Naples Travel Forum

Today on the internet there was a big article about Berlusconi visiting to try to clean up the garbage problem. What is the latest news. Has it gottne worse than it was??

It's been a problem for years, really. Berlusconi, having recently been re-elected, is in the news for making it one of his targets, that's all...the army was sent in this January.

http://www.neurope.eu/view_news.php?id=86610

I was in the area in February. There wasn't such an obvious problem in the centre of the city, nor in surrounding towns such as Sorrento. The worst problems seem to be in the Neopolitan suburbs.

Rubbish is not lying everywhere you go, even in Naples itself: people do bag it up, and designate an area of their street to dump it. Not very pretty, but far worse for the people who live there than for any visitors. Don't let it put you off visiting this wonderful area.

yes, it has gotten worse. the locals are against re-opening their local garbage dumps, so the trash rots in the streets. the locals are burning it right there in the streets, releasing toxic chemicals into the air as well as the water supply. Berlusconi is railroading some of the trash to incinerators in Germany. I did go to the Amalfi Coast last year, but I would never venture into Napoli, even without its garbage problems.

<<< but I would never venture into Napoli, even without its garbage problems >>>

If you never "venture" there, how do you know it's worse now?

Naples is dirty and chaotic even without garbage problems. But it was one of the highlights of a trip to this area of Italy a few years ago, and I would like to visit again what I had any opportunity, if just for the Archeological Museum and for some street scenes

My colleague living in the centre of Naples confirmed what was said above: the problem has been there for long, but there is more in the media about it. Hopefully they get it solved soon

To footstool:
I have been a couple of times to the Amalfi Coast and it's a beautiful area.
But I want to tell you that I don't agree with you. You haven't been in Neaples... I did, and it's a beautiful city too. Worth visiting!

To footstool:
I have been a couple of times to the Amalfi Coast and it's a beautiful area.
But I want to tell you that I don't agree with you. You haven't been in Neaples... I did, and it's a beautiful city too. Worth visiting!

actually I found the Amalfi coast quite overrated (but probably because is not so different to where I grew up). However, Naples was really interesting in many aspects and we decided to spent there more time as we initially planned to
OK, OK, I disgress

we went to naples last year and stayed in pozzuoli, the amalfi coast was just way too expensive for us. and in the whole 2 weeks we stayed there we never even visited the amalfi coast. we spent nearly all our time exploring naples, which is a fascinating city, visiting pompeii and herculaneum, the solfatara and ampitheatre in pozzuoli and on the lido di napoli.
the amalfi coast may be very nice, but it is not the begin all and end all of a holiday spent in this part of the world.
the garbage problem was bad last year, but it did not affect us in the least.
it is only apparent in the poorest most run down areas of naples.

Thank you all for your responses--Gene

well, look, I live in New York City, so I have no desire to visit another crowded, polluted, pickpocket-filled city
I can get all that right here, without spending a dime on air fare and hotels! Therefore, I enjoy the smaller, more liveable cities of Europe and Italy. By the way, I did visit Ischia, and I adored it. In fact, there's a street, in Forio, with my name on it!! My grandparents were born and raised on Ischia before they came to NYC in the early 1900s. So do not think, for one minute, that I have some particular animosity to Naples; no! Many many people in Naples, and on Ischia, have my last name, so they and I must all be related somehow. Hmm maybe if a Napolitano were to offer to be my guide in Naples, I would not have this apprehension.....!

I suspect that New York is absolutely nothing like Rome, Naples or anywhere else in Europe but, as I have not actually been there, I do not feel qualified to pass judgement.

It is best not to judge places only from what what reads in books, hears on the news and/or reads on the internet.

been to Naples, been to NYC... Liked both in a very different way... I would never thought they had any resemblance!! Well, not that you say it... yes, maybe pickpocktes, pollution and crowds ;o)

I was in Naples two weeks ago and really didn't find the trash to be a problem. Yes, the dumpsters are overflowing with trash, but the trash is piled up next to the dumpster and they're trying to deal with the problem. Overall, I really didn't find it to be a dirty city. Given all the news on the trash problem I was picturing trash everywhere. In reality, I didn't see very much trash at all on the streets. Definitely not any more than you'd see in any major city around the world. It would be a shame to skip the city based only on a newspaper article.

I entirely agree.

Such stories make good 'copy' when news is short, and thus are very prone to exaggeration.

I was in Italy for the past two weeks and have to admit that I chickened out on Naples. Glad I did as we had dinner with friends who are natives of Naples and now live in Positano and they also advised us not to go.Tourism is down in Napes quite a bit and at the last day before our trip I flew into Naples and the problem is evident while landing. While we were there on a Saturday the news posted that people had actually picked up garbage and dumped it in front of the hotels near the port. We went to Sorrento instead and enjoyed it and the Amalfi coast instead. Why take a chance. Everyone can,t be wong and it is VACATION. We also visited Maratea. Now that is worth talking about. It is beautiful and full of grat food at reasonable prices..
Anyhow I enjoyed all of the talk about Naples. Maybe next year??