'Is That A Slum?' This Video From Naples Triggers Hygiene Debate Online

The Italian city of Naples has long been one of the most popular cities, thanks to locations like Posillipo, Phlegraean Fields, and Vesuvius. Films like Eat, Pray, Love, have also popularised the Neapolitan pizza and its local food scene. Needless to say, tourism is a thriving industry in the beach city. But, now a video that shows the garbage-filled streets of Naples is creating a buzz. One can see bags and bags of trash lying unpicked on the sidewalks. The video was made by a woman who was walking across the historic streets. The text overlay on the video said, “POV: You arrive in Naples and you are scared for your life.”

This undated video was first shared on TikTok before it went viral across social media. It has gotten over four lakh likes since it was shared on May 16. The video came as a surprise to many who recalled their fond memories of the place. However, some people pointed out that garbage has always been an issue in Naples, especially during the peak tourist season that starts from May to August.

Commenting on this video, an X user wrote, “It doesn’t even look like Italy anymore, just another slum.”

Someone recalled their past visit to Naples and wrote, “I was in Naples about 7 years ago and it was nothing like this. Wow, things have fallen so badly. Was a beautiful city and I felt safe walking no matter where I went.” Another commented, “I went to Napoli last May to celebrate the Scudetto. The whole city was celebrating and it was beautiful and the people were pretty nice. Kinda shocked seeing that this is a very different atmosphere.”

Expressing a different opinion, another mentioned, “I was there 6 years ago and ~30% of central Napoli streets were exactly like this. 3 meters high piles of garbage and junkies laying around historical buildings.”

Sharing the same opinion, a person stated, “True, Naples is a dump, trash everywhere. The only reason people pass through there is to get to the Amalfi coast. Italy is beautiful in every way, but skip Naples.”

As per Italian Daily Mattino, the Naples airport saw 12.4 million passengers in 2023, which was an increase of 13.5 percent from 2022. It will be interesting to see if the city sees a decline in tourist footfall if the garbage problem is not solved.