As sandy and chaotic as it is beautiful and vibrant, Naples or Naples in Italian, is a city of many contradictions. Located in southern Italy, or Mezzogiorno (land of the midday sun), its bustling port sits on the edge of the Bay of Naples, in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that destroyed nearby Pompeii.
The famous historic center of Naples is packed with architecturally impressive churches, fascinating museums, elegant palaces and lively squares, all orbiting a few main streets. The density of tourist attractions means that you can easily get in touch with the cultural essence of Naples while still enjoying its great wines and delicious food, like… wait… pizza!
Here’s a list of some of our favorite things to do and see in the historic center of Naples, Italy.
01
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Visit the Naples Cathedral (Duomo)
Direction
Via Duomo, 147, 80138 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 081 294764
Web
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Dedicated to the patron saint of Naples, San Gennaro, this 13th-century Gothic cathedral features Baroque frescoes and artwork, but more importantly, it contains the saint’s relics, including two jars of his coagulated blood. Be sure to visit the archaeological area below the cathedral, with ruins from ancient Greece to the Middle Ages. Don’t forget to visit the 5th-century baptistery, adorned with Byzantine-style mosaics. Every year on September 19, thousands gather here on the feast of San Gennaro to see the miracle of the liquefaction of the saint’s blood. The processions and celebrations last eight days.
02
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See frescoes and tiles at the Santa Chiara complex
Direction
49 / c, Via Santa Chiara, 49, 80134 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 081 797 1224
Web
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Erected on this site in the 14th century, the Church of Santa Chiara is part of a religious complex consisting of a monastery, tombs, and an archaeological museum. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was remodeled with a Baroque façade, but after being destroyed by bombs in World War II, it was rebuilt in its original Provençal-Gothic style. Here are the tombs of the Angevin monarchs, as well as the relics of Saint Louis of Toulouse, including his brain. Next to the church is the nuns’ choir with fragments of frescoes attributed to Giotto. The adjacent cloisters, designed by Vaccaro in 1742, contain intricate majolica tile columns and benches, and the courtyard walls feature 17th-century frescoes depicting saints, allegories, and scenes from the Old Testament. In the museum, you will find a Roman bathhouse dating back to the 1st century AD. C.
03
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Explore the Piazza San Domenico Maggiore and the Capilla Sansevero
Direction
Piazza S. Domenico Maggiore, 80134 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
One of the most important squares in Naples, Piazza San Domenico Maggiore features an obelisk built by monks as a gesture of gratitude for having survived the deadly plague of 1656. In the square is the 15th century Palazzo Petrucci, with its entrance and original patio. intact. Towards the back of the square is the Church of San Domenico Maggiore, where you can see the remains of an original 10th century Romanesque basilica and early Renaissance art, such as frescoes by Pietro Cavallini, as well as copies of works by Caravaggio and Titian (the originals are in the Capodimonte Museum). Inside the church are the tombs of various members of the Anjou dynasty, as well as the 13th century cross that was said to have spoken to Saint Thomas Aquinas. Don’t miss a visit to the Sansevero Chapel with marble sculptures and paintings from the 18th century, including the extraordinary and haunting Veiled Christ of Sanmartino.
04
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See the Roman ruins at the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore
Direction
Piazza S. Gaetano, 80138 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 081 211 0860
Web
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A rare Gothic building, the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore has the excavated remains (scavi) of a Greco-Roman city underneath, including a Roman forum. Various re-enactments have been created to show what the city might have looked like in Roman times. The museum exhibits works from the Greek and Roman periods up to the 19th century, in particular the frescoed ceilings in the Capitolare and Sisto V rooms.
05
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Explore the Naples metro
Direction
Vico S. Anna di Palazzo, 52, 80132 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 081 400256
Web
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Beneath the city is a hidden labyrinth of ancient tunnels, aqueducts, cisterns, catacombs, and a Greco-Roman theater where Emperor Nero had his dressing room. Naples Underground takes visitors on a captivating tour of the vast underground network of chambers and paths buried beneath this modern city.
06
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Go back in time at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples
Direction
Piazza Museo, 19, 80135 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 081 442 2149
Web
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Known worldwide for having an exceptional collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, including mosaics, sculptures, gems, glass and silver, it also displays an impressive collection of finds from Pompeii. Allow at least half a day here, and don’t forget to book in advance for the Secret Cabinet tour, where you can see erotic works from Pompeii.
07
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Imagine life in the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace)
Direction
Piazza del Plebiscito, 1, 80132 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 081 580 8255
Web
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Begun by the Spanish viceroys in 1600, the Royal Palace was expanded to become the royal palace of Naples. Behind the beautiful exterior are grand salons and royal apartments filled with furniture, tapestries, paintings, and porcelain. Visit the roof garden where panoramic views of the bay remind you that it is good to be a king.
08
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Walk through the plebiscite square
Direction
Piazza del Plebiscito, 80132 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
It was after the Unification of Italy in 1860 that the Piazza del Plebiscito was named. Located right in the middle of Naples, the once disheveled square has been spruced up in recent years to reflect the grandeur of its important neighbors: Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) and San Francesco di Paola, with a 19th-century dome inspired by the XIX century. Pantheon in Rome. The square is enhanced by the Palazzo Salerno and the Palazzo della Prefettura, along with several equestrian statues of King Carlo III and King Ferdinando I by the master sculptor Antonio Canova. From Piazza del Plebiscito, continue on Via Toledo (also called Via Roma): a pedestrian zone that is one of the main shopping and business streets of the old town.
09
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See body parts in the anatomy museum
Direction
Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 081 566 7747
Web
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If the catacombs and crypts are not ghoulish enough for you, at the Anatomy Museum of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, part of the MUSA science and art museum, you can see the preserved remains of real human beings. For some, the exhibits are things of nightmares, but for others, it’s just another day at the museum.
Look through jars filled with formaldehyde at a variety of strange medical defects, or move to the quieter anatomical section of the museum to marvel at the work of Efisio Marini and Giuseppe Albini, who created unique pieces of art using pickled body parts. or calcified. .
10
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Walk through Spaccanapoli in the heart of the city
Spaccanapoli (divider of Naples) is the main street that divides the historic and noisy heart of the city. Running from east to west, it provides easy access to the most popular spots in Naples. Crowded day and night, the boulevard is home to classical churches and old palaces (stately buildings). Part of what was a Greek, and later Roman city, the Spaccanapoli district has a network of narrow, winding streets, many pedestrianized areas. Along the way, keep an eye out for small shops selling traditional Neapolitan street food, such as pizza a portafoglio (folded pizza) and fried ‘rice balls’ (palle’ e riso).
eleven
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Buy in Via San Gregorio Armeno
Direction
Via S. Gregorio Armeno, 80138 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Even if you don’t like religious manger scenes, Via San Gregorio Armeno is definitely worth experiencing. Lined with a series of artisan workshops that make statuettes and decorations for traditional Neapolitan nativity scenes or presepi, figures and souvenirs spill down the street. Around the middle of Via San Gregorio Armeno is the church of the same name. On Tuesdays at 9:30 am, witness the miracle of the liquefied blood of Saint Patricia.
12
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Explore ancient arcades on Via dei Tribunali
Direction
Via dei Tribunali, Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Also known as Decumano Maggiore, Via dei Tribunali is another ancient street that runs through the ancient Greek city of Neapolis founded in the 5th century BC. Along the way, visit splendid Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque churches that preserve numerous masterpieces, including a Caravaggio painting in the Church of Pio Monte della Misericordia. The shaded arcades (porticoes) date back more than 1,000 years.
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13
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Eat all the Neapolitan pizza
There is no dish more related to the cultural identity of the city than pizza. First introduced to the world by the ancient Greeks sometime in the late 18th century, round flatbread made its way to southern Italy. A popular working-class staple sold primarily by street vendors, it gained worldwide attention in the early 20th century, when Queen Margaret of Savoy developed a taste for peasant delicacy. He called chef Raffaele Esposito to the royal palace and Margherita pizza was born. In 2017, the craft of pizza making (pizzaiuolo) was officially recognized as a culinary art when it was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.
14
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Enjoy the Scaturchio patisserie
Direction
Piazza S. Domenico Maggiore, 19, 80134 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 081 551 7031
Web
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Do not miss the gastronomic delight that are the desserts of Naples. Try traditional pastries like babà (rum-soaked dough) and Sfogliatella (puff pastry filled with ricotta and candied citrus fruits). The best of the best can be found at Scaturchio, the oldest pastry shop in Naples.
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Take in the view from Castel dell’Ovo
Direction
Via Eldorado, 3, 80132 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 081 795 6180
Web
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Sitting in a prominent position on the harbor, Castel dell’Ovo is the oldest fortification in Naples. Built in 1154, the fortification occupies a small island facing the Santa Lucia district. Once the site for the city’s shellfish trade, it later became the royal residence under the Normans and the Hohenstaufen. Today, the castle is primarily used for exhibitions and concerts.
16
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See the Castel Nuovo
Address
Via Vittorio Emanuele III, 80133 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Phone
+39 081 795 7722
Web
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Erected for Charles of Anjou in 1279-1282, this massive Castle Nuovo today houses the Civic Museum (Museo Civico). Containing 14th- and 15th-century frescoes, paintings, and bronze sculptures from the Middle Ages to present, the castle is also known as Maschio Angioino. Built in Aragonese style (apart from the towers and the Cappella Palatina), it boasts a triumphal arch at the entrance built in 1454. The original bronze doors are now in the Palazzo Reale.
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17
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Test the Acoustics at Teatro di San Carlo
Address
80133 Naples, Metropolitan City of Naples, ItalyGet directions
Italy’s largest and oldest opera house, the Teatro di San Carlo is recognized for its perfect acoustics. Built for Charles of Bourdon in 1737, it was rebuilt in 1816, after a fire.
18
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See the Masters at Capodimonte Museum and Park
Address
Via Miano, 2, 80131 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Phone
+39 081 749 9111
Web
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Among Italy’s richest museums, the Capodimonte Museum started out as a hunting lodge for King Charles III. It prides itself in its outstanding picture gallery containing works by Titian, Botticelli, Raphael, and Perugino, as well as having an immense collection of majolica and porcelain pottery. You can wander around the royal apartments and the surrounding park, too.
19
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Get a View From the National Museum and Monastery of San Martino
Address
Largo S. Martino, 5, 80129 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
Phone
+39 081 229 4503
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Offering magnificent views above Santa Lucia from Vomero Hill, the Certosa di San Martino was founded as a Carthusian monastery in the 1300s. The museum offers an impressive display of traditional presepi (nativity scenes) and splendid cloisters designed in 1623-1629 by Cosimo Fanzago, the father of Neapolitan Baroque.
20
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Get Lost at the The Botanical Gardens of Naples
Address
Via Foria, 223, 80137 Napoli NA, ItalyGet directions
Phone
+39 081 253 8552
Web
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Considered one of the best botanical gardens in Italy, the 170-acre plot of land opened in 1810. It’s a public park, as well as a research facility of the University of Naples Federico II, and among the oldest in Europe. The Orto Botanico is dedicated to the preservation of endangered species and the study of how plants can be used for medicinal purposes. On the premises is a restored 5,400 square foot greenhouse comprised of lecture halls, display rooms, and the Museum of Paleobotany and Ethnobotany.
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21
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Ride the Funiculars
Address
Via Renato Lordi, 10, 80127 Naples NA, ItalyGet directions
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The first funicolare (a form of rail transport that uses a cable to move passengers up steep slopes) was built on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius in the late 19th century. It was abandoned in 1944, after a volcanic eruption severely damaged it. Today there are four funicular lines that carry Neapolitans up and down. One goes to the top of the Vomero district, where you can have fabulous views from the Castle of Sant’Elmo and the Certosa and the Museum of San Martino. Funicolare Centrale, one of the longest in the world, leaves Via Toledo at Galleria Umberto. The other two are Funicolare di Chiaia and Funicolare di Montesanto. Together they carry nearly 4 million passengers up and down the slopes of Naples each year.
