Naples: Royal Continental Hotel

What did I know of Virgil, anyway? It had been a quarter century since I’d read the final words of The Aeneid in a high school back in southeastern Ohio, and though I wound up an English major in college, this classic, along with The Divine Comedy, in which the long-deceased Roman poet reappears as Dante’s guide through the circles of Hell, remain on my literary bucket list.

Still, I tried to conjure what little I knew of the man as I stood on the balcony of my room at the Royal Continental Hotel—my eyes fixated on the 15th-century Castel dell’Ovo, literally translated as The Egg Castle, just steps away. According to legend, Virgil, whom many believed a sorcerer, placed an egg in an iron cage within the foundations of the castle, proclaiming that its safety would forever be connected with the well-being of Naples itself. If that egg were to be unearthed by modern day archaeologists, I imagine they would label its condition "slightly damaged", along with the city's, whose many cracks and fissures commemorate each and every plague, invasion, and volcanic eruption that has laid at least partial waste to Naples in the centuries since.

In such a city, known for its ancient architecture, the Royal Continental is a new kid on the block. Built in the 1950s, it occupies two adjoining big-box buildings housing almost 400 rooms, all of which provide waterfront views of not only the Castel dell’Ovo, but also the tiny fishing village turned al fresco dining destination, Borgo Marinao; the rocky isle of Capri; and the likely executioner of at least some of my Neapolitan ancestors, Mount Vesuvius.

The Royal Continental provides a respite from the bombastic hustle and bustle of Naples, occupying what might be the city's most tranquil and relaxing street—Via Partenope, which the mayor closed off to traffic in 2011, creating a pedestrian-friendly enclave where one need not worry about dodging swerving scooters or threatening Fiats.

One can also find solace in the Royal Continental's 620-seat restaurant, Al Castello, where the gifted chef Raimondo Cinque serves fresh regional delights such as beef carpaccio with capers and thyme, grilled tuna in truffle oil, and succulent lamb chops cooked in Italian port wine. While Cinque tells me he was heavily influenced by the foods he grew up with—his favorite being one of my own, pasta e fagioli—he is not above reinterpretation. “Yes, some of these classic dishes influence the way I cook at the restaurant,” he says, "but I've changed them while playing the role of a necromancer.” Along with Neapolitan cuisine, Cinque is heavily influenced by French and Mediterranean cooking. And though he loves a good pizza, he feels tourists, especially those of the American variety, tend to focus too much on the native pie, ignoring Naples’ magnificent seafood specialties and rum-soaked baked goods. “There are many dishes that tourists tend to overlook," he says. "For example, salted codfish with capers, olives, and tomatoes, and our desserts, like baba.”

Indeed, there is nothing like enjoying a dish full of spaghetti with fresh clams from the seas of Campania while gazing out of Al Castello’s plate glass windows at the choppy waters from which they came. Cinque agrees. “What I like most about my restaurant are the views my customers get to experience while eating here. It’s difficult to describe if you have never been to Naples.” And if you haven’t, I urge you to go. Just brush up on your Virgil before you book your tickets.—Keith Pandolfi

  Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo: This place is usually packed with locals, tourists, and students from the nearby University of Naples. One of the city's most lauded pizzerias since its opening in 1935, the shop suffered a massive fire last year. Happily, after a quick remodel, it's back in action with a cheery, modernized dining area and great marinara pizzas. Via dei Tribunali 32 (39/081/446-643)
Pizzeria Starita: Antonio Starita and his son Giuseppe fire up some of Naples' best pizza pies, from the classic marinara to the lightly fried Montanara Starita at this bustling pizzeria, the setting of the classic 1954 Sophia Loren film L'Oro di Napoli. Don't miss out on the rachetta, a tennis racket-shaped pizza-calzone hybrid lavished with cheese and mushrooms. Via Materdei 27 (39/081/557-3682)
La Scialuppa: Managed by the Starita family, this family-friendly waterfront restaurant, just steps away from the hotel, serves some of the city’s best seafood, pizza, and pasta dishes, including rigatoni with seafood, and a filet of fish sautéed in cognac. Borgo Marina 4 (081-764-53.33)
Pizzeria La Notizia: In the high-end Vomero district, pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia serves beautifully rendered classics, as well as the whimsical pizza del contadino, a calzone stuffed with warm escarole tossed with sardines, pecorino cheese, and mozzarella di bufala. Via Caravaggio 53 (39/081/714-2155)

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