Naples
Capital of Campania on the Bay of Naples, southern Italy. See Italy (Literary).
At a glance
| Source | Author | Role | In one line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neither Here Nor There | Bill Bryson | journey waypoint | A long walk from the waterfront through the crowded Vicaria to the station, and a ticket out. |
Sub-places
None yet.
Neither Here Nor There — Bill Bryson (1991)
Source: Readwise highlight
The worst of these districts, the Vicaria, in which I was walking, is said to have the highest population density in Europe.
- Role: journey waypoint
- In the book: End of chapter 14. Back from Capri by a slow ferry, Bryson walks inland from the waterfront through the tenement districts. He quotes figures on crime (29,000 car thefts in a year) but says he felt safe, with nothing worse than the odd wisecrack. He comes out, “to my considerable surprise”, in the Piazza Garibaldi in front of the central station, having walked right across the city.
- Why it matters: Naples is the hard counterweight to the island he has just fallen in love with. He thinks about “giving it one more try” but “couldn’t face it”, and buys a ticket to Florence instead. The scene closes the southern-Italy chapter and sends him north.