Halloween In Italy: Naples Part 1

The following fact came as quite a surprise to me: Italians don't do Halloween. There are no ghosts, no goblins, no haunted houses, and no trick or treating. This struck me as a little odd, because Italians seem like the kind of people that would celebrate Halloween. But honestly, the no trick or treating thing makes sense. Everyone lives in apartments, so there are really not neighborhoods to go around to and knock on doors to get candy.

Italians do, however, celebrate All Souls Day or la festività di Ognissanti which occurs on November 1st. This means that this year the girls had Monday October 31st and Tuesday November 1st off of school, and Lilli had these days off of work. Since Alberto was in Niger for work, we girls and Giulio decided to hit the road for Napoli, or Naples, as we call it in America.

For those of you who do not know, both Lilli and Alberto are from Naples. Both their parents live there, and so they make as many trips to Napoli as they can during the year to see their family. They also go there because any one form Napoli will tell you that there you will find the best pizza, bread, pastries, and coffee in all of Italy, which means all of the world (at least according to Italians). 

I had been forewarned by a few people that Naples was dangerous and dirty. Honestly, for parts of Naples, this is completely true. We hit a traffic detour on the way in and had to drive through this part if Naples. I had my Kindle in my lap, and Lilli quickly told me to put it away and make sure the doors were locked! However, where Nonna Paola and Nonno Giulio (Alberto's parents live) is not like this at all. The live in this extremely upscale part of Naples near the Mediterranean Sea in a large and beautiful apartment! 

I enjoyed my time there, and think I gained 5 lbs. feasting on pizza, pasta, and "graffa" or Italian donuts...mmm mm delicious!

Naples is also only a short train ride to the ruins of Pompeii or Pompei as it is spelled in Italian. So I took a little day trip there to see the ruins! Honestly, the city is quite amazing, and it is a shame that they do not have the money they have to keep up the ruins as they should because it is such an important archeological site.


Here are a few pics from Pompeii!

 Can you believe this arena was burring under lava and ash???

 Mt. Vesuvius, the still active volcano that looks over the city it buried two thousand years ago.

 No, these are not people, just statues, but they do have the remains of of the casts that the lava made around people as it buried them. See the example below.

While I was in Naples, I also headed over to the National Archeological Museum to see the frescos and statues archeologists uncovered from Pompeii.


These were so cool! I was amazed at what they uncovered under the lava and ash!

Okay this is not from Pompeii...it is a statue of the Emperor Vespasian...I just thought it was cool!


Needless to say, Pompeii is well worth the trip!! If you ever are in Italy please go see it! The train ride from naples was only 2.80 euro and the entrance to Pompeii is only 11 euro! Definitely worth the money!!