Marechiaro e la Fenestella
Posillipo
KnownViews & panoramas
The story
The fishing borgo (old village) where Salvatore Di Giacomo imagined the fenestella with its carnation: below, the shallow water and Vesuvius closing the horizon.
Access
FREE
The story
Marechiaro is a small fishing village on the sea of Posillipo. The name does not come from the clearness of the water but from the 'flat sea', calm. It is famous for the 'Fenestella', the little window with the carnation on the sill that, according to tradition, inspired in Salvatore Di Giacomo the song Marechiare (1885, music by Tosti), one of the most loved of Neapolitan song.
What to see
A cluster of houses and restaurants facing the water, at the foot of the Posillipo hill, with the Fenestella recalled by a plaque and a view that takes in the gulf, Vesuvius and Capri. A corner of sea that Neapolitan song has made legendary.
Hours and prices
Free entry.
Tips
Marechiaro is an inhabited and living seaside village, with restaurants on the water: move with respect among the residents' houses. You go down on foot along a little sloping road from the Posillipo hill, and the return is uphill: comfortable shoes are useful. It is a place for sunset and for dinner by the sea.
Frequently asked questions
What is Marechiaro?
A small fishing village on the sea of Posillipo, famous for the 'Fenestella' of Salvatore Di Giacomo's song Marechiare and for the restaurants facing the water.
What is the Fenestella of Marechiaro?
The little window with the carnation that, according to tradition, inspired the song Marechiare (1885); a plaque recalls it in the village.
How do you get to Marechiaro?
You go down on foot along a little road from the Posillipo hill; it is an inhabited village, to be experienced with respect, beautiful at sunset.
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