see Naples and die

proverb

One can die at peace after having seen Naples, Italy, nothing else on Earth surpassing its beauty.

OriginItalian vedi Napoli e poi muori →
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Meanings

proverb

alternative see Naples and then die

  1. One can die at peace after having seen Naples, Italy, nothing else on Earth surpassing its beauty.

    I won't say another word about the beauties of the city and its situation, which have been described and praised so often. As they say here, "Vedi Napoli e poi muori!" "See Naples and die!"

    1962, Wystan Hugh Auden & al. translating Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as Italian Journey, Pt. 2, letter of 3 March 1787 from Naples, p. 180

Origin

  1. Italianvedi Napoli e poi muori
  2. Englishsee 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.

More words from Italian

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech vidět Neapol a zemřít
  • vidět Neapol a zemřítnothing in life tops seeing Naples
Danish se Neapel og dø
  • se Neapel og dønothing in life tops seeing Naples
Finnish nähdä Napoli ja kuolla
  • nähdä Napoli ja kuollanothing in life tops seeing Naples
French voir Naples et mourir, voir Naples et puis mourir
  • voir Naples et mourirnothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • voir Naples et puis mourirnothing in life tops seeing Naples
German Neapel sehen und sterben, siehe Neapel und stirb
  • Neapel sehen und sterbennothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • siehe Neapel und stirbnothing in life tops seeing Naples
Hebrew לִרְאוֹת אֵת נַאפּוֹלִי וְלָמוּת
  • לִרְאוֹת אֵת נַאפּוֹלִי וְלָמוּת (lir'ót et Nápoli v'lamút)nothing in life tops seeing Naples
Hungarian Nápolyt látni és meghalni
  • Nápolyt látni és meghalninothing in life tops seeing Naples
Italian vedi Napoli e poi muori
  • vedi Napoli e poi muorinothing in life tops seeing Naples
Japanese ナポリを見て死ね, ナポリを見てから死ね
  • ナポリを見て死ねnothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • ナポリを見てから死ね (Napori o mite kara shine)nothing in life tops seeing Naples
Polish zobaczyć Neapol i umrzeć
  • zobaczyć Neapol i umrzećnothing in life tops seeing Naples
Portuguese ver Nápoles e depois morrer
  • ver Nápoles e depois morrernothing in life tops seeing Naples
Russian уви́деть Неа́поль и умере́ть
  • уви́деть Неа́поль и умере́ть (uvídetʹ Neápolʹ i umerétʹ)nothing in life tops seeing Naples
Spanish ver Nápoles y después morir
  • ver Nápoles y después morirnothing in life tops seeing Naples
Swedish se Neapel och sedan dö
  • se Neapel och sedan dönothing in life tops seeing Naples
Vietnamese thấy Napoli rồi chết
  • thấy Napoli rồi chếtnothing in life tops seeing Naples
Cite this entry
APA

see Naples and die. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/see%20Naples%20and%20die

MLA

“see Naples and die.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/see%20Naples%20and%20die. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “see Naples and die,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/see%20Naples%20and%20die.

Source: see Naples and die on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.