Chiaia, Santa Lucia, and Nearby

The Lungomare is the city's grandest stretch of city's waterfront. In the 19th century, Naples' waterfront harbored the picturesque quarter that was called Santa Lucia, a district dear to artists and musicians and known for its fishermen's cottages. The fishermen were swept away when an enormous landfill project extended the land out to what is now Via Nazario Sauro and Via Partenope, the address for some of Naples' finest hotels. Huge stretches of the waterfront are blessedly traffic-free, only enhancing their distinctly Neapolitan charm. The area also boasts the chic Chiaia neigborhood surrounding Piazza dei Martiri and the gilded 19th-century Villa Pignatelli.