NAPLES – Germany is still debating her political legacy. Naples, meanwhile, keeps asking her to pose for one photo after another. Never mind that Angela Merkel left office almost five years ago: in this part of Italy, the former German leader’s popularity seems undiminished. The enthusiasm has even taken Bild by surprise. “Mama Merkel in Naples,” ran the German tabloid’s headline, expressing astonishment at the reception given to the former chancellor.
It seems that “Mutti” — “Mum”, as Germans affectionately call her — has found a second home in the Bay of Naples. Just scroll through social media, which has become a collective photo album of her holiday.
Selfies, social media and a wave of affection
At Ba-Bar Monte Echia, a café with sweeping views over the city, a member of staff poses beside her. On Facebook, the café accompanies the photograph with an unconventional caption: “Some people stop by for a quick coffee. Others leave their mark before they’ve even ordered.”
The post goes on to recall Merkel’s decision to welcome Syrian refugees in 2015 and her famous declaration, Wir schaffen das — “We can do this”. It was a divisive decision at the time, but one the café celebrates as an act of humanity. “Thank you for visiting, Frau Merkel,” the post concludes.
And if a selfie in a café becomes a political statement, a photograph in a museum sparks an outpouring of approval online. The National Archaeological Museum of Naples, known as MANN, welcomed the former chancellor with a bilingual post: “A welcome return!”
Merkel was particularly intrigued by artefacts from the ancient cities buried by Vesuvius. The museum’s post attracted 45,000 likes and 1,200 comments. “Come back to government, we miss you,” wrote one user. “Mutti, we need you,” said another. There were few dissenting voices.
From supermarket shopping to the Amalfi Coast
After all, the holiday had begun in a remarkably ordinary way for a woman who was once the most powerful in the world: with a trip to the supermarket. Spotted on 20 October in Cava de’ Tirreni, she had Gragnano pasta and buffalo mozzarella in her shopping trolley.
Then came the Amalfi Coast, where she is believed to have stayed in a private villa near Maiori. In Ravello, wearing a blue tracksuit and trainers and carrying a backpack, she visited Villa Rufolo with some female [A1] friends, chatting about Bayreuth with its director, Maurizio Pietrantonio.
She also showed an interest in the autumn planting, which a female member of the villa’s staff explained to her over the phone — yes, really. Then came some shopping for ceramics, a hot drink and a greeting from the mayor, Paolo Vuilleumier.
“I welcomed her on behalf of the town’s residents. She told us she finds Ravello beautiful. We respected her privacy,” he said.
There was also a stop in Salerno, at the Giardino della Minerva, the botanical garden associated with the medieval Salerno School of Medicine, where she was accompanied by agronomist Luciano Mauro.
Ischia, Merkel’s favourite Italian retreat
Merkel’s ties to Campania go back a long way. For more than 20 years, the village of Sant’Angelo on the island of Ischia was her favourite retreat, where she holidayed with her husband, Joachim Sauer. There were thermal baths, hikes up Mount Epomeo and friendly relations with local residents.
In 2015, however, she stopped going, unable to put up with the relentless attention of the paparazzi. Then, in May 2025, she returned after a ten-year absence, travelling on an ordinary public ferry.
“To us, she is simply a tourist. Her privacy is sacred,” said Irene Iacono, the mayor of Serrara Fontana, at the time.
And during her visits to the region, she has made no secret of her love of pizza. She has eaten at Pellone and later at Battarra, near Naples’ Capodichino airport, where the staff did not even recognise her.
A passion for Pompeii and ancient history
Her passion for archaeology is equally well known. In 2014, visiting Pompeii, she queued at the Porta Marina ticket office, paid for her own admission and spent more than three hours exploring the ruins, map in hand.
She then insisted on seeing the Villa of Poppaea at Oplontis. This was anything but a whistle-stop sightseeing tour.
And while Bild Zeitung revisits the controversies surrounding her political legacy, popularity is measured differently in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius: here, the former chancellor stops, smiles and poses for yet another selfie.
This article was reviewed by an external translation partner