After her beloved book was adapted for an HBO series Elena Ferrante’s fans are exploring the sights that appear on page and screen In HBO’s eight-part adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s first novel My Brilliant Friend (L’Amica Geniale) viewers follow the childhood friendship and rivalry of Elena and Raffaella (nicknamed Lenù and Lila) Growing up in the tough and gray Rione neighborhood just to the east of Napoli Centrale station the girls create a strange yet strong bond amid unrelenting family dramas But eventually the vibrancy of the city and the shimmering bay open their eyes to life beyond the Rione Those caught by Ferrante Fever can easily retrace Lenù and Lila’s steps through post-war Naples The novel’s gray and oppressive Rione quarter is a suburb with austere tenement blocks—many believe that the Rione Luzzatti was Ferrante’s inspiration Take the Metropolitana Linea 2 train east of Napoli Centrale to Gianturco station to walk through the “tunnel with its three entrances” that Lenù and Lila pass through on their childhood escape that ends in a deluge and disappointment Tours take Ferrante readers to familiar haunts: along the main drag Lo Stradone Although no filming for the miniseries was done here (a set was created at Marcianise Studios in Caserta) Rione Luzzatti definitely inspired its design In the novel the girls see how the other half lives when they get dressed up and join Carmela, Pasquale, and Rino for a Metropolitana trip into the Centro Storico. In the TV adaptation the girls get off a handsome green 1950s bus at Piazza Plebiscito, then stroll beside Palazzo Reale past a line of statues of Neapolitan rulers with their bulbous paunches and array of swords Look out for the many realistic period features including the original 1950s font for Totocalcio soccer betting in the Sali e Tabacchi tobacconists It’s here among the well-heeled Neapolitans “who look like mannequins” that Lila and her brother Rino are cruelly labeled cafoni (hicks) by locals By the end of Episode 5 there is a hint that the gloom and menace will lift (albeit momentarily) as Lenù walks in the summer haze with her mother along the old quayside of Molo San Vincenzo overlooking Castel Nuovo and Castel Sant’Elmo Lenù waves to her mother from the top deck as the boat sets off on her first trip over water The summer job helping at the Incardo family villa will change her life and mold her future relationships by the pastel-colored fishermen’s dwellings that Lenù boards a bright blue bus for Barano on the southern shores of the island The scenes are filmed on a flower-filled Barano terrace overlooking the lush hills of the L’Isola Verde (Green Island) The vibrancy and freedom of this new life outside the Rione is symbolized with lots of splashes of blue: Lenù sports a 1950s blue swimsuit on the beach at Barano and she recalls the sweet sensuality of swimming in the sea at Coroglio Lenù’s takes a job babysitting the stationery shop owner’s daughters, which takes her to the picturesque Posillipo bathing establishment of Sea Garden This popular spot near Mergellina port in Naples first opened in 1840 and is alleged to have been a favorite spot of Lord Nelson and his lover Lady Hamilton Among the colorful umbrellas and beach huts and the half-ruins of the honey-hued 17th-century Villa Donn’Anna Toward the end of the novel and TV series, Lila, accompanied by her pals Lenù, Pinuccia, and Maria, heads to a shop to try on wedding dresses on one of Napoli’s main shopping streets. Corso Umberto I, nicknamed “Il Rettifilo” (The Straight Line) is a broad and long street that connects Piazza Garibaldi with Piazza Municipio Today Corso Umberto I isn’t the calmest with its cut-rate boutiques that blare pop music that is popular with ragazzi (teenagers) died peacefully at the Norwalk Hospital on Wednesday She was the loving wife of the late Edmondo Piro the daughter of the late Sebastiano Luigi DiScala and Caterina Angela DiScala She loved cooking and caring for her family and also enjoyed gardening and her love of music her daughters Rose Piro Forte (Ron) of Old Saybrook She is also survived by her grandchildren Laura She was also predeceased by her son Louis G A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday Raffaela’s family will receive friends at the Magner Funeral Home (12 Mott Ave. For directions or to leave an online condolence, please go to magnerfuneralhome.com Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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Traditional Ceremonies And Events Mark The Holiday The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response 28 JAN 2022BookmarkPretty Ischia has many of the same perks as Capri but is easier to get to (Image: Getty)With winter in full swing in England many Londoners are understandably dreaming of a warmer weather and more tropical climates pretty hillside settlements and incredible food scene the beautiful Italian island of Capri sits squarely at the top of many travel lists one thing that puts people off about the island is the often sky-high prices for hotels READ MORE: The beautiful island often named Europe's best that isn't in France, Italy, Spain or Greece is that Capri actually has a nearby sister island that’s just as gorgeous and it’s not only less of a trek to get to but also less crowded and more affordable Ischia is a small yet magical volcanic island off the coast of Naples that can be reached by ferry eat and drink thanks to the wealth of amazing restaurants historic sites and pretty streets made for wandering on offer a boat trip from the mainland to Ischia takes just 50 minutes as opposed to the two hours to Capri making it even more accessible for Londoners looking to get away with minimal fuss quintessentially Mediterranean towns including Forio Each of these towns has its own personality even in the main town you won’t find it overrun with tourists as Capri can be - the hidden gem island is a favourite among Italians precisely because it’s still authentic and not overcrowded with international visitors You can find lots of picture perfect historic buildings such as the medieval Aragonese Castle or 18th century Palazzo dell’Orologio houses For those interested in learning more about Ischia’s fishing traditions The island’s abundance of fresh fish and seafood also ensures you won’t miss out in terms of tasty food Ristorante De Bellezza and Gardenia Mare both come especially highly recommended by Tripadvisor users and are ideal if you want your lunch or dinner with a side of gorgeous seaside views If you’re keen to try some authentic local cuisine Coniglio all’Ischitana is a rustic pasta dish made with wild rabbit that’s a speciality of Ischia - find it served at hillside eatery Bracconiere READ MORE: Beautiful French island with a fairytale Disney castle known as 'Wonder of the Western World' There’s also some additional things you can do on Ischia that wouldn’t be possible on Capri, such as soaking in the natural hot springs at Cavascura or visiting the world’s oldest spa at Nitrodi thermal water park Unlike its smaller sibling which only has rocky beaches you can also spend the day at glorious sandy beaches when in Ischia while San Montao is a quieter option that’s hidden away between Forio and Lacco Ameno Ischia is actually easier to get to than Capri it’s largely accessible by sea so you’ll need to fly to Naples and then get a boat The good news for Londoners is there’s easy direct flights from both Heathrow and Gatwick airports British Airways operates a flight from London Heathrow that takes only 2hrs 40mins You can also fly from Gatwick to Naples on EasyJet (2hrs 40mins) you can hop on a ferry to Ischia and be there in as little as 50 minutes More information on ferry options here Is there a story you think we should be covering? 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