I’d like to introduce you to Tina Carignani from Discover Napoli Destinations. As some of you may or may not know, Tina wrote the foreword for Colors of Naples and the Amalfi Coast, which is now in the hands of the printer, with a release date near the end of May.
I am honored that she agreed to write it, because Tina is the person who opened my eyes and my heart to Napoli. It is because of the five days I spent in Naples with Tina acting as my guide, that I really experienced what Naples is all about…from the eyes of a local. So thank you Tina.
These are her words…
I am really a totally half & half Italo-American! My American father and Italian mother who came to spend a one-year sabbatical in Napoli, where my mother’s family had a home, … ended up staying for 36 years!! (Ahhh, the charm and fascination of Napoli!!!)
I grew up in a totally bilingual and bi-cultural environment, attending American schools for “military brats” (intramural sports, pep rallies, proms, etc) in the morning, whereas in the afternoon, I would see and spend time with my Italian friends. Summers were spent either touring the States by car, driving from NYC all the way to Texas after the Atlantic crossing by ship (this took place once every 2-3 years), or touring Europe by car and spending a lot of time in my mother’s family home on Capri, where my parents had met during WWII. I guess you could say I have a true split personality!!!
While I was in college, studying Art History, I met my husband, settled in Napoli and had 4 “Neapolitan” children. During many years, I enjoyed showing my American friends who came to visit, some of whom had been in high school with me, the beauties of Naples and the surrounding area. I guess that my enthusiasm was contagious, because by word of mouth, more and more people started asking me to guide them around when they came! This is how and why DND – discovernapolidestinations was born!
Napoli has gotten, and keeps on getting, a lot of bad press, and its image has been tarnished by inaccurate and biased news stories which dwell only on negative aspects which are common to any large city, so, my moment of “triumph” invariably comes when my friends and clients tell me with delighted surprise “we had no idea there was so much to see and do… It’s such an amazing city!!!” …and they all become “Napolilovers”!!!
–-Tina Carignani
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And now, I can say that I am one of the Napoli lovers too! I understand the phrase “See Naples and Die.” Now I am not afraid to go to Naples, and I hope to encourage and inspire anyone who is making travel plans for Italy to put Naples on your agenda. It certainly is worth it.
To read more about my adventures with Tina, including our first meeting in Pompeii, when she rescued me from a train strike, click on these dates: Sept 24, 2013 and Oct 4, 2014.
Have you been to Naples? What is your best memory from Napoli? Please leave a comment. Grazie.
margieinitaly 
After arriving late to my hotel the first evening in Naples, the owner walked me next door to a tiny restaurant and introduced me to a young lady with a small child. It was her place and she quickly fixed a lovely meal for me. We had a wonderful time together sharing stories and looking at her facebook page. I left feeling very welcomed and taken care of by two people with huge hearts. I love the locals I have met in Napoli.
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I read the first few lines and immediately knew the Tina about whom she was speaking. Who could forget that story? If you did not click on the links, you should do so. Tina is truly a wonderful person, so totally giving of herself to strangers. Of course, nobody stays a stranger around either Margie or Tina.
I am glad to hear that Tina and Margie have not lost touch and that I may get to hear again of the friend that I have never met, Tina!
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I may be (and probably am) biased but Naples is my favourite city in Italy! The food is just divine, views incredible and you grow to love the roughness of the streets and the rather noisy people. The food, in fact, is so good that it is almost a shame that every time we travel to a new place with my boyfriend (who lives in Naples) we rarely eat as well as in Naples! ‘See Naples and die’ sums up my feelings about the city perfectly 🙂
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My first memory of Naples is arriving at night at the central train station with full baggage. I got my apartment host to agree to pick me up. Little did I know it would be on a motor scooter. No worries was his first words, words that I would repeatedly hear and learn the meaning of. That was my first glimpse of the most adaptable, kind, helpful, spirited and beautiful people I would ever meet. There is so much to do and see and eat in Naples. Every time you turn around there is another Napolitano food specialty. You must try the fritta pizza, the zeppole di san Giuseppe, the mozzarella di bufala, the etc etc. I look forward to my return to Naples, a place where one instantly feels at home. Did I mention? I just love this place!
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