The release of the coffee table book Napoli Amore (Assouline, December 2024) couldn’t have been better timed because it coincides with a recent surge in tourism to Naples. In the past, many travelers to Italy were reluctant to visit Naples because of its historical association with organized crime and reports of overcrowding and grittiness.

But the city’s complexity and authenticity, coupled with growing exposure on social media, are now attracting travelers to Italy’s third-largest city. What is Naples’ intrigue that reaches far beyond being the birthplace of margarita pizza?