Etymology

see Naples and die

Today it means: One can die at peace after having seen Naples, Italy, nothing else on Earth surpassing its beauty. Full definition →

Italian vedi Napoli e poi muori
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The story

  1. Italian · calque ofvedi Napoli e poi muori
  2. English todaysee Naples and die

Calque of Italian vedi Napoli e poi muori, popularized by a 3 March 1787 letter by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published in his 1816–1817 Italienische Reise. Unknown further derivation, although probably originally in reference to its relative wealth and prosperity as the capital of the Kingdom of Naples in addition to its famous scenery. Compare the various Chinese idioms beginning 生在蘇州 /苏州 (Sūzhōu)... praising the surpassing beauty of Suzhou's residents, Hangzhou's scenery, Guangzhou's cuisine, and Liuzhou's coffins and tombs.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.