Steps of Petraio
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In the city of Naples, there is an invisible hamlet hidden behind the buildings that perched on the slopes the Vomero hill. It is the “Petraio”, a true “oblique settlement” that connects the hilly area with Corso Vittorio Emanuele via 503 steps. It is a characteristic hamlet from which you can admire picturesque views while descending the pathway which winds its way through flowered terraces and old houses.
It is called “Petraio” because the rains carried pebbles which accumulated here: in fact, the climb follows the route of one of the many Vomero stream beds. The stepped areas were built between the 16th and 17th centuries and were populated by shepherds and washerwomen (the first Neapolitan song is called “Canto nelle lavandaie del Vomero” (“The Song of the Vomero Washerwomen”). Only later were the steps enlarged and improved to link the then Vomero countryside to the new district of Chiaia.
Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Petraio was inhabited by wealthy families who built delightful Art Nouveau villas that we can see today, especially along Via Palizzi and Via Sanfelice. After the Second World War, the area was overrun with building speculation that transformed it into a high-density residential area.
