The art of the pizzaiuolo, UNESCO heritage, in its home city
In 2017 UNESCO added the art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: not the pizza itself, but the knowledge and gestures of the pizza makers, handed down from generation to generation. Naples is where pizza as we know it was born, and the city has dozens of historic pizzerias.
The true Neapolitan pizza has a soft, thin centre and a high, airy rim, the cornicione, with characteristic dark spots from cooking in a wood-fired oven at around 450 degrees for just 60 to 90 seconds. The classics are the marinara, with tomato, garlic, oregano and oil, and the margherita, with tomato, mozzarella and basil, which tradition says was named in 1889 after Queen Margherita of Savoy. The famous pizzerias of Via dei Tribunali and the Forcella district have long queues; another Naples speciality is the pizza fritta, fried, and the "portafoglio", folded in four and eaten in the street.
Tip: in the historic pizzerias you take a number and wait; queues move fast. Pizza in Naples is eaten with knife and fork, or folded.
Where it is
More things to see in Campania
Where to stay near Naples
Tours and activities nearby
Offers from GetYourGuide. Some links are affiliate links: if you book we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.