Cultural Tourism

The land, the rivers, the sea: a never ending game, a bustle, an up and down, almost a duel. Water, earth, air, fire, playing an eternal game, creating shapes, brightness, reverbs, echoes, caves, creeks, precious for mermaids, nymphs, sibyls, oracles, mythological figures. Opici, Osci, the Samnites, Enotri, legendary Cimmerians the ancient populations of the region. They had to face the Etruscans and the Greeks, and then live with them, from the VIII century. Ac, then Rome unified them in the Campania region. With the first colonies and the Greek polis the roots of classicism and the organization of civil life got stronger. Architecture and philosophy schools prospered in the area together with the settlement of new cities (Neapolis, Naples) with their rules, monuments and temples of refined beauty appreciated by different population of the various dominations: the the “docta parthenope” by Martial and the “otiosa Neapolis” by Horace. . Frederick II, the emperor Svevo, in 1224, founded the first laical University, result of a new idea: the modern state! The University Federico II, almost confirming a historical vocation of the city, became a magnet for cultural education in the whole empire.

The court of Frederick becomes a meeting place, almost a synthesis among Greek, Latin, Arabic, Jewish cultures. This synthesis will reveal itself later in the “messages hidden in the stone, in the musical notes, in the works of art, in the writings”: the esoteric culture. A significant track: the esoteric triangle, the center of energy between the convent of San Domenico, the statue of Nilo – the Palazzo Di Sangro (where the Prince of Sansevero used to live, a mathematician, philosopher, alchemist, Templar, important representative of esoteric culture in Europe). Underground tunnels linked those three places: the “connection as well as symbolic was also real.”

“The music was born in Naples,” informs us Riccardo Muti. From 500 in Naples the “Conservatori” had the rule of saving, preserving orphans or poor children and to train them to start a profession. For the first time, we experience that, through the music, you can retrieve talents that otherwise would remain unexpressed. The “Conservatori” become a magnet for musicians, instrumentalists and singers that will spread the passion and music culture throughout Europe. Naples becomes a focus for the European educated upper classes: it started to grow a curiosity to approach the special atmosphere of the city, to visit it, to know it, until it become a must in the tradition of the “Grand Tour”.

Advices for families in tour. What to do in Naples?

Naples is a city of infinite perspectives, changing shapes and colors. A young traveler will discover corners, moments, atmospheres. The family is the ideal host to enjoy the many aspects of a city that, when it wants, knows how to be truly magical for both the child and the parents that visit it for the first time. Living Naples parents lose their role: who are the real children?.

There are many things to do and to see in Naples. Summer is beautiful everywhere, but in Naples from the autumn, everything is different and the pastel colors prefer to land on the Decumani buildings, such as lighting them, giving color to the corners, the shops, the people.

The intense shouting, the music, the smells coming from homes and restaurants, walking through the long season before Christmas. From October, if you visit Via San Gregorio Armeno you will realize a journey through time, or timeless. Magic, folklore, party, and especially art. When you talk about art in Naples, you are talking about the tradition of the Nativity.

” Suor Orsola Benincasa” university hosts a tour of the memory inside the Toy Museum having as theme the development of toys from antiquity to the ’60s . Here, too, it is not easy to separate the father which goes from ancient models of trains and airplanes from the child which has the opportunity to see rare toys for the first time.

If toy trains are not enough to satisfy your nostalgia, the Museo Ferroviario di Pietrarsa The National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa in Portici will amaze you with the accuracy of its railway models, spanning the 170-year history of the Italian railways.

Don’t miss the chance to have a walk or a bike tour on the seafront of Naples, to stop at the Villa Comunale on Via Caracciolo, which lately became a pedestrian zone. You will certainly enjoy the sea and sun!

Close to it, you’ll find the Zoological Station Anton Dohrn and its Aquarium, the most ancient in Europe, where you can admire a great variety of fishes swimming in the 23 fishponds. A mandatory board meeting for the kids will also be the Castle dell’Ovo (free entrance), apprexciated by adults, it will look like a genuine fairy-tale castle for children. The Castle hides a legend: well known to the neapolitans, since its protagonist is the poet Virgil. It is said that Virgilio was the real protector of Naples, and he hid in the most secret places of the castle, an ostrich egg, which integrity would reflect the health of the entire city.

The beautiful panorama you can see after dealing with the ancient stairs, is second only to the one you can enjoy from another castle, located higher: Castel Sant ‘Elmo, on the Vomero hill. Staying in the neighborhood, the kids will be enchanted by the Cuciniello nativity, permanent guest of the National Museum of San Martino, composed of ancient pieces, dating back to the eighteenth century.

To visit the Entrance Hall with Carriages, where you can admire, restored in all their charm, the oldest coaches of Naples, dating back from the late seventeenth century, and the original emblems of the Royal families, like the Emblem of the Borbone Family of Two Sicilies.

Our family tour continues discovering, on foot or by bicycle, the green open spaces of the Mostra d’Oltremare. Must-see the water color shows and the lights of the Fountain Esedra, impressive architectural structure offering you a unique perspective with its many pools, with synchronized water games, whose jets reach 42 meters in height. All it’s perfectly synchronized with a lighting and wired wireless system. Staying outdoors, you can’t give up a visit to the Bosco of Capodimonte, with the Royal Palace and the National Museum. An excellent opportunity to breathe some fresh air in one of the green lungs of the city, a park in town, with corners of authentic nature that will pleasantly surprise you, where you can find moments of relax before diving back, regenerated, in the liveliness of the city.

To note the suggestion of the new “farm” in the zoo in Naples. An immense area (7,200 square meters) that will allow children and adults to observe the typical animals of the countryside as in a real farm, playing with them.

Maison Degas Hotel is on the website Aroundfamily.it, which provides several advices and suggestions for family travellers. There is also a very interesting blog with a Facebook page called Napoliperbambini.com, with many interesting information for children. Napoliperbambini.com

Facilities

At the parents disposal and of our little guests, we offer for free, on demand:

• cradle or portenfant
• bottle warmer
• high chair
• pushchair

Breakfast

Buffet with the favorite child’s meal (Nutella. Chocolate milk, handmade chocolate pastry, etc)

In the case of need, If you have forgotten something, don’t worry, our reception staff will be pleased to supply you with:

• cleaning wipes
• nappies

WORKSHOPS FOR TRAVELLING FAMILIES (SMALL GROUPS MIN. 6+6):

• MUSIC WORKSHOP “GIOCOMUSICA”: we create music having fun with instruments, body, voice, drawings.
• Neapolitan cooking workshop: course for adults and children of traditional Neapolitan cooking
• Chocolate workshop CIOCCOLIAMOCI = MANUFACTURE WORKSHOP of CHOCOLATE FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN

ASK FOR THE DETAILED PROGRAM AT info@maisondegas.it

Travelling for business? The right place to stay.

By staying at Maison Degas Hotel for Your business trip, you will find helpful people welcoming you, making your stay the most comfortable one, providing those services you need when travelling for work or study, but… be careful! You’ll be also under the attraction of, and mesmerized by, sounds, colors, flavors, from the historical and artistic wonderfulness of the ancient center. Easily you will be enchanted by tasting, architecture, concerts, street artists, fine craftsmen. We are here to make pleasant also a business trip!

Distances from the Hotel Maison Degas to:

• Napoli(S. Chiara): 50 mt
• Napoli(S. M. la Nova): 350 mt
• Napoli(C. Direzionale): 3,3 km
• Napoli(Villa Vannucchi): 10,9 km
• Università l’Orientale di Napoli, Palazzo Corigliano: 450 mt
• Università l’Orientale di Napoli, Palazzo Santa Maria Porta Coeli: 900 mt
• Università l’Orientale di Napoli, Palazzo Giusso e Cappella Pappacoda: 550 mt
• Università l’Orientale di Napoli, Palazzo del Mediterraneo: 1,2 km
• Universita’ SUOR ORSOLA BENINCASA: 1,6 km
• MOLO BEVERELLO: 1,3 km
• Distanza metro : 250 mt (LINEA 1 FERMATA DANTE)
• Distanza metro : Toledo 600 mt
• Distanza funicolare Montesanto: 550 mt
• CIS di Nola: 26,9 km
• Centro Congressi Partenope: 2,4 km
• Grand Hotel Parker’s: 2,6 km
• Hotel Royal Continental: 2,3 km
• Ente Mostra d’Oltremare: 6,8 km

Extra services

• It is possible to book a taxi at agreed fixed prices from the hotel to the airport or central station
• It is possible to rent a car, with delivery at the hotel

Useful Links

• Aeroporto di Napoli: www.portal.gesac.it/
• Aliscafi: www.aliscafi.it/
• Trasporto pubblico: www.anm.it/
• Metro Napoli: www.metro.na.it/
• Societa’ Trenitalia: www.trenitalia.com/
• ITALO:www.italotreno.it
• Tutto Citta’ Napoli: www.tuttocitta.it/

Discover the Castels in Naples and Campania through our Guided tours, exclusive itineraries among myth, histories and legends. Here some of the places you will visit: Castel Sant’elmo, Castel dell’Ovo, Castel Nuovo, Arechi(SA), Agropoli(SA), Limatola(BN), Teggiano(SA), Lancellotti(AV), Monteverde(SA), Montesarchio(BN), S.Agata dei Goti(BN)
Groups of min. 10 persons
dedicated tour guides min. 4 persons