TODAY, IN 79 A.D.,
THE VOLCANO EXPLODED, SENDING A CLOUD OF ASH
AND CINDERS 12 MILES INTO THE SKY. IT SPEWED FOR 18 HOURS, SENDING A RED-HOT AVALANCHE
RACING DOWN THE MOUNTAINSIDE AT ABOUT 100 MILES AN HOUR, BURYING THE CITY OF POMPEII
IN 20 FEET OF SCALDING DEBRIS. LIFE IN POMPEII WAS STOPPED
IN ITS TRACKS. TODAY, EXCAVATIONS
OF THIS ONCE BOOMING CITY OFFER THE BEST LOOK ANYWHERE
AT ANCIENT ROMAN LIFE. FOR ARCHEOLOGISTS, POMPEII WAS
A SHAKE-AND-BAKE WINDFALL. ANCIENT ROME CONTROLLED
THE ENTIRE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. THAT MADE IT A KIND
OF FREE-TRADE ZONE. AND POMPEII WAS
AN IMPORTANT PORT TOWN. IT WAS BIG -- 20,000 PEOPLE. IT WAS AN IMPORTANT
COMMERCIAL CENTER. IMAGINE THIS SQUARE JUST BUSY
WITH MARKET ACTIVITY. AND, BECAUSE IT WAS A PORT, IT WAS A KIND OF
A SAILORS' QUARTER, AND THAT MEANT IT WAS FUN -- LOTS OF BARS, BATHS,
BROTHELS, RESTAURANTS, AND PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENT. THE MAIN SQUARE, OR FORUM, WAS POMPEII'S COMMERCIAL,
RELIGIOUS, AND POLITICAL CENTER. THE CURIA HOUSED THE GOVERNMENT. IT WAS BUILT OF BRICK
AND MORTAR, A ROMAN INVENTION. IT WAS ORIGINALLY FACED
WITH GLEAMING MARBLE. THE BASILICA, OR LAW COURT,
WAS NEARBY. HERE YOU SEE
THE BASILICA FLOOR PLAN THAT MEDIEVAL CHURCHES ADOPTED
AFTER CHRISTIANITY BECAME LEGAL. IN GOOD ROMAN STYLE,
THE CITY WAS WELL-ORGANIZED, WITH A GRID STREET PLAN
CONTAINED WITHIN ITS WALLS. REMAINS OF HOMES GIVE A GLIMPSE
INTO ROMAN LIFESTYLES. THE HOUSE OF VETTII,
THE HOME OF A WEALTHY MERCHANT, SHOWS THE TYPICAL LAYOUT
OF A MANSION. ITS COLONNADED ATRIUM, WITH FORMAL GARDEN AND WATER
FLOWING TO GIVE FRESHNESS, WAS RINGED BY COLORFULLY
FRESCOED ROOMS. ROMAN DINING ROOMS WERE ALWAYS
RICHLY DECORATED. THIS ONE SHOWS LITTLE CUPIDS PLAYING OUT COMMERCIAL
ACTIVITIES OF THE TOWN -- COLLECTING FLOWERS, TAKING YOUR KNOCKS
ON A CHARIOT... ...AND ENJOYING THE LOCAL WINE. FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF LIFE AT POMPEII, ITALIAN ARCHEOLOGIST
GAETANO MANFREDI IS TAKING US ON A WALK. POMPEII'S IMPRESSIVE BATHS
WERE JUST PAST THE GYMNASIUM. AFTER WORKING OUT,
ROMANS WOULD RELAX, BE PAMPERED, AND ENJOY THE SOCIAL SCENE
IN A PUBLIC BATH. THIS WAS THE TEPIDARIUM. SO, PEOPLE COMING FROM GYMNASIUM
AFTER SPORT, THEY WERE MASSAGED
BY THE SLAVES. INSIDE THE NICHES
ALL AROUND, THERE WERE OILS, CREAMS,
PERFUMES FOR THE BODY MASSAGES. AND PART OF THE CEILING
IS STILL ORIGINAL, AND SO WE CAN SEE
HOW BEAUTIFUL DECORATED IT WAS ONCE
ON THE CEILING. THEY WERE MASSAGED
BY THE SLAVES 25 OR 30 MINUTES
BEFORE GOING TO THE SAUNA. BECAUSE TEPIDARIUM
MEANS "LUKEWARM BATH." AFTER THE TEPIDARIUM,
THERE WAS THE CALIDARIUM, WHICH WAS THE HOT BATH. BESIDE THIS WALL, THERE WAS A ROOM WHERE
THE SLAVES MADE THE FIRE. THE HOT AIR WENT UNDERNEATH
THE DOUBLE FLOOR, BECAUSE THIS FLOOR IS SUPPORTED
BY LITTLE COLUMNS, AND THE HOT AIR WENT
BETWEEN THE DOUBLE WALLS. THERE WAS A CIRCULATION
OF HOT AIR, AND JUST WHEN EVERYTHING
WAS REALLY HOT, THEY OPENED THE WATER FOUNTAIN
OVER HERE. THE WATER SLOWLY FELL
ON THE FLOOR. THE FLOOR WAS HOT,
AND THIS PRODUCES STEAM. THE LAST STOP WAS
THE FRIGIDARIUM, THE COLD BATH, EH? AS WE STILL DO TODAY, AFTER THE SAUNA,
TO HARDEN THE MUSCLES AND FOR THE BODY CIRCULATION,
THE COLD BATH. Steves: WATER WAS ABUNDANT
IN THIS WELL-PLUMBED CITY. FOUNTAINS PROVIDED A SOCIAL
CENTER AT INTERSECTIONS, AND A STEADY STREAM OF WATER FLUSHED THE CHARIOT-RUTTED
STREETS CLEAN. SO, WHY THE STONES
IN THE STREET HERE? THERE WAS ALWAYS WATER
FLOWING ALONG THE ROADS AND WASHING THE ROADS. THAT'S WHY THE SIDEWALK ALL
OVER, AND THE STEPPING STONES. SO THE PEDESTRIANS WALK ACROSS
AND NOT GET WET. AVOIDING WET FEET. VERY SMART. Steves:
WHILE THE SITE IS EVOCATIVE, THE HORRORS OF THAT DAY
IN 79 A.D. ARE HARD TO IMAGINE. Manfredi: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
DIED IN THIS ERUPTION. HERE WE HAVE THE CASTS
OF THOSE PEOPLE. YOU KNOW,
DURING THE EXCAVATIONS, SOMETIMES THE ARCHEOLOGISTS FELT UNDER
THE VOLCANIC MATERIALS SOME EMPTY SPACES LEFT
BY THE DECOMPOSITION OF BODIES. AND SO WHAT THEY DID, THEY INJECTED THE LIQUID PLASTER
IN THESE EMPTY SPACES. THE LIQUID PLASTER TOOK THE FORM
OF THE PREVIOUS BODIES, AND WHEN IT DRIED UP, THE ARCHEOLOGISTS CLEANED
ALL THE ASH AWAY AND UP HERE THE BODY
IN THE SAME POSITION THE MAN WAS WHEN HE DIED
2,000 YEARS AGO. ONE DAY A THRIVING CITY,
THE NEXT DAY...THIS. POMPEII WAS EXCAVATED
BACK IN THE 1700s, BEFORE ITALY WAS UNITED. THE LOCAL KING, WHO RULED
FROM NAPLES, DEMANDED, "BRING ME BACK THE BEST
OF WHATEVER YOU FIND." THAT'S WHY, EVEN THOUGH
THIS SITE IS SO IMPRESSIVE, THE FINEST ART AND ARTIFACTS
OF POMPEII ENDED UP BACK IN NAPLES AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
OF ARCHEOLOGY. FOR LOVERS OF ANTIQUITY, THIS MUSEUM BY ITSELF MAKES
NAPLES A WORTHWHILE STOP. THE CITY'S ONE ESSENTIAL
MUSEUM VISIT OFFERS THE BEST POSSIBLE PEEK
INTO THE ART OF POMPEII. THE COLLECTION RANGES FROM GRAND
STATUARY AND EXQUISITE MOSAICS TO THE MOST INTIMATE DETAILS
OF EVERYDAY ROMAN LIFE. IT'S EASY TO FORGET
THAT FOR MANY CENTURIES, THE PEOPLE OF POMPEII PAINTED
MOUNT VESUVIUS LIKE THIS, BEFORE IT BLEW ITS TOP. THESE BRONZE STATUES, LIKE SO
MUCH OF THE ART FROM POMPEII, ARE 1st-CENTURY-BC COPIES OF
4th-CENTURY-BC GREEK ORIGINALS. THEY DECORATED THE HOLIDAY HOME OF JULIUS CAESAR'S
FATHER-IN-LAW. "RESTING HERMES," WITH HIS TIRED
LITTLE HEEL WINGS, IS TAKING A BREAK. BUT IT'S CLEAR HE'LL BE
FLYING OFF AGAIN SOON. "THE DRUNKEN FAUN," SINGING AND SNAPPING HIS FINGERS
TO THE BEAT, IS CLEARLY LIVING FOR TODAY,
TRUE TO THE EPICUREAN PHILOSOPHY CAESAR'S FATHER-IN-LAW
SUBSCRIBED TO. POMPEII'S MANY
FINELY CRAFTED MOSAICS GIVE A SENSE OF THE
SOPHISTICATION AND WEALTH OF THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE. CULTURE THRIVED AT POMPEII. THIS MOSAIC TAKES US BACKSTAGE
AT THE THEATER JUST BEFORE CURTAIN TIME. ACTORS ARE BEING DRESSED,
INSTRUMENTS TUNED, AND THE MASKS THAT STILL SYMBOLIZE
COMEDY AND TRAGEDY TODAY ARE READY TO GO. ANOTHER FINELY DETAILED
AND REALISTIC MOSAIC SHOWS STREET MUSICIANS BOISTEROUSLY ENTERTAINING
THOSE NOT QUITE UP TO A NIGHT AT THE THEATER. THIS SCENE FROM THE GRAND BATTLE
OF ALEXANDER, WITH OVER A MILLION PIECES, DECORATED A FLOOR IN POMPEII'S
HOUSE OF THE FAUN. IN THIS EPIC BATTLE, ALEXANDER AND HIS GREEKS
MEET AND DEFEAT DARIUS AND THE PERSIANS. THE OUTCOME IS CLEAR BY THE FEAR
IN THE EYES OF THE PERSIANS AND THE FOCUS AND DETERMINATION
OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT. NOTICE THE DYNAMISM, SHADING,
PERSPECTIVE -- EVERYTHING THE RENAISSANCE
ARTISTS WOULD WORK SO HARD TO RELEARN 1,500 YEARS LATER. THE SECRET ROOM CONTAINS
AN ASSORTMENT OF EROTIC STATUES AND FRESCOES. THESE WERE COMMONPLACE
IN POMPEII'S WEALTHIER HOMES. IN FACT, THE RICH ACTUALLY
COMMISSIONED THIS ART TO ENTERTAIN THEIR GUESTS. SOME OF IT'S HUMOROUS,
SOME OF IT'S EROTIC -- YOU'LL HAVE TO COME HERE IN
PERSON TO ACTUALLY SEE THAT -- AND SOME OF IT
IS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL. IN THIS SCENE, A LUSTY FAUN PLAYFULLY
PULLS THE SHEET OFF WHAT HE THINKS
IS A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, ONLY TO BE SHOCKED TO LEARN
SHE'S A HERMAPHRODITE. PERHAPS THE ORIGINAL MAMMA MIA. VENUS, THE PATRON GODDESS
OF POMPEII, WAS A FAVORITE PINUP GIRL. AGAIN, THE ART OF POMPEII SHOWS AN INTIMATE AND IMPRESSIVE
MASTERY OF REALISM. THE MUCH-COPIED "THREE GRACES" CELEBRATED ELEGANCE, BEAUTY,
AND A LOVE OF LIFE. THE MUSEUM ALSO HAS HIGHLIGHTS FROM OTHER PARTS
OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. THE FARNESE COLLECTION
FILLS A GRAND HALL WITH STATUES EXCAVATED FROM
THE BATHS OF CARACALLA IN ROME. THE COLLECTION CENTERPIECE IS THE LARGEST INTACT STATUE
FROM ANTIQUITY, SAID TO BE CARVED
OUT OF ONE PIECE OF MARBLE. IT WAS RESTORED, IN PART,
BY MICHELANGELO. THE TORO FARNESE
FEATURES A TANGLED GROUP WITH A WOMAN BEING TIED
TO A BULL. ONCE UPON AN ANCIENT GREEK TIME,
THAT WOMAN, DIRCE, SEDUCED A KING WHO ABANDONED
HIS PREGNANT QUEEN. THE ABANDONED QUEEN GAVE BIRTH
TO TWIN BOYS WHO GREW UP, AND, AFTER KILLING
THEIR DEADBEAT DAD, THEY TIED DIRCE
TO THE HORNS OF A BULL TO BE BASHED AGAINST A MOUNTAIN. THE ACTION IS MASTERFULLY CAUGHT
AS HOOVES FLAIL... CAPES FLY... AND THE DOG SNARLS. YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR
THE BULL SNORTING. THE JILTED QUEEN SERENELY
OVERSEES THE ACTION AS ANCIENT JUSTICE PREVAILS. STEPPING BACK OUT
ON THE STREETS, THE IMMENSE PIAZZA PLEBISCITO CELEBRATES THE PLEBISCITE,
OR VOTE, IN 1861 WHEN NAPLES CHOSE TO JOIN ITALY. THE ROYAL PALACE ILLUSTRATES
HOW THE CITY HAS SUFFERED THROUGH MANY FOREIGN RULERS. EACH OF THE EIGHT KINGS
IN THE NICHES IS FROM A DIFFERENT DYNASTY -- NORMAN, GERMAN, FRENCH,
SPANISH, SPANISH, SPANISH AGAIN, FRENCH -- THE BROTHER-IN-LAW
OF NAPOLEON -- AND FINALLY AN ITALIAN -- VICTOR EMMANUEL II,
ITALY'S FIRST KING. THE ADJACENT VICTORIAN
IRON AND GLASS OF THE 100-YEAR-OLD
GALLERIA UMBERTO UNO TAKES YOU BACK
TO A GRANDER TIME. NEWLY UNITED ITALY WAS FLUSH
WITH ENERGY AND OPTIMISM, AND THIS WAS A VIRTUAL PALACE
FOR THE PUBLIC. AND ACROSS THE STREET, THE GRAN CAFFé GAMBRINUS RETAINS
THE ELEGANCE OF THE 1860s. IT'S A CLASSIC PLACE TO SAMPLE
A UNIQUE NEAPOLITAN PASTRY CALLED SFOGLIATELLA, A CRISPY PASTRY FILLED
WITH SWEET RICOTTA CHEESE. YOU CAN STAND AT THE BAR
OR PAY DOUBLE TO SIT. EITHER WAY, IMAGINE THE CAFE BUZZING WITH THE INTELLECTUALS,
JOURNALISTS, AND HIGH-SOCIETY BIG SHOTS
WHO SIPPED AND MUNCHED HERE DURING NAPLES'
19th-CENTURY HEYDAY. VIBRANT NAPLES,
THE CAPITAL OF SOUTH ITALY, IS A SPRINGBOARD FOR PLENTY
OF TRAVEL FUN. WE CLIMBED MOUNT VESUVIUS AND RESURRECTED THE RUBBLE
AT POMPEII. BUT THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING
OF THIS REGION'S CHARMS. THE GENTEEL TOWN OF SORRENTO PROVIDES A COMFY GATEWAY
TO THE DRAMATIC AMALFI COAST. AND A SHORT JET-BOAT RIDE TAKES YOU TO THE ENCHANTING
ISLE OF CAPRI. BUT ALL THAT WILL NEED TO AWAIT
ANOTHER TRAVEL ADVENTURE. EUROPE HAS A LIFETIME
OF TRAVEL EXPERIENCES, AND ONE BY ONE,
WE'RE SHARING THEM ALL. I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR LOOK
AT COLORFUL NAPLES AND EVOCATIVE POMPEII. THANKS FOR JOINING US.
I'M RICK STEVES. UNTIL NEXT TIME,
KEEP ON TRAVELING. CIAO.
