Caravaggio + Aperol

Four old friends, busy with work and life. We were heading to Naples to celebrate a birthday, but really it was an excuse to get together.

The first night we chanced upon a restaurant called Ettore. Full of locals, tables stacked with empty plates, conversations in full flow. One of those if you know you know places - a stroke of luck that we found it. We ordered a bottle of red and let the waiter guide us for starters and mains - our motif for every meal. Naples is famous for pizza, the pasta is even better.

We kept our plans loose and didn’t overthink it. Lunch and dinner were the milestones, with plenty of stops between… important to stay hydrated.

Naples is chaos, in the best possible way. This is how a city should feel. Alive, full of energy, nothing diluted. Down in one, not to be siped. There’s a rhythm here, and we quickly fell into step.

Our apartment was next to an old castle overlooking the water. On the second day, we strolled through the back streets in the direction of the Pio Monte della Misericordia church. Two of us went in to see Caravaggio’s Seven Acts of Mercy, two went to get a round of drinks. Turns out, baroque painting and Aperol are a great combo. It may have been a touch early, but that was kind of the point.

Maradona’s picture is on every wall - he’s the messiah. Scott McTominay isn’t far behind. In this town, a winning goal turns water into wine.

We caught a ferry across the bay. A breather before our final night. Sorrento is something else. People, food, architecture - refined and effortless. Life, polished. It’s hard to put into words, trying misses the point.

This wasn’t a work trip, but I couldn’t resist trying out a lightweight jacket that I’ve been developing - I hardly took it off (big tick). It's in the pipeline for a spring launch.

Really, we only scratched the surface. This trip was about four friends finding time to catch up. Pompeii can wait. We’d have had a good time wherever we went... but I’m glad we chose Naples, it added something to the weekend that none of us were expecting.

Caravaggio + Aperol

Four old friends, busy with work and life. We were heading to Naples to celebrate a birthday, but really it was an excuse to get together.

The first night we chanced upon a restaurant called Ettore. Full of locals, tables stacked with empty plates, conversations in full flow. One of those if you know you know places - a stroke of luck that we found it. We ordered a bottle of red and let the waiter guide us for starters and mains - our motif for every meal. Naples is famous for pizza, the pasta is even better.

We kept our plans loose and didn’t overthink it. Lunch and dinner were the milestones, with plenty of stops between… important to stay hydrated.

Naples is chaos, in the best possible way. This is how a city should feel. Alive, full of energy, nothing diluted. Down in one, not to be siped. There’s a rhythm here, and we quickly fell into step.

Our apartment was next to an old castle overlooking the water. On the second day, we strolled through the back streets in the direction of the Pio Monte della Misericordia church. Two of us went in to see Caravaggio’s Seven Acts of Mercy, two went to get a round of drinks. Turns out, baroque painting and Aperol are a great combo. It may have been a touch early, but that was kind of the point.

Maradona’s picture is on every wall - he’s the messiah. Scott McTominay isn’t far behind. In this town, a winning goal turns water into wine.

We caught a ferry across the bay. A breather before our final night. Sorrento is something else. People, food, architecture - refined and effortless. Life, polished. It’s hard to put into words, trying misses the point.

This wasn’t a work trip, but I couldn’t resist trying out a lightweight jacket that I’ve been developing - I hardly took it off (big tick). It's in the pipeline for a spring launch.

Really, we only scratched the surface. This trip was about four friends finding time to catch up. Pompeii can wait. We’d have had a good time wherever we went... but I’m glad we chose Naples, it added something to the weekend that none of us were expecting.