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The Naples Youth Hostel
 The
most primitive youth hostel I ever stayed in was
somewhere in Switzerland. It was a single gymnasium-like
hall with no beds, just slabs of plywood set on
saw-horse risers. There with parking-lot lines painted
on the plywood, each one numbered for a guest. Once you
shimmied up on the slab, you couldn’t turn over, but it
was cheap. There was only running cold water, but that
was fine—you were young and tough and just straining at
the bit to fall off and strap on your back-pack for the
next leg of whatever quest you were on—Prague, Berlin,
Rome.
I had a real cheapskate friend here
in Naples, a university professor, who had me drive him
(he didn't want to spring for a cab) to the Naples youth
hostel once while they were painting his apartment. They took him even though he
was well past the age-limit. They were—and are—pretty
lax about such things in Naples. I checked it out way
back then, and it wasn’t bad. Today, it’s fine!
Naples has had an official youth hostel (that is,
belonging to the international hostel organization)
since 1940. It was located in the Posillipo section of
town; in 1970, however, it moved to its current
premises. The address is via Salita della Grotta 23, but it’s
much easier to think of it as right behind the Mergellina train station—(hence
the name, “Mergellina Hostel.”) That is probably the
best combination of convenience and scenery to put such
a place. The train station is ideal for coming and
going, either long distance or just into the downtown
area, and it is near the Mergellina
harbor where boats leave for Capri
every hour. It is directly across the street from some
fabled archaeology, as well: Virgil’s
tomb and the long, dark Roman tunnel known as the
"Neapolitan crypt."
Hostels typically used to take only
young persons who had a hostel membership card, but the
gentleman at the desk assured me that times have
changed. Sooner or later, the membership requirement
will be waived; even now they’ll take you in the low
season when they have room to spare. The Naples hostel
can accommodate 200 guests and has rooms for two, four,
and six. There is a day-room with satellite TV and a
computer with an internet connection, a restaurant, and
scaled-down versions of most of the amenities you get in
regular hotels. You can even book ahead on the internet!
The desk is handled by friendly people with a large
supply of maps for Naples-roamers. A night runs about 18
euros, depending on accommodations. You get breakfast
with that.
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