Naples

The most Italian of cities

Conjure up any image of Italy, and you can find it in Naples, arguably the most Italian of cities. Pizza, sunshine, scooters, football and some of the world's greatest art, all in the shadow of Vesuvius, mainland Europe's only active volcano. Settled by the Greeks around 470 BC, the city has had an often troubled past, and the present is not without its troubles either – however the infamous rubbish problems have been resolved, crime figures are down, and tourism is on the up.