La Finestra sul Vesuvio

The view from the little balcony is what I’ll remember most. From the eighth floor, you can see across Naples’ historic center toward the foot of Vesuvius, with a sliver of sea near the harbor. At night the city lights look like a carpet, and on my last morning I got up very early to see them give way to the reddish light of dawn. I was there for just two nights on my first trip to Naples, and that view really stayed with me. The apartment is a charming little place in the historic center, exactly the area my boyfriend and I wanted to explore over our two days. It’s also near two of the city’s best-known pizzerias. Although it’s barely more than a studio, it’s well equipped and seemed recently renovated when I visited in December 2021. The kitchenette was the exception, though that didn’t bother me much. Pasquale, the owner’s father, greeted us with great kindness. He left several bottles of water and other thoughtful little things in the apartment, and was very helpful. The flat is small, but the bedroom has plenty of room, a comfortable low bed, a table for breakfast or a laptop, outlets on every side, and fast Wi-Fi. Pasquale gave us the password promptly. There’s also a walk-in closet big enough for a couple of 20kg suitcases, with space to unpack. The bathroom was clean and had a glass shower, a large mirror, towels, plenty of toilet paper, shower gel, and a good hairdryer. There wasn’t a small makeup mirror. The boiler was easy to use. We only made coffee with the moka pot, for which coffee and sugar were provided, and didn’t use the rest of the kitchenette. I wouldn’t have wanted to stay in for dinner with so many places within walking distance. But if you want to cook, there’s a stovetop and oven using a small gas cylinder, a couple of pans and pots, a full-size fridge with a few small compartments, and utensils. The balcony panorama is lovely both day and night. The elevator takes coins and was free on the weekend we were there. We didn’t need to pay the 5 cents. The apartment gets a lot of wind, but the heating and cooling unit and heavy blankets kept us warm. We didn’t need the thicker blankets in the closet. Neighbors could be a bit noisy at times, though it didn’t bother us much, and we heard no street noise. The place was clean, especially the bathroom. It suits two people who plan to spend the day out exploring the center, and might also need to work remotely.

The balcony looks out over the city rooftops and Mount Vesuvius, and the location is a great starting point for sightseeing. The room, bathroom, and kitchen were all comfortable. Recommended.