Naples Food Tour
High and Low: A Taste of Two Napolis
AS FEATURED IN
On this culinary tour of central Naples, we’ll go off the beaten path by visiting two wildly contrasting neighborhoods, Vomero and the Spanish Quarter. In both we’ll stop into the places – from artisanal producers to street food vendors and more – that locals go to for the quintessential taste of the city, one that was developed over millennia and, on this walk, distilled into a single day of eating and exploring.
ABOUT
The physical differences between the breezy lookouts of Vomero Hill and the tight alleys of the historic Spanish Quarter are so dramatic it’s hard to believe they are both a part of the same city, separated only by a short funicular ride. However, as we will see on this day of eating and exploring, despite their differences, the people of this city are united around good old-fashioned Neapolitan cooking. From posh cafes to street food stands, Naples locals like a meal hot, quick, loud and delicious, just like their grandmothers and grandfathers before them.We’ll begin our day the Neapolitan way, with a cup of thick, piping hot espresso and the city’s signature pastry, sfogliatelle, in a Neapolitan cafe up in Vomero. Here, in this stylish hilltop neighborhood, we will indulge in some of the area’s classic bites. At a bakery we will taste stuffed pagnottiello rolls, followed by delicate montanara, baby pizza. We’ll stop by an artisanal cheese and charcuterie shop for a tasting of Campanian cheeses that go beyond mozzarella. We’ll then take in the serene views from the San Martino terrace, before hopping on the funicular and descending into the bustling streets of the old city below.
Down in Montesanto, the working-class belly of Naples, we’ll get a feel for the beautiful chaos that characterizes local life. At a neighborhood fishmonger we will have a taste of marinated anchovies and freshly-fried fish and seafood, while at a friggitoria with more than a century’s experience we’ll get a bite of fried macaroni, a favorite local specialty. We’ll go behind the scenes at a producer of taralli, the simple yet bewitching crispy snack seasoned with black pepper, and then sit down to soak up some neighborhood life with a glass of crisp white wine from a vineyard near Mount Vesuvius, readying our appetite for a course or two at a classic backstreet trattoria. We’ll continue into the narrow streets of the Spanish Quarter, shaded by laundry flapping in the breeze, to visit one of the neighborhood’s classic pizzerias on our way square dedicated to the legendary soccer player Diego Maradona, revered here like a saint after he helped bring a championship to the city. As we wind our day down with a limoncello spritz, we’ll decide if we should go for an artisanal gelato made from buffalo’s milk, or a final bracing coffee – or, better yet, both. After all, this day is all about doing and seeing things both ways.
Read more Show lessDETAILS
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Group size: 2-7
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5.5 hours
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Monday-Saturday 9:30am & 3pm
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Vomero Hill - Spanish Quarter
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Price: Adults x $140
Dietary
Mobility
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Why is the Culinary Backstreets tour more expensive than some other walking tours? Our approach is different than most tour companies. Each of our culinary walks is the outcome of considerable research. We work with academics in the field and our own team of experienced professionals – both guides and local journalists. Our ongoing publishing of articles, from restaurant reviews to features about the intersection of food and culture, constantly feeds new material into the culinary walks, so they evolve and constantly improve. Though costly, we believe that this is how to create the quality experiences we strive for. We practice honest tourism and would never accept a free lunch or any sort of commission. On the contrary, we are proud to know that the money spent during the culinary walk goes to support businesses that we believe in, helping to preserve the social and cultural fabric of the cities we love so dearly.How does the payment process work? Once you have made a reservation, we require the full fee to be paid in order to complete the online booking. Our online booking system uses Stripe to process secure payments.What is your cancellation policy? 90% will be refunded if given 1 week notice prior to walk and 50% will be refunded if given 72 hours notice or more. Less than 72 hours is non-refundable.Are your walks public or private? How many people are on them? Our walks are 2-7 people and are open to the public. If you would like to do a private walk, you can book it for a supplement by selecting book entire excursion. If it is not available on booking, we may be able to arrange one for an additional fee. Please contact us at walks@culinarybackstreets.com for more information.Can I get a discount if I join more than one walk? Yes, we offer a 10% discount to those who join more than one walk. Please email us at walks@culinarybackstreets.com if you’d like to join multiple walks.Are your walks suitable for people with food allergies? This can vary based on a number of factors, including the food item in question. Please email us at walks@culinarybackstreets.com to discuss your situation before booking. Participants with bell pepper allergy can join this walk.Are your walks suitable for vegetarians, pescatarians, and vegans? This walk does include a couple of stops where non-meat dishes will not be available, however, at most stops a meat-free option is available. Unfortunately the walk is not very suitable for a vegan diet.Are your walks suitable for a gluten-free diet? The Napoli cuisine is not very suitable for a gluten-free diet.How physically demanding are the walks? This walk covers a couple of kilometers of fairly flat terrain. It is not physically strenuous.Can children join the walks? Of course! We offer a 50% discount to children ages 12 and under, and we charge $25 for children 6 and younger.Can you pick me up from my hotel? How will I return, once the tour is over? Our tour prices don’t include transportation. If you book a tour, you’re responsible for arriving to the pre-arranged meeting spot on your own. Once the tour is over, we will help you get an authorized, safe taxi to your hotel, or provide directions on public transportation, if you’re interested in that.How much food will I get to try? This is really up to you. We generally make between 9 and 12 eating stops on our walk and try to include some breaks from eating along the way. The price includes as much food as you’re open to trying. We offer a suggested portion size at each stop and you can take our recommendation if you’d like. Our walks often involve street food and sharing food.Is Naples safe these days? Yes, we find Naples a very safe place to explore. We do hit some crowded markets and always suggest that you keep important valuables and passports at your hotel.How are you dealing with health and safety on your walks? We have reinforced our commitment to safety with new guidelines and have altered our routes to assure the maximum safety of our guests, guides and community while maintaining the quality of the experience. For more details on our precautions, read here.