Naples: From Gritty Reality to Unexpected Grace

Grace and trash in Naples

Naples is my least favorite Italian city. I've had some tough experiences here – from encountering outright racism when adults taunted my son with racial epithets on a previous trip, to a recent cab driver who straight-up refused to take us to our destination. Our most recent trip didn’t start well. The area we stayed in wasn't exactly five-star luxury. Potholes dotted the roads and graffiti covered every available wall. The city seemed worn-down, gritty, and filled with folks trying to hustle you or push you out of the way. Initially, I was ready to write the city off.

And just as I was about to give up on Naples, it decided to redeem itself. We walked out looking for dinner and stumbled upon this tiny, unassuming cafe. What's their specialty, you ask? Just pizza and wine. That's it. And this little pizza and wine shop with no reservation list is famous. Lines form before it even opens, and for good reason. After relaxing over a bottle of wine, feeling a little less jaded, we decided to wander.

And that's when Naples started to reveal a different side. We found ourselves in an LGBTQ-friendly area, and it was genuinely heartwarming to see happy same-sex couples feeling entirely at ease and comfortable in their neighborhood. This part of the city was bursting with vibrant creativity, with countless bookstores lining the streets, inviting you to dive in. And if you know me, bookstores are my clue that a city is doing something right

So, yes, I began this trip hating this city. It felt rough, uninviting, and even hostile at times. But amidst the grit and the initial disappointment, I ended up finding unexpected points of grace. Naples, you're a complicated one, but you've managed to surprise me.