Experiencing Naples: Maradona murals, where to stay & Italy's ultimate football pilgrimage

Like any major metropolis, Napoli has an abundance of accommodation options, of contrasting quality. Staying near Napoli Centrale is cheap and obviously very handy for those arriving via train or plane, as the Alibus Shuttle links the airport to Piazza Garibaldi.

For those willing to spend a little more money, Posillipo is a picturesque residential zone in the hills on the southern part of the city that boasts beautiful views. Vomero is another middle-class area renowned for its nightlife, while the lungomare is, as the name suggests, right on the seafront and is brimming with bars and restaurants.

The port area is obviously ideal for visitors arriving by boat, while anywhere close to the breath-taking Piazza del Plebiscito will enjoy the views of the city and the surrounding terrain, as well as the central location.

And that's arguably the main point here: for anyone who's never been to Naples before, it's best to be as close to the heart of the city as possible, even more so if you're only in town for a few days, making the historical centre, the UNESCO World Heritage site blessed with small and winding cobblestone streets, the most attractive option.

Staying in the centro storico will also enable you to make the most of your matchday, which should obviously begin with a coffee. After all, while the coffee is good in Italy, it's great in Naples.

So, what better venue for someone embarking upon a pilgrimage to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona than Bar Nilo on the famous Spaccanapoli thoroughfare, which is full of delightful little stores and workshops, and adorned by bunting, flags and posters celebrating Napoli's 2022-23 title win.

Located less than 10 minutes' walk from the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, which is home to an ampoule containing what is allegedly the blood of San Gennaro, Bar Nilo boasts its own precious artefact: a strand of Maradona's hair.

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It was once too difficult for patrons to reach the counter because of all of the tourists taking photographs. So, nowadays, those that visit have to at least buy a coffee before they take out their cameras. It's worth the euro. Not only is the coffee excellent, the shrine is quite something to behold. At the top of the altar, there is a spinning tear which represents all of the tears that have been shed by Neapolitans since Maradona left in 1991.

An image of 'Santo Diego' can be found below and is, tellingly, positioned just above a figurine of the Pope. A picture of Maradona in his Napoli shirt takes pride of place in the middle of the shrine but the piece de resistance lies beneath, with ‘The miraculous hair of Diego Armando Maradona' enclosed in a small glass case at the base of this miniature temple.

Cafe Nilo owner Bruno Alcidi claims to have collected the sample after finding himself on the same flight as the Napoli team after a game in Milan on February 11, 1990. He says he spotted the stray hair on Maradona's vacated seat as he passed to disembark and, in a moment of inspiration and improvisation, popped it into his empty box of Marlboro cigarettes for safe-keeping until he could find a more fitting home for such a precious trophy.

Is the hair now on display in Cafe Nilo authentic? According to one member of staff who wants to remain anonymous, it's merely a replica - the 'real' hair is apparently in Alcidi's family home - but, in truth, it doesn't really matter. What matters is the symbolism, and the enduring reverence for Napoli's most famous adopted son.

Maradona is a truly iconic figure in Naples. His image is everywhere but the two most famous murals can be found on Strada Comunale Taverna del Ferro, in the suburbs, and in the centre’s ‘Quartieri Spagnoli’. The former is located will be a little bit of a trek for those staying centrally, but it is undeniably impressive.

This is not a portrait of 'El Pibe de Oro' (Golden Boy) in his pomp but latter-day Maradona in the style of the famous Italian painter Caravaggio, who spent a lot of his life in Naples, and is accompanied by the words 'Human God'.

"Diego's relationship with Naples goes beyond football, far beyond football," Jorit, the man responsible for the mural, told GOAL. "That's why I didn't portray him as a footballer but as a man.

"This is the most interesting aspect of Maradona for me, how he brought forward the fight against the establishment, in Argentina and Italy and all across the world, both on and off the pitch.

"From a sporting perspective, he's a guy that had a lot of important battles. But he also challenged authority, fought for human rights, stood up for the poor.

"When he came to Naples, he told the people here, 'I feel like a Neapolitan boy because I was also born in a very poor area, in Buenos Aires.' He made a lot of parallels between the two cities and gladly took part in this battle between the southerners of the world, its poorest, most marginalised people, and the north of the world.

"Everyone knows about the rivalry between Napoli and Juventus. But it's not only a rivalry between two football teams. It's also a rivalry between the richer, business-driven, productive side of society and those of us from the south, who were always migrants or immigrants.

"We had to go north to work and we were always the most oppressed people of Italy. So, while Maradona also delivered two Scudetti to Napoli, he also did something far more important to that: he restored an element of pride to the city.

"Consequently, I wanted to celebrate Maradona the man, rather than Maradona the footballer."

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The latter is represented in an even more famous mural on Via Emanuele de Deo that takes up a significant chunk of an apartment block. It was here that thousands upon thousands of people flocked to pay tribute to Maradona after his passing on November 25, 2020 at the age of 60. It is a mecca of football, overflowing with Maradona memorabilia of every conceivable variety, making it a must-see for any tourist.

Of course, anyone that visits Naples is almost obliged to take a trip to nearby Pompei, the world-renowned ruins of the city buried under ash by the eruption of the mount Vesuvius volcano in 79 AD.

But in terms of tourist attractions within the city, the Castel Nuovo is a marvel easily located on the waterfront, just in front of Piazza Municipio and Palazzo San Giacomo, while the Chiostro di San Chiara is like a little sanctuary, offering peace and tranquillity in one of the liveliest cities in the world.

For those lucky enough to be spending more than one day in Naples, the city’s extensive catacombs are an eerie attraction well worth exploring, while the Museo Capella Sansevero is home to a number of works of art, including ‘Il Cristo Velato’ (The Veiled Christ), one of the most extraordinary sculptures you’ll ever see.

Naturally, any visitor will have worked up quite the hunger after a morning of sight-seeing, meaning a satisfying pre-match meal is essential.

One won't be short of fine-dining experiences in Naples, which has more Michelin star restaurants than any other city in Italy.

A seafood speciality such as spaghetti alle vongole (clams), baccalà alla napoletana (salted cod) or impepata di cozze (mussels) should definitely be tried.

But we're also talking about the home of pizza here, so a slice of margherita (named after a visiting queen) is obligatory - as is a traditional dessert like baba’ which is soaked in rum.

And one should obviously enjoy a glass of limoncello after every meal to help with digestion!

The Maradona can be reached by taxi, train, subway and bus (you can find more details here) but the venue is not exactly central - nor is it a door-to-door service.

There will still be a little walk involved after disembarking. For example, the journey from Napoli Centrale via train takes about half an hour all in.

A taxi ride won’t come cheap but it may well be worth it just to experience how traffic works - or, perhaps more accurately, doesn’t work - in Naples, a city in which you’ll see treble-parking, dents and damage on nearly every single vehicle and at least one entire family riding around the centre on a vespa with no helmets and no wing mirrors!

The historical centre is unsurprisingly full of great places to eat and drink, with Piazza Bellini, Piazza San Domenico, Piazza del Gesu' and Calata Maggiore Trinita' all extremely popular with locals and tourists alike.

The aforementioned Vormero is also teeming with nightlife, Palazzo Giusso is where many students hang out, while Chiaia could be described as Naples' bar area, as it feels like there's one on every corner.

In short, this is a city with something for everyone.

Indeed, there is an expression in Italian which translates as 'See Naples - and die' because it really is one of those places that everyone has to visit at least once in their life.

As Spalletti said, Napoli needs to be experienced - not imagined.

So, what are you waiting for?! Get planning your trip!