"Naples has changed!" - I have heard so many people say this recently, that I decided to go and see for myself.

I had not been to Naples for about fifteen years when I arrived at Capodichino airport on a Friday afternoon.

A thirty minutes taxi ride and I was at my destination: the Grand Hotel Vesuvio. Probably the best hotel in Naples and certainly one of the oldest.

My room overlooked the little harbour of Santa Lucia, Castel dell'Ovo just in front and on the left hand side the old vulcano Vesuvio, still active, guarding the gulf.

Down below I could hear the joyful crowds strolling along Lungomare Caracciolo, or checking out one of the many famous restaurants on the seashore: "La Bersagliera", "Ciro", " La Scialuppa".

In Naples you can eat at any time. And you do eat well everywhere. Dinner is served as early as seven o'clock in the evening or as late as midnight, in most restaurants.

My favourite restaurant is "Ciro a Mergellina". Apart from the selection of fresh fish and little fried antipasti here we could taste the real Neapolitan pizza. This is different from the one you can eat in the rest of the world.

The real pizza is always made with fresh buffalo mozzarella , which makes the base soft and moist. It has a large border that allows you to fold it twice in a triangle shape and eat it with your hands. What a delight! Originally pizza was sold in the street and was eaten as a snack while strolling along. This was indeed the first kind of fast food ever invented.

I tried hard not to make eating the only attraction of my days here, and concentrated on discovering the new Naples. Old memories of the local traffic made me decide not to hire a car, but to go around by taxi.

Neapolitan taxi drivers are kind and most efficient at zigzaging in the midst of the chaotic rush hour, while showing you the historic sites. I asked them if it was true that Naples had changed. Yes, and for the better, of course. Traffic is much smoother nowadays; roads have been enlarged, many of the old buildings have been restored, whole run down areas are being re-built from scratch.

Thanks to the Mayor, say the taxi drivers, you can really see and feel that things are finally happening.

I took a panoramic tour of the Posillipo hill, one of the most sought after residential areas, gently sloping towards the sea, offering beautiful views of the islands of Ischia and Capri, and the small one of Nisida. This island can only be visited if you are female and misbehaving, as it houses a female prison.

On another hill, that of Capodimonte, I went to visit the beautiful museum. Set in the Royal Palace, the Capodimonte Museum proudly displays some of the best masterpieces of old masters such as Tiziano, Raffaello, Parmigianino and many more.

The other major museum, the archaeological one, is downtown and its visit is a must. Here you will admire beautiful mosaics and painting found in the town of Pompeii, totally covered by the lava of Mount Vesuvio, on 79 AD. A new small section dedicated to Pompeiian erotic art can be visited by booking at the entrance.

There are many churches worth seeing, the main ones being the Duomo, San Lorenzo and of course Santa Chiara with its beautiful maiolica cloister. Underneath many of the Neapolitan churches you will find some very interesting roman sites, mostly open to the public, and of great archeological interest.

And if you only have half an hour to spend in Naples, than forget about anything else and go to see the statue of "Veiled Christ" by Sammartino, in the sixteenth century Chapel of Sansevero.

The best way to visit the historical centre is of course by walking along the narrow streets.

All along a road called "Spaccanapoli" lots of little shops sell hand made pieces for the "presepio", one of the famous neapolitan traditions, as well as ceramics and beautiful corals and cameos.

If you come to Naples around Christmas time you must go round all the major Churches to see the beautiful Presepi (scene of the nativity of Christ), some as old as three or even four hundred years.

If shopping is one of your favourite pastimes, you will find, next to the typical produce, all the best fashion houses, as well as local boutiques, with good quality clothes at reasonable prices.

A must for men is the famous shop "Marinella", where you can buy the most exquisite silk ties, in a million different colours and designs. Marinella's ties are taylor made as well as their shirts and suits. They have no overseas branches, which means that people come here from all over the world.

Shoppers beware, Saturday afternoon most shops are closed as the Neapolitans go away for the week end. The islands are just a hydrofoil trip away and from Naples you can easily reach many places of great beauty and interest, such as Pompeii, Paestum, Positano, etc.

Author: Paola Giovannelli