entry Apr 2008
The Naples Youth
Hostel
The most
primitive youth hostel I ever stayed in was
somewhere in Switzerland. It was a single gymnasium-like
hall with no beds, just slabs of plywood set on
saw-horse risers. There were parking-lot lines painted
on the plywood, each one numbered for a guest. Once you
shimmied up on the slab, you couldn’t turn over, but it
was cheap. There was only running cold water, but that
was fine —you were young and tough and just straining at
the bit to fall off and strap on your back-pack for the
next leg of whatever quest you were on— Prague, Berlin,
Rome.
I
had a real cheapskate friend here in Naples, a university
professor, who had me drive him (he didn't want to spring
for a cab) to the Naples youth hostel once while they were
painting his apartment. They took
him even though he was well past the age-limit. They were,
and are, pretty lax about such things in Naples. I checked
it out way back then, and it wasn’t bad. Today, it’s fine!
Naples
has had an official youth hostel (that is, belonging to
the international hostel organization) since 1940. It
was located in the Posillipo section of town; in 1970,
however, it moved to its current premises. The address
is via Salita della
Grotta 23, but it’s much easier to think of it
as right behind the Mergellina
train station—(hence the name, “Mergellina
Hostel.”) That is probably the best combination of
convenience and scenery to put such a place. The train
station is ideal for coming and going, either long
distance or just into the downtown area, and it is near
the Mergellina harbor
where boats leave for Capri
every hour. It is directly across the street from some
fabled archaeology, as well: Virgil’s
tomb and the long, dark Roman tunnel known as the
"Neapolitan crypt."
Hostels
typically used to take only young persons who had a hostel
membership card, but the gentleman at the desk assured me
that times have changed. Sooner or later, the membership
requirement will be waived; even now they’ll take you in
the low season when they have room to spare. The Naples
hostel can accommodate 200 guests and has rooms for two,
four, and six. There is a day-room with satellite TV and a
computer with an internet connection, a restaurant, and
scaled-down versions of most of the amenities you get in
regular hotels. You can even book ahead on the internet!
The desk is handled by friendly people with a large supply
of maps for Naples-roamers. A night runs about 18 euros,
depending on accommodations. You get breakfast with that.
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