Naples

The next morning, grabbed breakfast at the lounge before heading out to Naples. I had read that Naples would have the best pizza in all of Italy and I wanted to see if it would be true. It was not true and I can’t even remember the name of the restaurant. We went there because a friend of the group recommended the pizza place. I can only say that it was a popular destination as there were many people waiting to get seated. At least the pizzas were cheap.

On the bright side, I was able to pick up some lemon drop candies as it became apparent to me that this part of Italy was known for lemons. I also came across a new dessert, rum baba, that was displayed in many of the bakeries on the streets of Naples. Plain, the baba was not particularly good. When it was all decked out with cream and strawberries, it was like having a richer strawberry shortcake. So do not buy a plain one, always get it with the cream and fruit!

Sweets from a Naples bakery

Clambered back into the van and headed back to Rome to check into the Rome Cavalieri  hotel. I wanted to splurge at the end of the trip and checked into this Waldorf Astoria hotel. It was a swanky hotel and I did not realize that THE best restaurant in Italy, La Pergola, was housed inside the hotel but also needed reservations made at least six months prior. Perhaps it will incentivize me to come back to Rome one day….or not. I will say that the service and the facility was on point. The hotel was celebrating 50 year anniversary. The hotel had left a memento in each room of a chocolate gold coin. Not just any chocolate gold coin but one in a very nice sleek black box the coin was the size of my hand!

Rome Cavalieri Executive Room

View from room

Some of the group was hankering for something besides pasta and pizza, so we found a Chinese restaurant, Hang Zhou on Via Principe Eugenio 82 00185 Roma. I will say that Asian food in Italy sounds like a bad idea but if you REALLY want Chinese food, it will satisfy your basic craving. Be forewarned, the portions are super small for the price you pay at a normal Chinese restaurant in the States. The woman who owns the restaurant looks like a Stalin supporter because the Communist mantra was posted all over the walls. It made me wonder if the Italians secretly support the Communist party. It definitely is not as taboo as in the States.