DAY 1
Start your day at Caffè Gambrinus (one of the world’s most beautiful cafés). It opens at 7AM every day and serves coffee and pastries until 1:30AM. Not only is it a local landmark, but it’s also just steps from the city’s largest square, Piazza del Plebiscito. That’s where you’ll find the Palazzo Reale and San Francesco Di Paolo Basilica, two of the city’s icons.
Nearby is also Galleria Umberto I, a shopping gallery that’s more of a destination for its architecture than its shops, although the Barbaro department store is worth a look.  The San Carlo opera house is found right outside.
From there, continue to the other must-see attraction, the Duomo, before lunch at the historic Brandi Pizzeria, where it is said that the Margherita pizza was born.
In the afternoon visit Pompeii for a truly fascinating trip to ancient times, but if you prefer to stay in the present, head to the MADRE, the top contemporary art destination in town.
For dinner, don’t miss La Stanza del Gusto where you find a menu of inventive Italian cuisine and the best wine list in the city.
If you want to check out the nightlife scene, the place to be is S’move for late-night drinks in a cool high-tech interior.
When it’s finally time to go to bed, sleep in style at Hotel Romeo, or for a lower-priced alternative, check out UNA Hotel by the train station (we especially enjoyed having breakfast at the top floor terrace with a view of Mount Vesuvius).
If you’re on a budget, consider the excellent Hostel of the Sun.

DAY 2
After breakfast at the hotel, head to the National Archeaological Museum, home to one of the richest archaeological collections in the world, but if you prefer painting and decorative art, don’t miss the Capodimente Museum which displays major works by Caravaggio, Raphael, El Grego, and many others.
From there check out the local art in the kitchen, at the elegant Terrazza Calabritto. The menu is particularly rich in seafood and downstairs is a trendy wine bar.
Burn the lunchtime calories in a stroll down Chiaia and Piazza dei Martiri as you browse the Italian labels, and end the afternoon relaxing with aperitivi at Gran Caffè Cimmino. That’s where the local yuppies get together, but the attractions for you are the excellent drinks, coffee, tiny pizzas, and pastries.
At night, say good-bye to the city in the waterfront Castel Dell’Ovo, the landmark castle that is often the stage of special exhibitions and events.

-See the complete Naples city guide.
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The last decade has brought some radical changes to the travel industry. From low-cost airlines, to last-minute online booking, to the large number of stylish hostels, to the boutique and design hotel concept. There were even new destinations, with Eastern Europe (particularly Prague and Budapest) becoming one of the most popular city breaks in the world. Even the city break concept is new, with travels now escaping to somewhere else on a long weekend, or on a business trip, and not waiting for a longer summer vacation to go somewhere.
As one decade closes and another one begins, it’s time to wonder how and where we’ll be traveling ten years from now. What can already be predicted is that during the 2000-teens decade, some cities will stand out more than others. They will either host the world’s major events, or will unveil brand-new projects that will capture the attention of the world’s media and travelers.
At UCityGuides.com we’ve taken a look at the calendar and took our insider knowledge of the world’s top cultural cities, and came up with a list of the cities that will most grab the attention of the travel industry. From New York‘s new World Trade Center and Freedom Tower, to a cleaned up Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics, to the emergence of Lisbon as a cultural hotspot, to the rejuvenation of Seville, we give you a preview of what you’ll be excited about visiting in the near future. You’ll discover that some old destinations are new again, and that some often-overlooked cities will no longer be a secret.
For complete details, take a look at the full list of the 10 City Breaks for the Next Decade.

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Back to UCityGuides.com – The Ultimate City Guides
or check out UCityGuides.com Hotels – Design, Boutique, Luxury, Cheap Hotels

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Back to UCityGuides.com – The Ultimate City Guides
or check out UCityGuides.com Hotels – Design, Boutique, Luxury, Cheap Hotels

We’ve recently announced the results of the 7 Urban Wonders of the World as voted by travelers. Those were all important urban centers in modern cities, but if that list were to also include remarkable cities of the past, one of them would certainly be Pompeii. This Roman town is found just outside Naples, and for many travelers it is reason enough to visit that southern Italian city. What was once a sophisticated urban area is now an archaeological site thanks to a volcanic eruption in 79 AD. Visiting it today is a captivating voyage into the everyday life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. The columns of the Forum still stand with the Vesuvius as the backdrop, there is a very well-preserved amphitheater, and most fascinating of all for most visitors is the town’s brothel which still contains naughty mosaics depicting erotic scenes. Many of those images are considered pornographic in today’s societies, but it is known that the Roman Empire was much more liberal than 21st century cultures, a theory further proven by household items with sexual themes found on the site. Most of the archaeological finds from Pompeii are on display in Naples’ National Archaeological Museum, and include those images once hidden from public view for being considered too shocking for most visitors. Some of them even show gay encounters, yet another piece of evidence that suggests just how liberal (and open to homosexuality) Roman society was.
The museum is the sight you must not miss on a trip to Naples, and should be seen after a visit to the archaeological site seen in our photos below.

-See the complete Naples city guide.
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While the striking glass façade is by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, the interior is mostly made up of original Italian design, although standing on the Tabu wood floors are also Hermes chairs and custom-designed Phillippe Starck sofas mixed with period furniture from the 14th to 17th centuries.  Combined, they form a harmonious atmosphere of sophisticated tradition and modernity, and to top it all off there is a variety of contemporary art and photography created specifically for the hotel.

If one of the deluxe rooms is not enough for you, you can always choose one of the 22 suites and their views of Capri and Mount Vesuvius.  To escape the frantic pace of the city there’s a stunning spa which draws inspiration from the sea and volcano nearby by offering special water treatments and heat-based relaxation.  At the Il Comandante gourmet restaurant you can sample some refined regional cuisine, or may choose to enjoy Japanese specialties at the Samurai sushi bar.  For all of that, the distinctive architecture and interior design, together with the exceptional service, Romeo Hotel is the ultimate haven in Italy’s most soulful city.

Get more information about the hotel here: Romeo Design Hotel, Naples

-See the complete Naples city guide.
________________________________________
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or check out UCityGuides.com Hotels – Design, Boutique, Luxury, Cheap Hotels