Naples is a city of brilliant beauty, impossible to miss and be captivated by. Among its many gems, there is a neighborhood that resonates less in media attention, since it is more peripheral and less folkloric, yet in aesthetics it dominates over all. We are talking about Posillipo, a sometimes dreamlike area where time stands still and one can fully breathe in the concept of "slow travel" to which so much is aspired nowadays.
Thanks in part to its nature as a hillside neighborhood, Posillipo presents romantic breathtaking views of the Gulf of Naples at various points in the area: from Virgiliano Park to Marechiaro, from the glimpses of Via Manzoni to those of Via Petrarca. Not just wonders for the eyes, Posillipo is the perfect place to stay in Naples luxury and elegance.
The icing on the cake is history and culture, because here there are also timeless places like the Grotto of Seiano and the Villa Pausilypon, that are two authentic hidden gems in Naples. In short, Posillipo is one of the most beautiful places in Italy given its sometimes objective beauty, which we are now going to discover in detail. Of course, we always use the Naples Pass to make the most of your trip to Naples with unmissable discounts and benefits.
The neighborhood of luxury and elegance in quieter Naples
Choosing to visit Naples by staying in Posillipo is a conscious choice, a desire to experience a different air of the city. Forget the chaos and folklore of the historic center, tranquility and “slow life” reign here. It's one of the upscale neighborhood in Italy, characterized by elegance and luxury; the one of charming hidden villas that nevertheless emerge thanks to their dreamy panoramic terraces. In short, those that one would stop to admire from afar.
Posillipo is therefore an elite neighborhood; it is not for low-cost travelers looking for a last-minute stay. For them it is definitely a destination to be ruled out because they are not the target audience for this area, or at least, Posillipo is not for bites. If you are looking for a place to stay in Naples luxury for a few days, then it is just what you are looking for to unplug and enjoy the beauty in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.
Remember that although we are in a suburban area, we are only about 8 km away from the Old Town, which is about 20 minutes by car excluding peak hours with traffic peaks. On the other hand, it is about 2.5 km to Posillipo from Mergellina, the waterfront area of the city. In short, far from the folklore and the heart of the city but not too far either: it is the ideal compromise.
Posillipo and its wonderful landscapes: the view over the Gulf of Naples
Posillipo is one of the most beautiful places in Italy because of the amount of vantage points it possesses. So let us widen the scale, we are no longer talking only about Naples but about the entire nation. In this magical neighborhood, two hands are not enough to count the places where one can admire the Gulf of Naples in all its beauty, with Vesuvius always vigilant in the background.
Let's start by dwelling on Virgiliano Park, one of the most important parks in Campania that has its life right in the posillipina hill. This park offers, in addition to an expanse of green and more chalets where to stop, a really important amount of panoramic spaces where to admire every beauty of the city. From there it is possible to see the gulf, but also Nisida, the islands of Capri, Procida and Ischia, and inland areas such as the port of Pozzuoli and the Zona Flegrea.
Another authentic diamond of Posillipo is Marechiaro, a small village whose name is already a whole program: “Marechiaro” derives from “mare chianu,” or “calm sea.” Because in this little corner of paradise you can really breathe peace in a glimpse of blue and other small colors that give ecstasy. From here you can admire the romantic “Fenestella” and the “Scoglione” where many boats land following the famous excursions to the Gaiola Underwater Park.
Posillipo between history and culture: the roman origins of Pausilypon and Seiano Grotto
Posillipo's timeless elegance is rooted in a noble and illustrious Roman past. However, the name derives from Greek, from the word Pausilypon (Παυσίλυπον) meaning “place that makes pain cease.” Evidently the Greeks discovered and appreciated the qualities of this area, considering it a scenic and quiet place to be enhanced. As mentioned, however, it was the Romans who took concrete action on Posillipo and its territory.
In the first century B.C. the urbanization of Posillipo as an elite Roman residential area began thanks to the work of aristocrats and senators. These built numerous imposing and fascinating villas, above all Villa Pausilypon, designed by Publius Vedius Pollonius and accessible via the Grotto of Sejanus. It is a site overlooking the sea that housed theaters, panoramic terraces, gardens and thermal facilitiesn; an architectural masterpiece nestled in the Neapolitan blue.
The Villa Pausilypon is accessed via the Seiano Grotto, the other hidden gem of posillipine history. It is a long tunnel carved into the tufa, connecting the Bagnoli neighborhood to the villa area. It was built together with the Villa Pausilypon at the behest of the prefect Lucius Aelius Sejanus to provide easier access. Today the 770-meter-long tunnel is part of the route of the Pausilypon Archaeological Park.
The romance of Posillipo and the comparison with Amalfi
Posillipo is definitely one of the most charming and romantic destinations in Naples. If you are looking for an upscale place in Italy where you can experience unforgettable moments with your loved one, this is the ideal place. Peace and quiet, combined with incredible views of the sea, make it the ultimate love getaway neighborhood, without the chaos and hustle and bustle of the city center. Moreover, there is no shortage of facilities that can give you these unique stays, with hotels with enchanting views of the Gulf of Naples ready to welcome you.
If we were to make a comparison, Posillipo would remind us of places on the Amalfi Coast such as Ravello and Amalfi, luxury picture-postcard villages that, however, have one major difference that separates them from the Posillipo hill: mass tourism. In Posillipo you find the luxury, sea and enchanting landscapes of the coast with the added bonus of privacy and calm, peculiarities unobtainable in the Amalfi area, for example. Finding the best views of Naples without the urban stress here is possible, indeed, it is everyday.
In addition, we emphasize that precisely Posillipo, and over all Marechiaro, was the area of the “Neapolitan Dolcevita” in the 1960s, where Hollywood stars came to visit to admire the wonders of the Gulf on their luxury yachts. This is still the case today, with VIPs (and others) choosing this area to experience Naples and its waters through spectacular boat trips and breathtaking dinners.
Posillipo is the neighborhood of italian beauty
Establishing a ranking of the most beautiful places in Italy is very difficult, let alone if we were to delve even deeper by ranking neighborhoods. However, having to respect certain canons and combining aesthetics, history and elegance, we can say that Posillipo is the best neighborhood in Italy.
Certainly we can say that it is the most beautiful in Naples, because finding elsewhere the purely visual beauty found here with the same ease and tangibility is really difficult. Even more so if we have to do so by trying to press the “pause” button to life, slowing down the hectic pace around us and looking for a slow travel and a slow lifestyle.
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