Des Épigraphes for Casa d'Anna: a Neapolitan Rêverie

Naples has always been a mystery for us. It is only an hour south of Rome, yet it feels like a totally different country. Still, from the very first day, we knew Des Épigraphes had to tell its story sooner or later.

But Naples is difficult. Naples has layers, and most importantly, Naples is more than the current clichés we see proliferating everywhere. So we walked across the city, we sailed to look at it from a different perspective, we even hiked to understand why, for more than two thousand years, humans never left it.

But we needed to enter hallways and cross hidden doors to find something authentic, something we would believe in enough to share with the world. Naples is a very old tale. So we explored its most ancient area: la Sanità. And this is exactly when the magic happened. We discovered a place, la Casa d’Anna, and met a woman, Alessandra Martuscelli. Both enchanted us with their charme d’antan, their passion for Naples, and their modernity; the true kind, one where we are able to build a brighter future only because we cared to understand the past.

So we listened to their story and tried to grasp even bits of it, despite feeling it was far bigger than our own individuality. And we got inspired to collaborate on a unique product: a postcard, a travel memory, gifted to every guest and delicately placed in every room. A door to a Neapolitan reverie, because we believe the city is worth dreaming.

The Palmaro Room, our favorite out of the five rooms of Casa d'Anna

In the process, we learned and we understood what Neapolis was, and what Naples is, for its inhabitants, from the hills of la Sanità to the shores of Posillipo. It is a story of pride and resilience, where the characters stand out because of their differences but impress you with their love for their land and their bay. But it’s also, unfortunately, a place of many forgotten stories, simply because our society often focuses on one-dimensional narratives. It will take time to shine a light on the glories of Naples again, instead of the cheap clichés adorning the white tees of overtourism.

View of the Vesuvio from Posillipo

But initiatives run by locals are the proof that we should all embark on a journey to discover Naples once again. One where we are guided by its brightest minds. From la Casa d’Anna, a haven hidden in a small alley, to the Fondazione Ipogeo dei Cristallini, another initiative by Alessandra Martuscelli and her daughter, protecting history while employing young people from the neighborhood. But also Equipo, our new favorite hats by two unique girls, or Visione Vesuvio, an ambition to make cinema cool and young again, using the Bay of Naples as the perfect theatrical backdrop.

So we invite you, like we did, to wander once again there, where the land meets the sea and where a fiery passion never loses its intensity. In the meantime, we’ll keep writing love letters from Casa d’Anna, our new home in Italy’s most exhilarating city. And if you were to join us, don’t forget that what happens in Naples, stays in Naples.