Fans of the writer’s Neapolitan novels are flocking to discover the south Italian city, whose personality is as important to the books as the protagonists
Like many tourists in Naples, I have only ever been there en route to somewhere else. For years the city has had a reputation for being dirty, dangerous and traffic-choked: why on earth would anyone choose to linger? But this has changed. Naples is becoming a destination in its own right, thanks in part to the huge popularity of the enigmatic author Elena Ferrante. And with the city’s rubbish-collection problem solved and new traffic restrictions in the centre, it is looking in better shape than it has done for decades.
Related: Elena Ferrante's Naples – a photo essay
We stop at a traditional pastry shop like the one run by the Solara brothers for a coffee and a sfogliatella
Related: Naples: what to see, plus the best restaurants, bars and hotels
Related: The best of Naples: readers’ travel tips
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