Napoli
Map: Naples Archaeological Museum
Map: Naples Hotels & Restaurants
If you like Italy as far south as Rome, go farther south—it gets better. If Italy is getting on your nerves, stop at Rome. Italy intensifies as you plunge deeper. Naples is Italy in the extreme—its best (birthplace of pizza and Sophia Loren) and its worst (home of the Camorra, Naples’ “family” of organized crime).
Before Italy unified in the late 1800s, Naples was the country’s richest city. But Naples’ fortunes nosedived when the capital of modern Italy was established in Rome. Things got so bad that many of its residents emigrated. The Italy America knows—pizza, spaghetti, and “O Sole Mio”/”Santa Lucia”—came from 19th-century Naples, as brought to the US by all those immigrants.
Today, Naples impresses visitors with one of Europe’s top archaeological museums (showcasing the artistic treasures of Pompeii), fascinating churches that convey the city’s unique personality and powerful devotion, an underground warren of Greek and Roman ruins, fine works of art (including pieces by Caravaggio, who lived here for a time), and evocative Nativity scenes (called presepi). Of course, Neapolitans make great pizza and tasty pastries (try the crispy, ricotta-stuffed sfogliatella). But more than anything, Naples has a brash and vibrant street life—“Italy in your face” in ways both good and bad. Walking through its colorful old town is one of my favorite experiences anywhere in Europe. For a grand overlook, head to the hilltop viewpoint (San Martino) for sweeping views of the city and its bay.
Naples is southern Italy’s leading city, the third-largest city in Italy, and Europe’s most densely populated city, with more than one million people and few open spaces or parks. While in many ways it feels like an urban jungle, Naples surprises the observant traveler with its impressive knack for living, eating, and raising children with good humor and decency. Overcome your fear of being run down or ripped off long enough to talk with people. Enjoy a few smiles and jokes with the man running the neighborhood tripe shop, or the woman taking her daycare class on a walk through the traffic.
The pulse of Italy throbs in Naples. Like Cairo or Mumbai, it’s appalling and captivating at the same time, the closest thing to “reality travel” that you’ll find in Western Europe. But this tangled mess still somehow manages to breathe, laugh, and sing—with a joyful Italian accent. Thanks to its reputation as a dangerous place, Naples doesn’t get nearly as many tourists as it deserves. While the city has its problems, it has improved a lot in recent years. And even though it remains a bit edgy, I feel comfortable here. Naples richly rewards those who venture in.
Naples is also the springboard to an array of nearby sightseeing treats (covered in the next three chapters): Just beyond Naples are the remarkable ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the brooding volcano that did them both in, Mount Vesuvius. A few more miles down the road is the pleasant resort town of Sorrento and the offshore escape isle of Capri. Next comes the dramatic scenery of the Amalfi Coast. Plunging even farther south, you’ll reach the Greek temples of Paestum.
Naples is an ideal day trip either from Rome or from the comfortable home base of Sorrento, each just over an hour away. Or you can stow your bag at the station and see Naples in a few hours while you change trains here on the way between Rome and Sorrento. For some, a little Naples goes a long way. If you’re not comfortable in chaotic and congested cities, think twice before spending the night here. But those who are intrigued by the city’s sights and street life enjoy overnighting in Naples.
On a quick visit, start with the Archaeological Museum (closed Tue), follow my self-guided Naples Walk, and celebrate your survival with pizza. With more time, dip into more churches, go underground to see Greek and Roman ruins, trek to Capodimonte to see art treasures, or consider ascending San Martino for the view. Spend an early evening strolling Naples’ romantic Lungomare harborside promenade.
For a blitz tour from Rome, you could have breakfast on an early Rome-Naples express train (usually daily 7:35-8:45), do Naples and Pompeii in a day, and be back in Rome before you turn into a zucchini. That’s exhausting, but more memorable than a fourth day in Rome.
Yes, Naples is huge. But if you stick to my suggestions and grab a cab when you’re lost or tired, it’s fun. Treat yourself well in Naples; the city is cheap by Italian standards. Splurging on a sane and comfortable hotel is a worthwhile investment.
On summer afternoons, Naples’ street life slows and many churches, museums, and shops close as the temperature soars. The city comes back to life in the early evening.
Naples is set deep inside the large, curving Bay of Naples, with Mount Vesuvius looming just five miles away. Although Naples is a sprawling city, its fairly compact core contains the most interesting sights. The tourist’s Naples is a triangle, with its points at the Centrale train station in the east, the Archaeological Museum to the west, and Piazza del Plebiscito (with the Royal Palace) and the port to the south. Steep hills rise above this historic core, including San Martino, capped with a mighty fortress.
Central Naples has multiple small TIs, none of them particularly helpful—just grab a map and browse the brochures. The handiest one is in Centrale train station (daily 9:00-18:00, near track 23, tel. 081-268-779). Two others are by the entrance to the Galleria Umberto I shopping mall, across from Teatro di San Carlo (Mon-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun until 13:00, tel. 081-402-394), and on Spaccanapoli, across from the Church of Gesù Nuovo (same hours as Galleria Umberto I TI, tel. 081-551-2701). For information online, the best overall website is www.inaples.it.
Naples has several train stations, but all trains coming into town stop at either Napoli Centrale or Garibaldi—which are essentially the same place, with Centrale on top of Garibaldi. Stretching in front of this station complex is the vast Piazza Garibaldi, with an underground shopping mall and Metro entrance.
Centrale Station, on the ground floor, is the slick, modern main station. It has a small TI (near track 23), an ATM (at Banco di Napoli near track 24), a bookstore (La Feltrinelli, near track 24—beyond the pharmacy), and baggage check (deposito bagagli, near track 5). Pay WCs are down the stairs across from track 13. Shops and eateries are concentrated in the underground level. A good supermarket (Sapori & Dintorni) is out the front door and to the left.
Garibaldi Station, on the lower level of the complex, is used exclusively by the narrow-gauge Circumvesuviana commuter train (which you’ll most likely use to connect to Sorrento or Pompeii). For more on the Circumvesuviana, see the “Getting Around the Region” sidebar on here. Note that this is not the terminus for the Circumvesuviana; that’s one stop farther downtown, at the station called Porta Nolana.
Getting Downtown from the Station: Arriving at either station, the best bet for reaching most sights and hotels is either the Metro or a taxi. In the lower-level corridor (below the main Centrale hall), look for signs to Metro lines 1 and 2. Line 1 is handy for city-center stops, including the cruise port (Municipio), the main shopping drag (Toledo and Dante), and the Archaeological Museum (Museo). Line 2 is slightly quicker for reaching the Archaeological Museum (ride it to the Cavour stop and walk 5 minutes). For tips on navigating the Metro, see “Getting Around Naples,” later.
A long row of white taxis line up out front. Ask the driver to charge you the fixed rate (tariffa predeterminata), which varies from €7 for the old center to €13 for the most distant hotel I list. The TI in the station can tell you the going rate.
Ferries and cruise ships dock next to each other in the shadow of the old fortress (Castel Nuovo), a short walk from all the old town sightseeing action. Naples has great ferry connections to Sorrento, Capri, and other nearby destinations. Cruise ships use the giant Stazione Marittima cruise terminal, hydrofoils and faster ferries use the Molo Beverello dock (to the west of the terminal), and slower car ferries leave from Calata Porta di Massa, east of the terminal.
Whether arriving by ferry or cruise ship, you can get to the city center by taxi, tram, Metro, or on foot; the Alibus shuttle bus runs to the airport (see “By Plane,” below).
The taxi stand is in front of the port area. There’s a fixed €11 rate to the train station or to the Archaeological Museum.
If you’re taking public transportation, a €1 single ticket covers either the tram or the Metro. You can buy tickets at any tobacco shop: Caffè Moreno is under the canopy between the two buildings of the cruise terminal, and Caffè Beverello is along the busy street. Remember to validate your ticket as you board the tram or enter the Metro station.
Tram #1 (6/hour, 15 minutes) stops at the busy road directly in front of the cruise terminal, at the corner of the big, orange brick building, and heads to Piazza Garibaldi and the train station, where you can connect to trains to sights outside of town. If you’re taking the Circumvesuviana commuter line to Pompeii or Sorrento, hop off this tram a bit earlier, at Porta Nolana, where you can catch the train at its starting point.
Straight ahead across the road from the cruise terminal (on the right side of the big fortress) is Piazza Municipio, with the handy Municipio Metro stop. From here, line 1 zips you right to the Archaeological Museum (Museo stop) or, in the opposite direction, to the train station (Garibaldi stop).
On foot, it’s a seven-minute walk—past the gigantic Castel Nuovo—to Piazza del Plebiscito and the old city center.
Naples International Airport (a.k.a. Capodichino, code: NAP) is close to town (tel. 081-789-6767, handy info desk just outside baggage claim, www.gesac.it). Alibus shuttle buses zip you in 20 minutes from the airport to Piazza Garibaldi, by Naples’ Centrale train station, and then head to the port/Piazza Municipio for boats to Capri and Sorrento (buses run daily 6:00-23:00, 4/hour, 30 minutes to the port, €4 on board, stops at train station and port only). The shuttle bus leaves and departs from the bus platforms at the northwest corner of Piazza Garibaldi—the far-right corner when exiting the train station. If you take a taxi to or from the airport, ask the driver for the fixed price (€16 to the train station, €19 to the port, €23 to the Chiaia district near the waterfront).
To reach Sorrento from Naples Airport, take the direct Curreri bus (see here). A taxi to Sorrento costs about €100.
Tours: 
Download my free Rick Steves audio tours of the Naples Archaeological Museum and my Naples Walk.
Theft Alert: While most travelers visit Naples safely, err on the side of caution. Don’t venture into neighborhoods that make you uncomfortable. While the train station has been nicely spruced up, its glow only extends for a block or so. The areas a little farther away are seedy and frequented by some of Italy’s most downtrodden people. Walk with confidence, as if you know where you’re going and what you’re doing. Touristy Spaccanapoli and the posh Via Toledo shopping boulevard are more upscale, but you’ll still see rowdy kids and panhandlers. Assume able-bodied beggars are thieves.
Stick to busy streets and beware of gangs of hoodlums. A third of the city is unemployed, and past local governments have set an example that the Mafia would be proud of. Assume con artists are more clever than you. Any jostle or commotion is probably a thief-team smokescreen. To keep bags safe, it’s probably best to leave them at your hotel or at the left-luggage office in Centrale Station.
Always walk on the sidewalk (even if the locals don’t) and carry your bag on the side away from the street—thieves on scooters have been known to snatch bags as they swoop by. The less you have dangling from you (including cameras and necklaces), the better. Keep valuables buttoned up.
Thieves and con-artists hang out close to where cruise travelers tumble into Naples. But perhaps your biggest risk of theft is while catching or riding the Circumvesuviana commuter train. At the train station, carry your own bags—there are no official porters. If you’re connecting from a long-distance express, you’ll be going from a relatively secure compartment into an often-crowded and dingy train, where disoriented tourists with luggage delicately mix with the residents of Naples’ most down-and-out districts. It’s prime hunting ground for thieves. While I ride the Circumvesuviana comfortably and safely, each year I hear of many travelers who get ripped off on this ride. You won’t be mugged—but you may be conned or pickpocketed. Be ready for this very common trick: A team of thieves blocks the door at a stop, pretending it’s stuck. While everyone rushes to try to open it, an accomplice picks their pockets. Wear your money belt, and avoid the Circumvesuviana train late at night when it’s plagued by intimidating ruffians. For maximum safety and peace of mind, sit in the front car, where the driver will double as your protector.
Traffic Safety: In Naples, red lights are discretionary, and pedestrians need to be wary, particularly of motor scooters. Even on “pedestrian” streets, stay alert to avoid being sideswiped by scooters that nudge their way through the crowds. Keep children close. Smart tourists jaywalk in the shadow of bold locals, who generally ignore crosswalks. Wait for a break in traffic, cross with confidence, and make eye contact with approaching drivers. The traffic will stop.
Bookstore: La Feltrinelli, conveniently located in Centrale Station, carries a small selection of English-language books (daily 7:00-21:00, near track 24).
Laundry: Lavasciuga, a block from the Università Metro stop, is convenient but has just three washers (Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, closed Sun, Via Sedile di Porto 54, mobile 327-754-6639).
Naples’ entire public transportation system—Metro, buses, funicular railways, and the single tram line—uses the same tickets, which must be stamped as you enter (in yellow or blue machines). A €1 single ticket (corsa singola) covers any ride on most modes of transportation (bus, tram, funicular, or Metro line 1), with no transfers; for Metro line 2 you need the €1.20 version (it’s considered a “suburban” line). If you need to transfer, buy the €1.50 90 minuti ticket. Tickets are sold at tabacchi stores, some newsstands, clunky machines at Metro stations (coins and small bills only), and occasionally at station windows. A giornaliero day pass costs €3.50 (or €4.50 including Metro line 2), and pays for itself quickly, but can be hard to find; many tabacchi stores don’t sell them. A weekly ticket (Monday to Sunday) costs €12, or €15.80 including Metro line 2. Several versions of the Campania ArteCard (see sidebar on here) include free public transport in Naples. For general information, maps, and fares in English, visit www.unicocampania.it. The TI hands out a good free map showing bus, Metro, and funicular routes. For schedules, your only option is the Italian-only site www.anm.it. For journey planning, use maps.google.com.
By Metro: Naples’ subway, the Metropolitana, has three main lines (linea). Station entrances and signs to the Metro are marked by a red square with a white M.
Line 1 is very useful for tourists. Starting from the train station (stop name: Garibaldi), it heads to Università (the university), Municipio (at Piazza Municipio, just above the harbor and cruise terminal), Toledo (south end of Via Toledo, near Piazza del Plebiscito), Dante (Piazza Dante), and Museo (Archaeological Museum). Four stops beyond Museo is the Vanvitelli stop, near the hilltop San Martino sights. Many of line 1’s new stations are huge and elaborate, designed by prominent artists and architects; Naples is proud of them, and locals are excited to tell you about their favorite.
Line 2 (part of the Italian national rail system) is most useful for getting quickly from the train station to Piazza Cavour (a 5-minute walk from the Archaeological Museum) or Montesanto (the top of the Spanish Quarter and Spaccanapoli street, and base of one funicular up to San Martino).
The new, under-construction line 6 will begin at Municipio and head west to Mergellina and beyond—but it’s unlikely to be of much use to tourists.
By Funicular: Central Naples’ three funiculars (funicolare) carry commuters and sightseers into the hilly San Martino neighborhood just west of downtown. All three converge near Piazza Fuga, a short walk from the hilltop fortress and monastery/museum. The Centrale line runs from the Spanish Quarter, just near Piazza del Plebiscito and the Toledo Metro stop; the Montesanto line from the Montesanto Metro stop and Via Pignasecca market zone; and the Chiaia line from near the Piazza Amadeo Metro stop.
By Bus: Buses can be handy for certain trips, such as getting to Capodimonte. But buses are crowded and poorly signed, and aren’t a user-friendly option for uninitiated newcomers.
By Tram: Tram line #1 runs along Corso Garibaldi (at the other end of the big square from Centrale Station) and down to the waterfront, terminating by the ferry and cruise terminals (direction: Stazione Marittima). It’s useful if you’re connecting from boat to train, or returning to the port after finishing my self-guided walk.
By Taxi: A short ride in town should cost €10-12. Ask for the tariffa predeterminata (a fixed rate). Your hotel or a TI can tell you the going rate for a given ride. You can also ask the driver to use the meter—for metered rides there are some legitimate extra charges (baggage fees, €2.50 supplement after 22:00 or all day Sun and holidays). Radio Taxi 8888 is one reputable company (tel. 081-8888).
Pina Esposito has a Ph.D. in ancient archaeology and art and does fine private walking and driving tours of Naples and the region (Pompeii, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, etc.), including Naples’ Archaeological Museum (€60/hour, 2-hour minimum, 10 percent off with this book, mobile 338-763-4224, annamariaesposito1@virgilio.it).
The team at Mondo Guide offers private tours of the Archaeological Museum (€120/2 hours) and city (€240/4 hours), and can provide guides or drivers throughout the region (tel. 081-751-3290, www.mondoguide.com, info@mondoguide.com).
Mondo Guide offers my readers special shared tours of Naples and of Pompeii, as well as other trips in the region. For details, see the sidebar.
CitySightseeing Napoli tour buses make three different hop-on, hop-off loops through the city. Only one of these—the red line, which loops around the historical center and stops at the Archaeological Museum and Capodimonte—is particularly helpful. The bus route will give you a sense of greater Naples that this chapter largely ignores (€22, ticket valid 24 hours, infrequent departures, buy from driver or from kiosk at Piazza Municipio in front of Castel Nuovo near the port, scant recorded narration; for details, see the brochure at hotels and TI, tel. 081-551-7279, www.napoli.city-sightseeing.it). The same company offers a shorter, more frequent route around the old center in an open-top minibus (€7, €25 combo-ticket with the main route, 40-minute loop, departs in front of the Church of Gesù Nuovo).
Mondo Guide offers shared shore excursions for my readers (see sidebar).
Convenient for cruise-ship passengers, the Can’t Be Missed tour company takes you from the port of Naples on an all-day, big-bus trip along the Amalfi Coast that also includes a stop in Sorrento and a guided tour of Pompeii (€65, meet at 8:00 in front of port, bus leaves at 8:30, returns at 17:15, Pompeii ticket extra, mobile 329-129-8182, www.cantbemissedtours.com, 10 percent discount with this book—use promo code “RICKSTEVES” on their website).
(See “Naples Archaeological Museum” map, here.)
Naples’ Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico), worth ▲▲▲, is one of the world’s great museums of ancient art. It boasts supersized statues as well as art and decorations of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the two ancient burgs that were buried in ash by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. For lovers of antiquity, this museum alone makes Naples a worthwhile stop. When Pompeii was excavated in the late 1700s, Naples’ Bourbon king bellowed, “Bring me the best of what you find!” The finest art and artifacts ended up here, leaving the ancient sites themselves barren (though still impressive). It’s here at the Archaeological Museum that you can get up close and personal with the ancient world.
Cost and Hours: €8, sometimes more for temporary exhibits, free first Sun of the month, Wed-Mon 9:00-19:30, closed Tue. Early and temporary closures are noted on a board near the ticket office: Expect some rooms to be closed in July and August.
Getting There: To take the Metro (Metropolitana) from Centrale Station, first buy a single €1.20 transit ticket at a newsstand or tobacco shop. Then follow the signs for Metro Linea 2 (down the stairs in front of track 13). Validate your ticket in the small yellow or blue boxes near the escalator going down to the tracks. You’re looking for line 2 trains heading in the direction of Pozzuoli (they generally depart from track 4, but may depart temporarily from track 2). Ride one stop to Piazza Cavour, and follow the Museo signs through the underground passage. Or exit and walk five minutes uphill through the park along the busy street. Look for a grand old red building located up a flight of stairs at the top of the block.
You can also take the Metro’s cheaper line 1 five stops from Centrale Station to Museo—it’s only a little slower. Figure on €11 for a taxi from the train station to the museum.
Information: The shop sells a worthwhile National Archaeological Museum of Naples guidebook for €12. Tel. 081-442-2149, www.museoarcheologiconapoli.it.
Tours: My self-guided tour (below) covers all the basics. For more detail, the decent audioguide (€5, leave ID at ticket desk) focuses largely on the provenance of the artifacts and how they ended up here. For a guided tour, book Pina Esposito (see “Tours in Naples,” earlier).
Download my free Archaeological Museum audio tour (available in 2018).
Baggage Check: Bag check is obligatory and free.
Eating: The museum has no café, but vending machines sell drinks and snacks. There are several good places to grab a meal within a few blocks; see here.
SELF-GUIDED TOUREntering the museum, stand at the base of the grand staircase. To your right, on the ground floor, are the larger-than-life statues of the Farnese Collection, starring the Toro Farnese and the Farnese Hercules. Up the stairs on the mezzanine level are mosaics and frescoes from Pompeii, including the Secret Room of erotic art. On the top floor are more artifacts from Pompeii, a scale model of the city, and bronze statues from Herculaneum. WCs are behind the staircase.
• From the base of the 1 grand staircase, turn right through the door marked Collezione Farnese and head for the far end, walking through a rich collection of ancient portrait 2 busts.
Pause at the busts of Caracalla (a third of the way down, on the left), and marvel at how he evolved from idealistic youth to cruel tyrant (and nemesis of Russell Crowe in the movie Gladiator). Admire the Seated Agrippina (two-thirds of the way down) with her typical hairstyle, realistic face, and pensive look. Nearby, look in Vespasian’s right ear and see how the huge head was hollowed out in medieval times. Now, continue to the end, jog right, then left, entering Room 13.
The Farnese Collection statues are not from Pompeii, but from Rome. Today they’re displayed in this grand hall of huge, bright, and wonderfully restored statues excavated from Rome’s Baths of Caracalla. Peruse the larger-than-life statues filling the hall. They were dug up in the 1540s at the behest of Alessandro Farnese (by then Pope Paul III) while he was building the family palace on the Campo de’ Fiori in Rome. His main purpose in excavating the baths was to scavenge quality building stone. The sculptures were a nice extra and helped the palace come in under budget on decorations. In the 1700s, the collection ended up in the hands of Charles, the Bourbon king of Naples (whose mother was a Farnese). His son, the next king, had it brought to Naples.
• Quick—look down to the left end of the hall. There’s a woman being tied to a snorting bull.
The tangled 3 Toro Farnese tells a thrilling Greek myth. At 13 feet, it’s the tallest ancient marble group ever found, and the largest intact statue from antiquity. A third-century A.D. copy of a lost bronze Hellenistic original, it was carved out of one piece of marble. Michelangelo and others “restored” it at the pope’s request—meaning that they integrated surviving bits into a new work. Panels on the wall show which pieces were actually carved by Michelangelo (in blue on the chart): the head of the woman in back, the torso of the aunt under the bull, and the dog. (Imagine how the statue would stand out if it were thoughtfully lit and not surrounded by white walls.)
Here’s the tragic story behind the statue: Once upon an ancient Greek time, King Lycus was bewitched by Dirce. He abandoned his pregnant wife, Antiope (standing regally in the background). The single mom gave birth to twin boys. When they grew up, they killed their deadbeat dad and tied Dirce to the horns of a bull to be bashed against a mountain. Captured in marble, the action is thrilling: cape flailing, dog snarling, hooves in the air. You can almost hear the bull snorting. And in the back, Antiope oversees this harsh ancient justice with satisfaction.
At the opposite end of the hall stands the 4 Farnese Hercules. The great Greek hero is exhausted. He leans wearily on his club (draped with his lion skin) and bows his head. He’s just finished the daunting Eleventh Labor, having traveled the world, fought men and gods, freed Prometheus from his rock, and carried Atlas’ weight of the world on his shoulders. Now he’s returned with the prize: the golden apples of the gods, which he cups behind his back. But, after all that, he’s just been told he has to return the apples and do one final labor: descend into hell itself. Oh, man.
The 10-foot colossus is a third-century A.D. Roman marble copy (signed by “Glykon”) of a fourth-century B.C. Greek bronze original (probably by Lysippos). The statue was enormously famous in its day. Dozens of copies—some marble, some bronze—have been found in Roman villas and baths. This version was unearthed in Rome’s Baths of Caracalla in 1546, along with the Toro Farnese.
The Farnese Hercules was equally famous in the 16th-18th centuries. Tourists flocked to Rome to admire it, art students studied it from afar in prints, Louis XIV made a copy for Versailles, and petty nobles everywhere put small-scale knock-offs in their gardens. This curly-haired version of Hercules became the modern world’s image of the Greek hero.
• Behind Hercules is a doorway into the impressive Farnese gem collection (Rooms 9 and 10). You’ll see cameos and the ancient cereal bowl-shaped 5 Farnese Cup, which features a portrait thought to be of Cleopatra. When you’re ready to move on, backtrack to the main entry hall with its grand staircase, then head up to the mezzanine level (turn left at the lion and go under the Mosaici sign), and enter Room 57.
These 6 mosaics—mostly of animals, battle scenes, and geometric designs—were excavated from the walls and floors of Pompeii’s ritzy villas. The Chained Dog once graced a home’s entryway. The colorful mosaic columns (to your right in adjoining Room 58) shaded a courtyard, part of an ensemble of wall mosaics and bubbling fountains. In Room 59, admire the realism of the tambourine-playing musicians, the drinking doves, and the skull—a reminder of impending death.
Continue a few steps into Room 60, with objects taken from one of Pompeii’s greatest villas, the House of the Faun (see here). The 20-inch-high statue was the house’s delightful centerpiece, the 7 Dancing Faun. This rare surviving Greek bronze statue (from the fourth century B.C.) is surrounded by some of the best mosaics of that age. (Find the little cat, who’s caught a bird.)
A museum highlight, just beyond the statue, is the grand Battle of Alexander, a second-century B.C. copy of the now-lost original Greek fresco, done a century earlier. It decorated a floor in the House of the Faun and was found intact. (The damage you see occurred as this treasure was moved from Pompeii to the king’s collection here.) Alexander (left side of the scene, with curly hair and sideburns) is about to defeat the Persians under Darius (central figure, in chariot with turban and beard). This pivotal victory allowed Alexander to quickly overrun much of Asia (331 B.C.). Alexander is the only one without a helmet...a confident master of the battlefield while everyone else is fighting for their lives, eyes bulging with fear. Notice how the horses, already in retreat, add to the scene’s propaganda value. Notice also the shading and perspective, which Renaissance artists would later work so hard to accomplish. (A modern reproduction of the mosaic is now back in Pompeii, at the House of the Faun.)
Farther on, the 8 Secret Room (Gabinetto Segreto, Room 65) contains a sizable assortment of erotic frescoes, well-hung pottery, and perky statues that once decorated bedrooms, meeting rooms, brothels, and even shops at Pompeii and Herculaneum. These bawdy statues and frescoes—many of them once displayed in Pompeii’s grandest houses—were entertainment for guests. (By the time they made it to this museum, in 1819, the frescoes could be viewed only with permission from the king—see the letters in the glass case just outside the door.) The Roman nobles commissioned the wildest scenes imaginable. Think of them as ancient dirty jokes.
At the entrance, you’re enthusiastically greeted by big stone penises that once projected over Pompeii’s doorways. A massive phallus was not necessarily a sexual symbol, but a magical amulet used against the “evil eye.” It symbolized fertility, happiness, good luck, riches, straight A’s, and general wellbeing.
Circulating counterclockwise through this section, look for the following: the fresco—high up—of a faun playfully pulling the sheet off a beautiful woman (#12), only to be grossed out by a hermaphrodite’s plumbing (perhaps the original “Mamma mia!”). A few steps farther, see horny pygmies from Africa in action (#27). There’s a toga with an embarrassing bulge (#34). A particularly high-quality statue depicts a goat and a satyr engaging in a lewd act (#36). And, watching over it all with remarkable aplomb, Venus, the patron goddess of Pompeii (#39).
The back room is furnished and decorated the way an ancient brothel might have been. The 10 frescoes on the wall functioned as both a menu of services offered and as a kind of Kama Sutra of sex positions. The glass cases contain more phallic art, including dangling mobiles used as party favors at rowdy banquets.
• So, now that your travel buddy is finally showing a little interest in art...finish up your visit by climbing the stairs to the top floor.
At the top of the stairs, pause and get oriented to our final sights. Directly ahead is a doorway (marked Salone Meridiana) that leads into a big, empty hall. To the left of this grand hall is a series of rooms with more artifacts from Pompeii. To the right are rooms of statues from Herculaneum. Keep this general layout in mind, because occasionally doorways and routes are altered, and you may have to improvise a bit to find your way.
First, step into the Salone Meridiana. This was the 9 great hall of the university (17th and 18th centuries) until the building became the royal museum, in 1777. Walk to the center. The sundial (from 1791) still works. Look up to the far-right corner of the hall and find the tiny pinhole. At noon (13:00 in summer), a ray of sun enters the hall and strikes the sundial, showing the time of the year...if you know your zodiac.
Now enter the series of rooms to the left of the grand hall, with 10 Metal, Ivory, and Glass Objects found in Pompeii. You enter through a doorway marked Vetri e Avori, which leads into Room 89. Browse your way to the far end, with the stunning Blue Vase (Room 85), decorated with cameo Bacchuses harvesting grapes. Turn left, then right, to find the huge, room-filling 11 model of Pompeii, a 1:100 scale model of the ruins (Room 96). Face the model from the side labeled plastico di Pompeii. This is how tourists enter today, up the street, and spilling into the large rectangular forum with the Temple of Jupiter at one end. Farther up in the model are the city’s two amphitheater-shaped theaters. This was all that had been excavated when the model was made in 1879. Another model (displayed on the wall) shows the site in 2004, after more excavations, when they’d dug up as far as the huge oval-shaped arena.
Continue on (through Rooms 83-80) and enter Room 75 (marked affreschi) to see the museum’s impressive collection of (nonerotic) 12 frescoes taken from the walls of Pompeii villas. Pompeiians loved to decorate their homes with scenes from mythology (Hercules’ labors, Venus and Mars in love), landscapes, everyday market scenes, and faux architecture. Look for the scene featuring Bacchus dressed in a robe of grapes standing alongside Mt. Vesuvius—a rare portrait of the volcano before it blew its top. To the left (in Room 78), find the famous dual portrait of baker Terentius Neo and his wife—possibly two of the 2,000 victims when Vesuvius erupted.
• Browse through more frescoes and objects from Pompeii in this labyrinth of rooms until, eventually, you end up back near the great hall. From here (facing the hall entrance), turn right and find the entrance to the wing labeled La Villa dei Papiri.
These artifacts came from the Herculaneum holiday home of Julius Caesar’s father-in-law. To the right of the entrance, in Room 114, find two of the 2,000 13 papyrus scrolls that gave the villa its name. Displays explain how the half-burned scrolls were unrolled and (with luck) read after excavation in the 1750s. Apparently Caesar’s father-in-law was an educated man who appreciated everything from Greek philosophy to Latin history.
Continuing into Room 116, enjoy some of the villa’s 14 bronze statues. Look into the lifelike blue eyes of the intense Corridore (runners), bent on doing their best. The Five Dancers, with their inlaid-ivory eyes and graceful poses, decorated a portico. The next room (CXVII) has more fine works: Resting Hermes (with his tired little heel wings) is taking a break. Nearby, the Drunken Faun (singing and snapping his fingers to the beat, a wineskin at his side) is clearly living for today. This statue epitomizes the carpe diem lifestyle of the Epicurean philosophy followed by Caesar’s father-in-law and so many other Romans living in Herculaneum and Pompeii on that fateful morning of August 24, A.D. 79, when Vesuvius changed everything.
• Ka-pow. The artistic explosion you’ve just experienced in this mighty museum is now over. To exit, return to the ground floor. To reach the exit, circle around the museum courtyard to the gift shop. But for extra credit, stop at one more sight on your way out.
As you circle the courtyard toward the exit, find 15 Doriforo. (If he’s been moved, ask a guard, “Dov’è il Doriforo?”) This seven-foot-tall “spear-carrier” (the literal translation of doriforo) just stands there, as if holding a spear. What’s the big deal about this statue, which looks like so many others? It’s a marble replica made by the Romans of one of the most-copied statues of antiquity, a fifth-century B.C. bronze Greek original by Polyclitus. This copy once stood in a Pompeii gym, where it inspired ancient athletes by showing the ideal proportions of Greek beauty. So full of motion, and so realistic in its contrapposto pose (weight on one foot), the Doriforo would later inspire Donatello and Michelangelo, helping to trigger the Renaissance. And so the glories of ancient Pompeii, once buried and forgotten, live on today.
(See “Naples Walk” map, here.)
This self-guided walk, worth ▲▲▲, takes you from the Archaeological Museum through the heart of town and back to Centrale Station. Allow at least two hours, plus time for pizza and sightseeing stops. (If you have the time and interest, you can make a side-trip to the Royal Palace/Piazza del Plebiscito area—covered in “Sights in Naples,” later—halfway through this walk.) You can also download my free Naples City Walk audio tour (available in 2018). See the map on here for the route.
Naples, a living medieval city, is its own best sight. Couples artfully make love on Vespas surrounded by more fights and smiles per cobblestone than anywhere else in Italy. Sure, Naples has its important sights. But to capture its essence, take this walk through the core of the city.
Start at the Archaeological Museum, at the top of Piazza Cavour (Metro: Cavour or Museo; for directions on getting here, see here). From here, we’ll ramble down a fine boulevard before cutting into the medieval heart of the city.
Archaeological Museum: The palatial building, built in the mid-1700s, captures the glory of Naples at its peak, and is a great introduction to the Naples we’ll see. Back then, the city was rich from sea trade and home to erudite nobles from abroad. They built a magnificent capital of buildings like this one. On this walk we’ll see that grand city they built...and its remnants following centuries of decline.
• From the door of the Archaeological Museum, cross the street, veer right, and enter the arched doorway of the beige-colored Galleria Principe di Napoli mall. (If the entrance is blocked, simply loop around the block to another entrance or pick up our walk behind the Galleria.)
Galleria Principe di Napoli: There’s no better example of Naples’ grandeur—and decline—than this elegant 19th-century shopping mall. You’ll enjoy a soaring skylight, carved woodwork, ironwork lanterns, playful cupids, an elegant atmosphere...and empty shops. Built with great expectations, the galleria was named for the first male child of the royal Savoy family, the Prince of Naples. Malls like these were popular in Paris and London. In the US, we call this decorative style Art Nouveau; in Italy it’s “Liberty Style,” named for a British department store that was in vogue at a time when Naples was nicknamed the “Paris of the South.” (Parisian artist Edgar Degas even left Paris to adopt Naples—which he actually considered more cosmopolitan and sophisticated—as his hometown.) But despite its grandeur, the mall has suffered from the economic stagnation that began in the late-1800s. Even ambitious renovations in recent years have failed to attract much business.
• Leaving the gallery through the opposite end, walk one block downhill. You’ll pass alongside the palatial golden facade of the Academy of Fine Arts, fronted by tropical plants and (usually) busy with students at its outdoor cafés. At Via Conte di Ruvo, turn left, passing the fine Bellini Theater (also in the Liberty Style). All along our walk, be sure to enjoy the architecture of the late 19th century, when Naples was the last stop on Romantic Age travelers’ Grand Tour of Europe. After one block, turn right on Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli. Walking between two grand churches, continue directly downhill to a small park with a statue in the center called...
Piazza Bellini: Suddenly you’re in neighborhood Napoli. The statue honors the opera composer Vincenzo Bellini, whose career was launched in Naples in the early 1800s, when opera itself was being born. Just past the statue, peer down into the sunken area to see Naples’ ancient origins as a fifth-century B.C. Greek colony called Neapolis—literally, “the new city.” These tuff blocks without mortar were part of a tower in the city wall. (And you’re standing on land that, back then, was outside of the town.) You can see how the street level has risen from the rubble of centuries.
Now look around at the city of today. Survey the many balconies—and the people who use them as a “backyard” in this densely packed city. The apartment blocks were originally the palaces of noble families, as indicated by the stately family crests above grand doorways. For 2,500 years, laundry has blown in the breeze right here.
• Walk 30 yards downhill. Stop at the horseshoe-shaped Port’Alba gate (on the right). Spin slowly 360 degrees and take in the scene. The proud tile across the street (upstairs, between the two balconies) shows Piazza Bellini circa 1890. Learn to ignore graffiti (as the locals do). Pass through the gate, down Via Port’Alba, and stroll through this pleasant passage lined with book stalls. You emerge into a big square called...
Piazza Dante: This square is marked by a statue of Dante, the medieval poet. Fittingly, half the square is devoted to bookstores. Old Dante looks out over an urban area that was once grand, then chaotic, and is now slowly becoming grand again.
Along one side is a grandiose, orange-and-gray pseudo-facade of columns and statues designed by Luigi Vanvitelli, the architect who remade the city in the late 1700s. Vanvitelli remade an existing monastery into this new structure, representing the power of the Bourbon monarchy when Naples was at its peak. Originally, a statue of the king stood in the square. But in 1799, the Bourbon monarchy was toppled when Napoleon invaded. The king’s statue was removed and replaced with the generic figure of Dante. And note the name that was later added to the big facade—Victor Emmanuel. These suggest the next phase of Naples’ history—its decline—which we’ll see in just a bit.
The Neapolitan people are survivors. A long history of corrupt and greedy colonial overlords (German, Norman, French, Austrian, Spanish, Napoleon, etc.) has taught Neapolitans to deal creatively with authority. Many credit this aspect of Naples’ past for the strength of organized crime here.
• Before moving on, note the red “M” that Dante seems to be gesturing to. This marks the Dante Metro station, the best of Napoli’s art-splashed Metro stations. (To take a look, go down three flights of escalators and then back up; you’ll need a ticket, unless you can sweet-talk a guard.) Then, exit Piazza Dante at the far end, walking downhill on...
Via Toledo: The long, straight street heading downhill from Piazza Dante is Naples’ principal shopping drag. It originated as a military road built by the Spanish viceroys (hence the name) who made Naples great in the 16th century. Back then, Via Toledo skirted the old town wall to connect the Spanish military headquarters (now the museum where you started this walk) with the Royal Palace (down by the bay). As you stroll, peek into the many lovely atriums, which provide a break from the big street.
After a couple hundred yards, you’ll reach Piazza Sette Settembre. This square represents the event that precipitated Naples’ swift decline. On September 7, 1860, from the white marble balcony of the Neoclassical building overlooking the square, the famous revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi celebrated his conquest of Naples. He declared Italy united and Victor Emmanuel II its first king. And a decade later, that declaration became reality when Rome also fell to unification forces. It was the start of a glorious new era for Italy, Rome, and the Italian people. But not for Naples.
Naples’ treasury was confiscated to subsidize the industrial expansion of the north, and its bureaucrats were transferred to the new capital in Rome. Within a few decades, Naples went from being a thriving cultural and political capital to a provincial town, with its economy in shambles and its dialect considered backward.
• Continue straight on Via Toledo. A block past Piazza Sette Settembre, you’ll come to Via Maddaloni, which marks the start of the long, straight, narrow street nicknamed...
Spaccanapoli: Via Maddaloni is the modern name for this thin street that, since ancient times, has bisected the city. The name Spaccanapoli translates as “split Naples.” Look left down the street (toward the train station), and right (toward San Martino hill), and you get a sense of how Spaccanapoli divides this urban jungle of buildings.
• At this point in our walk, take a moment to plan your next move. From here, our walk loops to the right, through the edge of the intense residential Spanish Quarter neighborhood to Piazza Carità before cutting over to the Spaccanapoli district. (If you were to side-trip to the Royal Palace and Piazza del Plebiscito-area sights—described later in “Sights in Naples”—you’d do that from here...but that makes this walk pretty long.)
At the Spaccanapoli intersection, go right (toward the church facade on the hill), heading up Via Pasquale Scura. After about 100 yards, you hit a busy intersection. Stop. You’re on one of Naples’ most colorful open-air market streets...
Via Pignasecca Market: Take in the colorful scene at the intersection. Then, turn left down Via Pignasecca and stroll this colorful strip. You’ll pass fish stalls, tripe vendors, butchers, produce stands, cheap clothes stores, street-food vendors, and much more.
This is a taste of Naples’ famous Spanish Quarter (its center is farther down Via Toledo—see map—but this area provides a good sampling).
The Spanish Quarter is a classic world of basso (low) living. The streets—which were laid out in the 16th century for the Spanish military barracks outside the city walls—are unbelievably narrow (and cool in summer), and the buildings rise five stories high. In such tight quarters, life—flirting, fighting, playing, and loving—happens in the road. This is the cliché of life in Naples, as shown in so many movies. The Spanish Quarter is Naples at its most characteristic. The shopkeepers are friendly, and the mopeds are bold (watch out). Concerned locals will tug on their lower eyelids, warning you to be wary. Hungry? Pop into a grocery shop and ask the clerk to make you his best prosciutto-and-mozzarella sandwich (it should cost you about €4).
• Turn left and follow Via Pignasecca as it leads back to Via Toledo at the square called...
Piazza Carità: This square, built for an official visit by Hitler to Mussolini in 1938, is full of stern, straight, obedient lines. The big building belonged to an insurance company. (For the best example of fascist architecture in town, take a slight detour from here: With your back to Via Toledo, leave Piazza Carità downhill on the right-hand corner and walk a block to the Poste e Telegrafi building. There you’ll see several government buildings with stirring reliefs singing the praises of lobotomized workers and a totalitarian society.)
In Naples—long a poor and rough city—rather than being heroic, people learn from the cradle the art of survival. The modern memorial statue in the center of this square celebrates Salvo d’Acquisto, a rare hometown hero. In 1943, he was executed after falsely confessing to sabotage...saving 22 fellow Italian soldiers from a Nazi revenge massacre.
• Need a WC? Pop into the Burger King. From Piazza Carità, veer northwest (past more fascist-style architecture) on Via Morgantini through Piazza Monteoliveto. Cross the busy street, then angle up Calata Trinità Maggiore to the fancy column in the piazza at the top of the hill.
• You’re in Piazza Gesù Nuovo, and you’re back on the straight-as-a-Greek-arrow Spaccanapoli, formerly the main thoroughfare of the Greek city of Neapolis. (Spaccanapoli changes names several times: Via Maddaloni, Via B. Croce, Via S. Biagio dei Librai, and Via Vicaria Vecchia.) Stop for a while at...
Piazza Gesù Nuovo: This square is marked by a towering 18th-century Baroque monument to the Counter-Reformation. Although the Jesuit order was powerful in Naples because of its Spanish heritage, locals never attacked Protestants here with the full fury of the Spanish Inquisition.
If you’d like, you can visit two bulky old churches, starting with the dark, fortress-like, 17th-century Church of Gesù Nuovo, followed by the simpler Church of Santa Chiara (in the courtyard across the street; both described under “Sights in Naples”). There’s also a TI on this square.
• Continue along the main drag for another 200 yards. Since this is a university district, you may see students and bookstores. As this neighborhood is also famously superstitious, look for incense-burning women with carts full of good-luck charms for sale.
Passing Palazzo Venezia—the embassy of Venice to Naples when both were independent powers—you’ll emerge into the next square...
Piazza San Domenico Maggiore: This square is marked by another ornate 17th-century monument built to thank God for ending the plague. From this square, detour left along the right side of the castle-like church, then follow yellow signs, taking the first right and walking one short block to the remarkable Baroque Cappella Sansevero (described later, under “Sights in Naples”).
• After touring the chapel, return to Via B. Croce (a.k.a. Spaccanapoli), turn left, and continue your cultural scavenger hunt. At the intersection of Via Nilo, find the...
Statue of the Nile (on the left): A reminder of the multiethnic makeup of Greek Neapolis, this statue is in what was the Egyptian quarter. Locals like to call this statue The Body of Naples, with the overflowing cornucopia symbolizing the abundance of their fine city. (I once asked a Neapolitan man to describe the local women, who are famous for their beauty, in one word. He replied, simply, “Abundant.”) This intersection is considered the center of old Naples.
• Directly opposite the statue, inside of Bar Nilo, is the...
“Chapel of Maradona”: The small “chapel” on the right wall is dedicated to Diego Maradona, a soccer star who played for Naples in the 1980s. Locals consider soccer almost a religion, and this guy was practically a deity. You can even see a “hair of Diego” and a teardrop from the city when he went to another team for more money. Unfortunately, his reputation has since been sullied by problems he’s had with organized crime, drugs, and police. Perhaps inspired by Maradona’s example, the coffee bar has posted a quadrilingual sign (though, strangely, not in English) threatening that those who take a picture without buying a cup of coffee may find their camera damaged...Capisce?
• Continue on another 100 yards. You may pass gold and silver shops. Some say stolen jewelry ends up here, is melted down immediately, and gets resold in some other form as soon as it cools. Look for compro oro (“I buy gold”) signs—an enduring sign of Naples’ tough economic times. Continue to a tiny square at the intersection with Via San Gregorio Armeno.
Via San Gregorio Armeno: Stroll up this tiny lane toward the fanciful tower that arches over the street. The street is lined with stalls selling lots of souvenir kitsch, as well as some of Naples’ most distinctive local crafts. Among the many figurines on sale, find items relating to presepi (Nativity scenes). Just as many Americans keep an eye out year-round for Christmas-tree ornaments, Italians regularly add pieces to the family presepe, the centerpiece of their holiday decorations. You’ll see elaborate manger scenes made of bark and moss, with niches to hold baby Jesus or mother Mary. You’ll also see lots of jokey figurines caricaturing local politicians, soccer stars, and other celebrities. (Some of the highest-quality presepi pieces are sold at the D’Auria shop, a little farther down Spaccanapoli, on the right at #87. They even sell the classy campane version, under a glass bell.)
Another popular Naples souvenir sold here—and all over—is the corno, a skinny, twisted, red horn that resembles a chili pepper. The corno comes with a double symbolism for fertility: It’s a horn of plenty, and it’s also a phallic symbol turned upside-down. Neapolitans explain that fertility isn’t sexual; it provides the greatest gift a person can give—life—and it ensures that one’s soul will live on through the next generation. Interestingly, in today’s Naples, just as in yesterday’s Pompeii (where bulging erections greeted visitors at the entrance to a home), fertility is equated with good luck.
(By the way, a bit farther up Via San Gregorio Armeno, you’ll find the underground Napoli Sotterranea archaeological site, along Via dei Tribunali, which also has some of the city’s best pizzerias—both are described later.)
• Continue down Spaccanapoli another 100 yards until you hit busy Via Duomo. Consider detouring five minutes north (left) up Via Duomo to visit Naples’ Duomo; just around the corner from that is the Pio Monte della Misericordia Church, with a fine Caravaggio painting (both described later, under “Sights in Naples”). But for now, continue straight, crossing Via Duomo. Here, Spaccanapoli is named...
Via Vicaria Vecchia: Here along Via Vicaria Vecchia, the main “sight” is the vibrant street life. It’s grittier, less touristy, and less atmospheric than what we’ve been seeing. The street and side-street scenes intensify. The area is said to be a center of the Camorra (the Naples-based version of the Sicilian Mafia), but as a tourist, you won’t notice. Paint a picture with these thoughts: Naples has the most intact street plan of any surviving ancient Greek or Roman city. Imagine this city during those times (and retain these images as you visit Pompeii), with streetside shop fronts that close up after dark, and private homes on upper floors. What you see today is just one more page in a 2,000-year-old story of a city: all kinds of meetings, beatings, and cheatings; kisses, near misses, and little-boy pisses.
You name it, it occurs right on the streets today, as it has since ancient times. People ooze from crusty corners. Black-and-white death announcements add to the clutter on the walls. Widows sell cigarettes from buckets. For a peek behind the scenes in the shade of wet laundry, venture down a few side streets. Buy two carrots as a gift for the woman on the fifth floor, if she’ll lower her bucket to pick them up. The neighborhood action seems best at about 18:00.
At the tiny fenced-in triangle of greenery, hang out for a few minutes to just observe the crazy motorbike action and teen scene.
• From here, veer right onto Via Forcella. You emerge into Piazza Vincenzo Calenda, where there’s a round fence protecting another chunk of that ancient Greek wall of Neapolis. Hungry? Turn right here, on Via Pietro Colletta, and close out the walk with three typical Neapolitan...
Eateries: Step into the North Pole at the recommended Polo Nord Gelateria (at #41). The oldest gelateria in Naples has had four generations of family working here since 1931. Before you order, sample a few flavors, including their bacio, or “kiss,” flavor (chocolate and hazelnut)—all are made fresh daily.
Two of Napoli’s most competitive pizzerias are nearby. Trianon da Ciro (across the street from Polo Nord) has been serving them up hot and fast for almost a century. A half-block farther, on the right, is the place where some say pizza was born—at Antica Pizzeria da Michele. (For more on both, see “Eating in Naples,” later).
• Our walk is over. It’s easy to return to Centrale Station. Continue straight ahead, downhill, until you hit the grand boulevard, Corso Umberto I. Turn left here, and it’s a straight 15-minute walk to Centrale Station. (Or cross the street and hop on a bus; they all go to the station.) You’ll pass a gauntlet of purse/CD/sunglasses salesmen and shady characters hawking stolen mobile phones. You’ll soon reach the vast Piazza Garibaldi, with a shiny new modern canopy in the middle. On the far side is the station. You made it.
CHURCHES ON OR NEAR SPACCANAPOLI
▲▲Capodimonte Museum (Museo di Capodimonte)
▲Cemetery of the Fountains (Cimitero delle Fontanelle)
Porta Nolana Open-Air Fish Market
▲▲Harborside Promenade: The Lungomare Passeggiata
▲San Martino Carthusian Monastery and Museum (Certosa e Museo di San Martino)
Naples’ best sights are the Archaeological Museum and my self-guided Naples Walk, both covered earlier. For extra credit, consider these sights.
These churches are linked—in this order—on my self-guided walk.
This church’s unique pyramid-grill facade survives from a fortified 15th-century noble palace. Step inside for a brilliant Neapolitan Baroque interior. The second chapel on the right features a much-adored statue of St. Giuseppe Moscati (1880-1927), a Christian doctor famous for helping the poor. In 1987, Moscati became the first modern doctor to be canonized. Sit and watch a steady stream of Neapolitans taking turns to kiss and touch the altar, then hold the good doctor’s highly polished hand.
Continue on to the third chapel and enter the Sale Moscati. Look high on the walls of this long room to see hundreds of ex-votos—tiny red-and-silver plaques of thanksgiving for prayers answered with the help of St. Moscati (each has a symbol of the ailment cured). Naples’ practice of using ex-votos, while incorporated into its Catholic rituals, goes back to its pagan Greek roots. Rooms from Moscati’s nearby apartment are on display, and a glass case shows possessions and photos of the great doctor. As you leave the Sale Moscati, notice the big bomb casing that hangs high in the left corner. It fell through the church’s dome in 1943, but caused almost no damage...yet another miracle.
Cost and Hours: Free, daily 6:45-13:00 & 16:00-19:30, Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, www.gesunuovo.it.
Dating from the 14th century, this church is from a period of French royal rule under the Angevin dynasty. Consider the stark contrast between this church (Gothic) and the Gesù Nuovo (Baroque), across the street. Inside, look for the faded Trinity on the back wall (on the right as you face the door, under the stone canopy), which shows a dove representing the Holy Spirit between the heads of God the Father and Christ (c. 1414). This is an example of the fine frescoes that once covered the walls. Most were stuccoed over during Baroque times or destroyed in 1943 by Allied bombs. Continuing down the main aisle, you’ll step over a huge inlaid-marble Angevin coat of arms on the floor. The altar is adorned with four finely carved Gothic tombs of Angevin kings. A chapel stacked with Bourbon royalty is just to the right.
Cost and Hours: Free, daily 7:30-13:00 & 16:30-20:00, Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, www.monasterodisantachiara.com. Its tranquil cloistered courtyard, around back, is not worth its €6 entry fee.
This small chapel is a Baroque explosion mourning the body of Christ, who lies on a soft pillow under an incredibly realistic veil. It’s also the personal chapel of Raimondo de Sangro, an eccentric Freemason, containing his tomb and the tombs of his family. Like other 18th-century Enlightenment figures, Raimondo was a wealthy man of letters, scientist and inventor, and patron of the arts—and he was also a grand master of the Freemasons of the Kingdom of Naples. His chapel—filled with Masonic symbolism—is a complex ensemble, with statues representing virtues such as self-control, religious zeal, and the Masonic philosophy of freedom through enlightenment. Though it’s a pricey private enterprise, the chapel is worth a visit.
Cost and Hours: €7, buy tickets at office at the corner—or skip the long ticket-buying line by reserving ahead online (€2 fee) and printing out a voucher; open Wed-Mon 9:30-18:30, closed Tue; Via de Sanctis 19, tel. 081-551-8470, www.museosansevero.it. The least crowded time to visit is after 16:00—the later the better. Pick up the free floor plan, which identifies each of the statues lining the nave.
Visiting the Chapel: Study the incredible Veiled Christ in the center. Carved out of marble, it’s like no other statue I’ve seen (by Giuseppe “Howdeedoodat” Sammartino, 1753). The Christian message (Jesus died for our salvation) is accompanied by a Masonic message (the veil represents how the body and ego are obstacles to real spiritual freedom). As you walk from Christ’s feet to his head, notice how the expression on Jesus’ face goes from suffering to peace.
Raimondo’s mom and dad are buried on either side of the main altar. To the right of the altar, marking his father’s tomb, a statue representing Despair or Disillusion struggles with a marble rope net (carved out of a single piece of stone), symbolic of a troubled mind. The flames on the head of the winged boy represent human intellect—more Masonic symbolism, showing how knowledge frees the human mind. To the left of the main altar is a statue of Modesty, marking the tomb of Raimondo’s mother (who died after his birth, and was only 20). The veiled woman fingers a broken tablet, symbolizing an interrupted life.
Raimondo de Sangro himself lies buried in a side altar (on the right). Among his inventions was the deep-green pigment used on the ceiling fresco. The inlaid M. C. Escher-esque maze on the floor around de Sangro’s tomb is another Masonic reminder of how the quest for knowledge gets you out of the maze of life. This tilework once covered the floor of the entire chapel.
Your Sansevero finale is downstairs: two mysterious...skeletons. Perhaps another of the mad inventor’s fancies: Inject a corpse with a fluid to fossilize the veins so that they’ll survive the body’s decomposition. While that’s the legend, investigations have shown that the veins were artificial, and the models were created to illustrate how the circulatory system works.
Naples’ historic cathedral, built by imported French Anjou kings in the 14th century, boasts a breathtaking Neo-Gothic facade. Step into the vast interior to see the mix of styles along the side chapels—from pointy Gothic arches to rounded Renaissance ones to gilded Baroque decor.
Cost and Hours: Free, Mon-Sat 8:30-13:30 & 14:30-20:00, Sun 8:30-13:30 & 16:30-19:30, Via Duomo.
Visiting the Church: Explore the two largest side-chapels (flanking the nave, about halfway to the transept). Each is practically a church in its own right. On the left, the Chapel of St. Restituta stands on the site of the original, early-Christian church that predated the cathedral (at the far end, you can pay a small fee to see its sixth-century baptismal font under mosaics and go downstairs to see its even earlier foundations; shorter hours than cathedral). On the right is the Chapel of San Gennaro—dedicated to the beloved patron saint of Naples—decorated with silver busts of centuries of bishops, and seven paintings done on bronze.
The cathedral’s main altar at the front is ringed by carved wooden seats, filled three times a year by clergy to witness the Miracle of the Blood. Thousands of Neapolitans cram into this church for a peek at two tiny vials with the dried blood of St. Gennaro. As the clergy roots—or even jeers—for the miracle to occur, the blood temporarily liquefies. Neapolitans take this ritual with deadly seriousness, and believe that if the blood remains solid, it’s terrible luck for the city. Sure enough, on the rare occasion that the miracle fails, locals can point to a terrible event soon after—such as an earthquake, an eruption of Mount Vesuvius, or an especially disappointing soccer loss.
The stairs beneath the altar take you to a crypt with the relics of St. Gennaro and (across the room) a statue of the bishop who rescued the relics from a rival town and returned them to Naples.
This small church (near the Duomo, and run by a charitable foundation) displays one of the best works by Caravaggio, The Seven Works of Mercy. Upstairs is a ho-hum art gallery. The price is steep, but it may be worth it for Caravaggio fans.
Cost and Hours: €7, includes audioguide, Thu-Tue 9:00-14:30, closed Wed, Via dei Tribunali 253, tel. 081-446-944, www.piomontedellamisericordia.it.
Visiting the Church: Caravaggio’s The Seven Works of Mercy hangs over the main altar in a humble gray chapel. It’s well lit, allowing Caravaggio’s characteristically dark canvas to really pop. In one crowded canvas, the great early-Baroque artist illustrates seven virtues: burying the dead (the man carrying a corpse by the ankles); visiting the imprisoned and feeding the hungry (Pero breastfeeding her starving father—a scene from a famous Roman story); sheltering the homeless (a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago, with his floppy hat, negotiates with an innkeeper); caring for the sick and clothing the naked (St. Martin offers part of his cloak to the injured man in the foreground); and giving drink to the thirsty (Samson chugs from a jawbone in the background)—all of them set in a dark Neapolitan alley and watched over by Mary, Jesus, and a pair of angels. Caravaggio painted this work in Naples in 1607, while in exile from Rome, where he had been sentenced to death for killing a man in a duel.
This cluster of important sights can be found between the big ceremonial square, Piazza del Plebiscito, and the cruise ship terminal. If touring the entire neighborhood, I’d see it in the order described here.
This square celebrates the 1861 vote (plebiscito, plebiscite) in which Naples chose to join Italy. Dominating the top of the square is the Church of San Francesco di Paola, with its Pantheon-inspired dome and broad, arcing colonnades. If it’s open, step inside to ogle the vast interior—a Neoclassical re-creation of one of ancient Rome’s finest buildings.
• Opposite is the...
Having housed Spanish, French, and even Italian royalty, this building displays statues of all those who stayed here. From the square in front of the palace, look for eight kings in the niches, each from a different dynasty (left to right): Norman, German, French, Spanish, Spanish, Spanish, French (Napoleon’s brother-in-law), and, finally, Italian—Victor Emmanuel II, King of Savoy. The statues were done at the request of V. E. II’s son, so his dad is the most dashing of the group. As far as palaces go, the interior is relatively unimpressive.
Cost and Hours: €4, includes painfully dry audioguide, Thu-Tue 9:00-20:00, closed Wed, last entry one hour before closing, tel. 848-082-408, www.palazzorealenapoli.it.
Visiting the Palace: The palace’s grand Neoclassical staircase leads up to a floor with 30 plush rooms. You’ll follow a one-way route (with some English descriptions) featuring the palace theater, paintings by “the Caravaggio Imitators,” Neapolitan tapestries, fine inlaid-stone tabletops, chandeliers, gilded woodwork, and more. The rooms do feel quite grand, but they lack the personality and sense of importance of Europe’s better palaces. Don’t miss the huge, tapestry-laden Hercules Hall. On the way out, step into the chapel, with a fantastic Nativity scene—a commotion of 18th-century ceramic figurines.
• Continue 50 yards past the Royal Palace (toward the trees) to enjoy a...
While boats busily serve Capri and Sorrento, Mount Vesuvius smolders ominously in the distance. Look back to see the vast “Bourbon red” palace—its color inspired by Pompeii. The hilltop above Piazza del Plebiscito is San Martino, with its Carthusian monastery-turned-museum and Castle of St. Elmo (remember, the Centrale funicular to the top is just across the square and up Via Toledo). The promenade you’re on continues to Naples’ romantic harborfront—the fishermen’s quarter (Borgo Marinaro)—a fortified island connected to the mainland by a stout causeway, with its fanciful, ancient Castel dell’Ovo (Egg Castle) and trendy harborside restaurants. From there, the Lungomare harborside promenade—described later—continues past the Santa Lucia district, stretching out along the Bay of Naples. This long promenade, running along Via Francesco Caracciolo to the Mergellina district and beyond, is a delightful people-watching scene on balmy nights.
• Head back through the piazza and pop into...
This coffeehouse, facing the piazza, takes you back to the elegance of 1860. It’s a classic place to sample a crispy sfogliatella pastry, or perhaps the mushroom-shaped, rum-soaked bread-like cakes called babà, which come in a huge variety. Stand at the bar (banco), pay double to sit (tavola), or just wander around as you imagine the café buzzing with the ritzy intellectuals, journalists, and artsy bohemian types who munched on babà here during Naples’ 19th-century heyday (daily 7:00-24:00, Piazza del Plebiscito 1, tel. 081-417-582).
• A block away, tucked behind the palace, you can peek inside the Neoclassical...
Built in 1737, 41 years before Milan’s La Scala, this is Europe’s oldest opera house and Italy’s second-most-respected (after La Scala). The theater burned down in 1816, and was rebuilt within the year. Guided 35-minute visits in English basically just show you the fine auditorium with its 184 boxes—each with a big mirror to reflect the candlelight (€6; tours Mon-Sat at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:30, 15:30, and 16:30; Sun at 10:30, 11:30, and 12:30; tel. 081-797-2468, www.teatrosancarlo.it).
• Beyond Teatro di San Carlo and the Royal Palace is the huge, harborfront...
This imposing castle now houses government bureaucrats and the Civic Museum. It feels like a mostly empty shell, with a couple of dusty halls of Neapolitan art, but the views over the bay from the upper terraces are impressive (€6, Mon-Sat 8:30-19:00, closed Sun, last entry one hour before closing, tel. 081-795-7722, www.comune.napoli.it).
• Head back to Teatro di San Carlo, cross the street, and go through the tall yellow arch into...
This Victorian iron-and-glass shopping mall was built in 1892 to reinvigorate the district after a devastating cholera epidemic occurred here. Gawk up, then walk left to bring you back out on Via Toledo.
• Just up the street and behind Piazza del Plebiscito is an interesting subterranean experience.
Beneath Naples’ Royal Palace was a vast underground network of caves, aqueducts, and cisterns that originated as a quarry in the 15th century. In the mid-1800s, when popular revolutions were threatening royalty across Europe, the understandably nervous king of Naples, Ferdinand II, had this underground world expanded to create an escape tunnel from the palace to his military barracks nearby. In World War II, it was used as an air-raid shelter; after the war, the police used it to store impounded cars and motorcycles. Today, enthusiastic guides take the curious on a fascinating 70-minute, 500-yard-long guided walk through this many-layered world littered with disintegrating 60-year-old vehicles upon which Naples sits.
Cost and Hours: €10 English-language tours leave Fri-Sun at 10:00, 12:00, 15:30, and 17:30, tel. 081-764-5808. The most convenient entry is just behind Piazza del Plebiscito—up Via Gennaro Serra and down Vico del Grottone to #4 (to avoid that entrance’s 90 steep steps, enter at Via Morelli 61).
This archaeological site, a manmade underground maze of passageways and ruins from Greek and Roman times, can only be toured with a guide. You’ll descend 121 steps under the modern city to explore two underground areas. One is the old Greek tuff quarry used to build the city of Neapolis, which was later converted into an immense cistern by the Romans. The other is an excavated portion of the Greco-Roman theater that once seated 6,000 people. It’s clear that this space has been encroached upon by modern development—some current residents’ windows literally look down into the theater ruins. The tour involves a lot of stairs, as well as a long, narrow 20-inch-wide walkway—lit only by candlelight—that uses an ancient water channel (a heavyset person could not comfortably fit through this, and claustrophobes will be miserable). Although there’s not much to actually see, the experience is fascinating and includes a little history from World War II—when the quarry/cistern was turned into a shelter to protect locals from American bombs.
Cost and Hours: €10; includes 1.5-hour tour. Tours in English are offered daily every two hours from 10:00 to 18:00. Bring a light sweater. Tel. 081-296-944, www.napolisotterranea.org.
Getting There: The site is at Piazza San Gaetano 68, along Via dei Tribunali. It’s a 15-minute walk from the Archaeological Museum, and just a couple of blocks uphill from Spaccanapoli’s statue of the Nile. The entrance is immediately to the left of the Church of San Paolo Maggiore (look for the Sotterranea signs).
MADRE, a museum of contemporary art, displays works by Jeff Koons, Anish Kapoor, Francesco Clemente, and other big names in the art world. Aficionados of modern art consider it one of the better collections in the country. Some descriptions are in English—you’ll need them.
Cost and Hours: €7, free on Mon; Wed-Mon 10:00-19:30, closed Tue, last entry one hour before closing; Via Settembrini 79, tel. 081-1931-3016, www.madrenapoli.it.
While the characteristic Spaccanapoli and Spanish Quarter are being tamed, today’s clear winner for wild-and-crazy Neapolitan life in the streets is the gritty Sanità District, north of the Archaeological Museum.
A big part of the attraction of Naples is its basso living (life in the streets). Many locals with enough money to move to the sanity of the suburbs choose instead to keep living where the action is—in a cauldron of flapping laundry, police sirens, broken cobblestone lanes, singing merchants, sidewalks clogged with makeshift markets, and walls crusted with ancient posters and graffiti.
One of Naples’ most historic and colorful zones, Sanità is sometimes called “the living presepe” for the way people live stacked on top of each other in rustic conditions, as if in an elaborate manger scene. (Because organized crime is still strong in this quarter, development is slow.) Literally “the healthy place” (named for the freshness of the air, originally so high above the dense city), this is the place for a photo safari.
While the reason to visit Sanità is simply to swim through its amazing river of life, there are two remarkable burial sites in the district: the Catacombs of San Gaudioso, at the Basilica Santa Maria della Sanità, and the Cemetery of the Fountains (described later, under “On Capodimonte”).
Visiting the Sanità District: Check to be sure your valuables are zipped or buttoned safely away. From near the Porta San Gennaro gate (just west of Via Duomo, two blocks east of Metro: Cavour, six blocks east of Archaeological Museum), leave Via Foria and head up Via Crocelle. Venture a block up Via Crocelle and then three blocks up Via dei Vergini through a thriving daily market scene. Pop into the courtyard of the Palazzo dello Spagnuolo (#19 on the left) to peek at an extravagant 18th-century staircase.
Then dog-leg left on Via Arena della Sanità and continue uphill (past another massive staircase in the courtyard at #6) to Piazza Sanità, at the base of Capodimonte, where you’ll stand before the Basilica Santa Maria della Sanità, which sits atop the Catacombs of San Gaudioso (entrance inside the church, €9 combo-ticket covers Catacombs of San Gennaro—see here, hourly English tours run daily 10:00-13:00). Because this area was just outside the old city walls, the dead were buried here—for details, see www.catacombedinapoli.it.
From here you have three options: Browse your way back down the way you just came; continue 10 minutes up Via Sanità and Via Fontanelle to the Cemetery of the Fountains; or ride a free elevator (just past the church, under the high viaduct) up to the modern world.
This hilltop, about a mile due north from the Archaeological Museum, is home to Naples’ top art museum. This pleasantly uncrowded collection has lesser-known (but still masterful) works by Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, and other huge names. It fills the Bourbons’ cavernous summer palace, set in the midst of a sprawling hilltop park overlooking Naples, and part of the museum showcases the palace’s history and furnishings. While most visitors to Naples prefer to focus on the city’s vibrant street life, characteristic churches, and ancient artifacts, art lovers and royalty buffs enjoy a visit to Capodimonte.
Cost and Hours: €8, free first Sun of the month, Thu-Tue 8:30-19:30, closed Wed, last entry one hour before closing, fine audioguide-€5 (bring earbuds for better sound), café, Via Miano 2, tel. 081-749-9111, www.museocapodimonte.beniculturali.it.
Getting There: It’s easiest by taxi (figure €10-12 from the town center). You can also catch the bus from Piazza Dante or from the stop directly in front of the Archaeological Museum (#168 or #178 to the Miano stop, or #C63 to the Capodimonte stop; buy €1 ticket at a newsstand or tobacco shop before you board).
Visiting the Museum: After buying your ticket, pick up the free map and head up several flights of stairs (or ride the elevator) to the “first” floor and the Galleria Farnese.
Room 2: At the far end of the first big hall is Titian’s Portrait of John Paul III. It depicts Alessandro Farnese, the local bigwig whose family married into Bourbon royalty; later, as Pope Paul III, he was responsible for bringing great art to Naples. Four paintings to the right, you’ll see a Raphael: a portrait of the same red-attired pope as a much younger cardinal.
Room 3: In the next, smaller room, the section of an altarpiece (1426) by the early Renaissance pioneer Masaccio shows a primitive attempt at 3-D: Masaccio has left out Jesus’ neck to create the illusion that he’s looking down on us.
Room 4: Don’t miss the adjoining room (on the left, lights go on as you enter), with large charcoal drawings by Raphael (Moses shields his eyes from the burning bush, 1514) and Michelangelo (a group of soldiers, 1546; and Venus and Love, 1534).
Room 8: Continuing into the Borgia Collection, look for works by Mantegna (including the medallion-like Portrait of Francesco Gonzaga, c. 1461, a very small but finely executed profile portrait) and Giovanni Bellini’s Transfiguration. (Bellini was Titian’s master.) Rooms 9 and 10 feature Mannerism paintings.
Room 11: Here you see one of many versions of Titian’s Danaë, where—as told in the Greek myth—the sensuous central character looks up at a cloud containing the essence of Zeus (a shower of coins), about to impregnate her. Enjoy the cupid’s surprised look at the action as the courtesan awaits her union. Nearby, Titian’s poignant portrait of a penitent Mary Magdalene has finely detailed tears running down her cheeks (1565).
Room 12: Parmigianino’s Antea (1531-35), another of the collection’s highlights, addresses us with an unblinking, dilated gaze. She wears a mink stole (astonishingly lifelike, with disgusting little teeth), gold chain, and head brooch—items commonly presented by a lover. By wearing the gifts, Antea signals her acceptance of her suitor’s advances.
Room 14: The small, dim, adjoining room shows off the kings’ “collection of wonders.” Don’t miss the Farnese Box (Cassetta Farnese, 1563), a masterwork of gold decoration with engraved rock crystal, which held a prayer book.
Room 17: Down the main hall are two side-by-side works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The Parable of the Blind (Parabola dei Ciechi, 1568) is a literal and moralistic illustration of “the blind leading the blind.” The Misanthrope (1568) suggests the pointlessness of giving up on life and becoming a hermit; cut off from the world and lost in thought, the title figure doesn’t even notice that he’s about to step on a trail of thorns. Behind him, a wild-eyed young man is stealing the misanthrope’s money pouch (Hey! I saw that guy on the Circumvesuviana!).
Room 20: Looking at you from the end of the corridor, Annibale Carracci’s Hercules at the Crossroads (1596) presents the hero with a choice: virtue (on the left, nature and letters, but a steep uphill climb) or vice (on the right, scantily clad women, music, theater masks, and an easy, flat path). While his foot points one way, he looks the other...his mind not yet made up.
Royal Apartments: It’s easy to forget that this museum is set in a royal palace. Originally a simple hunting lodge, in the 18th century the king decided it could be a grand palace. Several dynasties enjoyed its regal ballrooms and imposing reception rooms while amassing their impressive collections of art. From here on out, you’ll pass through some of the opulent apartments of this building, decorated with stunning period details and furniture.
The first room is slathered with frescoes, in the style of rooms excavated at Pompeii. The grand hall in the corner comes with a massive bronze chandelier hanging over an ancient Roman inlaid-marble floor, which originally decorated the palace of Roman Emperor Tiberius on Capri (installed here in 1877). The next three rooms tell stories of three Bourbon kings with portraits and objects from their reign. Just off Room 34 is a room filled with royal porcelain. Later, you come upon a living room decorated with porcelain c. 1750. This is a masterwork of chinoiserie—a style reflecting Europe’s fascination with Chinese culture.
Room 54: You now find yourself face-to-face with Napoleon. Under Napoleon’s portrait is a statue of his mother, Letizia, carved in chalk by Antonio Canova. She’s posing like a famous ancient statue of the mother of Emperor Nero. From here are several rooms decorated in the Napoleon-pleasing Neoclassical style—a reminder that Napoleon’s older brother once ruled the Kingdom of Napoli.
Second Floor: Circling back to where you started, head up four flights of stairs (or take the elevator) to the second floor where you’ll find art from private collections and paintings mostly from local churches. You’ll see a cycle of Flemish tapestries, then halls of Gothic altarpieces.
Room 65: Heading down the first corridor, enjoy the fine altarpiece from Nottingham, England. Carved out of alabaster in the 15th century, it shows expressive scenes from the Passion of Christ.
Room 66: At the end of the first corridor, you’ll see Simone Martini’s lavish and delicate portrait from 1317 of San Ludovico di Tolosa crowning Roberto king of Naples.
Room 67: Find Colantonio’s painting San Girolamo nello Studio (c. 1445), in which the astonishing level of detail—from the words on the page of the open book, to the balled-up pages tucked away at the bottom of the frame—drives home the message: Only through complete devotion and meticulous dedication can you hope to accomplish great things...like pulling a thorn out of a lion’s paw.
Room 78: Farther along on this floor, shining at the end of the long corridor, you’ll reach another of the museum’s top pieces, Caravaggio’s The Flagellation. Typical of his chiaroscuro (light/dark) style, Caravaggio uses a ribbon of light to show us only what he wants us to see: A broken Christ about to be whipped, and the manic fury of the man (on his left) who will do the whipping. This scene could be set in a Naples alley. Compare this with most of the paintings we’ve seen so far—of popes, saints, and aristocrats. Caravaggio was given refuge in Naples while fleeing a murder trial in Rome. (They put him to work painting. Of the eight canvases he painted during this period, three remain in Naples). Caravaggio was revolutionary in showing real life rather than idealized scenes—helping common people to better relate to these stories.
Nearby: While people visiting the Capodimonte Museum are understandably focused on its paintings, don’t overlook the lush Capodimonte Park surrounding it. No longer a hunting ground for royalty, the park is now a pleasure garden—beloved by Neapolitans—with elegant paths and lovely gardens sprouting trees and exotic plants from around the world. It was recently honored as Italy’s most beautiful park.
Behind the towering modern church of Madre del Buon Consiglio (Mother of Good Counsel) are tucked the most impressive ancient catacombs south of Rome. It started as a pagan tomb of little consequence, but then St. Agrippino, the local bishop, was buried here in the third century. Later, in the fifth century, the bones of St. Gennaro (patron of Naples) were moved here. Suddenly a site of special reverence—complete with miracles—it became a place where Neapolitans wanted to be buried as well. Today, the catacombs are run by a nonprofit organization of earnest young people who conduct walking tours. These half-mile walks survey more than a thousand burial niches on two levels that date from the second to sixth centuries (many with frescoes surviving...barely).
Cost and Hours: €9 combo-ticket with Catacombs of San Gaudioso—see here; included English-language tours depart on the hour Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-14:00; Via di Capodimonte 13, tel. 081-744-3714.
A thousand years ago, cut into the hills at the high end of Napoli, was a quarry. Then, in the 16th century, churches with crowded cemeteries began moving the bones of their long dead here to make room for the newly dead. Later these caves housed the bones of plague victims and the city’s paupers. In the 19th century, many churches again emptied their cemeteries and added even more skulls to this vast ossuary. Then a cult of people appeared whose members adopted the skulls. They named the skulls, put them in little houses, brought them flowers, and asked them to intervene with God for favors from the next life. Today, the quirky caves—stacked with human bones and dotted with chapels—are open to the public.
Cost and Hours: Tips accepted, daily 10:00-17:00, Via Fontanelle 77, tel. 081-795-6160.
Getting There: Located in a sketchy-feeling neighborhood at the top end of Sanità, you can get here by hopping in a taxi, riding the Metro to the Materdei stop and following the brown signs for 10 minutes, or by hiking 10 minutes from the Basilica Santa Maria della Sanità up Via Sanità and Via Fontanelle (see “Sanità District” listing, earlier).
Naples’ fish market squirts and stinks as it has for centuries under the Porta Nolana (gate in the city wall), immediately in front of the Napoli Porta Nolana Circumvesuviana station and four long blocks from Centrale Station. Of the town’s many boisterous outdoor markets, this will net you the most photos and memories. From Piazza Nolana, wander under the medieval gate and take your first left down Vico Sopramuro, enjoying this wild and entirely edible cultural scavenger hunt (Tue-Sun 8:00-14:00, closed Mon).
Two other markets with more clothing and fewer fish are at Piazza Capuana (several blocks northwest of Centrale Station and tumbling down Via Sant’Antonio Abate, Mon-Sat 8:00-18:00, Sun 9:00-13:00) and a similar cobbled shopping zone along Via Pignasecca (just off Via Toledo, west of Piazza Carità, described on here).
Each evening, relaxed and romantic Neapolitans in the mood for a scenic harborside stroll do their vasche (laps) along the inviting Lungomare harborside promenade and beyond. To join in this elegant people-watching scene (best after 19:00), stroll down to the waterfront from Piazza del Plebiscito and then along Via Nazario Sauro to the beginning of a delightful series of harborside promenades that stretch romantically all the way out of the city. Along the way, you’ll enjoy views of Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples. The entire route is crowded on weekends and lively any evening of the week with families, amorous couples, friends hanging out, and lots of hustlers. Here’s a brief run-down of its three sections:
Santa Lucia and Borgo Marinaro: Via Nazario Sauro passes the Santa Lucia district, so called because this is where the song “Santa Lucia” was first performed. (The song is probably so famous in America because immigrants from Naples sang it to remember the old country.) At the fortified causeway, make a short detour out to Borgo Marinaro (“Fisherman’s Quarter”), and poke around this fabled island neighborhood. With its striking Castel dell’Ovo and a trendy restaurant scene, you can dine here amid yachts with a view of Vesuvius. From here, follow Via Partenope to Piazza Vittoria.
Piazza Vittoria and Via Francesco Caracciolo: From Piazza Vittoria the strolling action stretches along the Lungomare on Via Francesco Caracciolo all the way to the Mergellina district. The convenient bus #140 starts at Piazza Vittoria, making stops all along the promenade to Posillipo (at the end of the nice strolling stretch). Walk as far as you like away from the city center and, when you’re ready to return, just hop on the bus or grab a cab. (From Piazza Vittoria you can shortcut scenically directly back to Piazza del Plebiscito by heading inland through Piazza dei Martiri and down Via Chiaia.)
Mergellina and Via Posillipo: The promenade continues past yacht harbors and rocks popular for swimming and sunbathing, under lavish Liberty Style villas, to tiny coves and inviting fish restaurants. Perched on the hillside at Posillipo (the end of the nice stretch) awaits a delightful restaurant with majestic views (Ristorante Reginella, Via Posillipo 45a, tel. 081-240-3220) and the bus #140 stop for your quick return.
The ultimate view overlooking Naples, its bay, and the volcano is from the hill called San Martino, just above (and west of) the city center. Up top you’ll find a mighty fortress (which charges for entry but offers the best views from its ramparts) and the adjacent monastery-turned-museum. While neither of these sights is exciting in its own right, the views are. And the surrounding neighborhood (especially Piazza Fuga) has a classy “uptown” vibe compared to the gritty city-center streets below. Cheapskates can enjoy the views for free from the benches on the square in front of the monastery.
Getting There: From Via Toledo, the Spanish Quarter gradually climbs up San Martino’s lower slopes, before steep paths take you up the rest of the way. But the easiest way to ascend San Martino is by funicular. Three different funicular lines lead from lower Naples to the hilltop: the Centrale line from near the bottom of Via Toledo; the Montesanto line from the Metro stop of the same name (near the top end of Via Toledo); and the Chiaia line from farther out, near Piazza Amadeo (all three are covered by any regular local transit ticket). Ride any of these three up to the end of the line. All three lines converge within a few blocks at the top of the hill—Centrale and Chiaia wind up at opposite ends of the charming Piazza Fuga, while Montesanto terminates a bit closer to the fortress and museum.
Leaving any of the funiculars, head uphill, carefully tracking the brown signs for Castel S. Elmo and Museo di San Martino (strategically placed escalators make the climb easier). Regardless of where you come up, you’ll pass the Montesanto funicular station—angle right (as you face the station) down Via Pirro Ligorio, and then continue following the signs. You’ll reach the castle first, and then the monastery/museum (both about 10 minutes’ walk from Piazza Fuga).
Another convenient—if less scenic—approach is via the Metro’s line 1 to the Vanvitelli stop, which is near the upper funicular terminals.
While it’s little more than an empty husk with a decent modern art museum, this 16th-century, Spanish-built, star-shaped fortress boasts commanding views over the city and the entire Bay of Naples. Buy your ticket at the booth, then ride the elevator up to the upper courtyard and climb up to the ramparts for a slow circle to enjoy the 360-degree views. In the middle of the yard is the likeable little Museo del Novecento, a gallery of works by 20th-century Neapolitan artists (covered by same ticket); the castle also hosts temporary exhibits.
Cost and Hours: €5, open Wed-Mon 9:00-19:00, closed Tue, last entry one hour before closing, Via Tito Angelini 22, tel. 081-229-4401, www.polomusealecampania.beniculturali.it.
The monastery, founded in 1325 and dissolved in the early 1800s, is now a sprawling museum with several parts. The square out front has city views nearly as good as the ones you’ll pay to see from inside, and a few cafés angling for your business.
Cost and Hours: €6, Thu-Tue 8:30-19:30, closed Wed, last entry one hour before closing, audioguide-€5, Largo San Martino 8, tel. 081-229-4502.
Visiting the Monastery and Museum: If you want to tour the place, buy your ticket and head into the complex. Step into the church, a Baroque explosion with beautifully decorated chapels. Around the humble cloister is a variety of museum exhibits. The Naval Museum has nautical paintings, model boats, and giant ceremonial gondolas. In an adjacent hall is an excellent collection of presepi (Nativity scenes), both life-size and miniature, including a spectacular one by Michele Cucinello—the best I’ve seen in this presepi-crazy city. Beyond that is the larger garden cloister, ringed with a painting gallery (with lots of antique maps and artifacts of old Naples), and an entrance to a pretty view terrace.
As an alternative to intense Naples, most travelers prefer to sleep in mellow Sorrento, just over an hour away (see Sorrento chapter). But, if needed, here are a few good options. High season in Naples is spring and late fall. Prices are soft during the hot, slow summer months (July-Sept) and plunge during the pleasantly cool winters.
To see the city’s best face, stay in the area that stretches between the Archaeological Museum and the port.
$$$ Decumani Hotel de Charme is a classy oasis tucked away on a residential lane in the very heart of the city, just off Spaccanapoli. While the street is Naples-dingy, the hotel is an inviting retreat, filling an elegant 17th-century palace with 42 rooms and a gorgeous breakfast room (air-con, elevator, Via San Giovanni Maggiore Pignatelli 15, Metro: Università; if coming from Spaccanapoli, this lane is one street toward the train station from Via Santa Chiara, tel. 081-551-8188, www.decumani.com, info@decumani.com).
$$$ Hotel Piazza Bellini is an artistically decorated hotel with 48 stripped-down, minimalist but comfy rooms surrounding a peaceful and inviting courtyard. Two blocks below the Archaeological Museum and just off the lively Piazza Bellini, it offers modern sanity in the city center (air-con, elevator, Via Santa Maria di Constantinopoli 101, Metro: Dante, tel. 081-451-732, www.hotelpiazzabellini.com, info@hotelpiazzabellini.com).
$$$ Chiaja Hotel de Charme, with the same owner as the Decumani (listed earlier), rents 33 rooms on the Via Chiaia pedestrian shopping drag near Piazza del Plebiscito. The building has a fascinating history: Part of it was the residence of a marquis, and the rest was one of Naples’ most famous brothels (some view rooms, air-con, elevator, Via Chiaia 216, first floor, Metro: Toledo, tel. 081-415-555, www.hotelchiaia.it, info@hotelchiaia.it, Pietro Fusella).
$$$ Art Resort Galleria Umberto has 15 rooms in two different buildings inside the Umberto I shopping gallery at the bottom of Via Toledo, just off Piazza del Plebiscito. This genteel-feeling place gilds the lily, with an aristocratic setting and decor but older bathrooms. Consider paying €20 extra for a room overlooking the gallery (air-con, elevator, Galleria Umberto 83, fourth floor—ask at booth for coin to operate elevator if needed, Metro: Toledo, tel. 081-497-6224, www.artresortgalleriaumberto.com, booking@hotelgalleriaumberto.com).
$$$ Hotel Il Convento, with 14 small but comfortable rooms with balconies, is a good choice for those who want to sleep in the gnarly, tight tangle of lanes called the Spanish Quarter—quintessential Naples. While the neighborhood can feel off-putting after dark, it’s not especially unsafe. You’re only a couple of short blocks off the main Via Toledo drag, and heavy-duty windows help block out some—but not all—of the scooter noise and church bells. A rare haven in this characteristic corner of town, it’s in all the guidebooks (family rooms, air-con, elevator; Via Speranzella 137A, Metro: Toledo—from just below Banco di Napoli entrance, walk two blocks up Via Tre Re a Toledo; tel. 081-403-977, www.hotelilconvento.com, info@hotelilconvento.com).
These hotels are less convenient for sightseeing and dining, and the neighborhood gets dodgy as you move away from the station. But they’re handy for train travelers, practical for a quick stay, and less expensive.
$$ Hotel Stelle has 38 sterile, identical, newly remodeled rooms with modern furnishings. It feels very secure, and a back entrance leads directly into the train station (air-con, elevator, Corso Meridionale 60, exit station near track 5, tel. 081-1889-3090, www.stellehotel.com, info@stellehotel.com).
$$ Ibis Styles Napoli Garibaldi, with 88 rooms, offers chain predictability and a bright, youthful color scheme a three-minute walk from the station (air-con, elevator, pay parking; Via Giuseppe Ricciardi 33, exit station onto Piazza Garibaldi, then take second left onto Via G. Ricciardi; tel. 081-690-8111, www.ibis.com, h3243@accor.com).
$ Grand Hotel Europa, across the seedy street right next to the station, has 89 decent rooms whimsically decorated with not-quite-right reproductions of famous paintings. Though a bit worn, the hotel is a decent value, and its 1970s-era tackiness (including the Kool-Aid and canned fruit at breakfast) is good for a laugh (RS%, family rooms, air-con, elevator, restaurant, Corso Meridionale 14, across street from station’s north exit near track 5, tel. 081-267-511, www.grandhoteleuropa.com, info@grandhoteleuropa.com).
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
Naples is the birthplace of pizza. Its pizzerias bake just the right combination of fresh dough (soft and chewy, as opposed to Roman-style, which is thin and crispy), mozzarella, and tomatoes in traditional wood-burning ovens. You can head for the famous, venerable places, but these can have long lines stretching out the door, and half-hour waits for a table. If you want to skip the hassle, just ask your hotel for directions to the neighborhood pizzeria. An average one-person pie (usually the only size available) costs €4-8; most places offer both takeout and eat-in, and pizza is often the only thing on the menu.
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
These two pizzerias—the most famous—are both a few long blocks from the train station, and at the end of my self-guided Naples Walk.
$ Antica Pizzeria da Michele is for pizza purists. Filled with locals (and tourists), it serves just two varieties: margherita (tomato sauce and mozzarella) and marinara (tomato sauce, oregano, and garlic, no cheese). Come early to sit and watch the pizza artists in action. A pizza with beer costs around €7. As this place is often jammed with a long line, arrive early or late to get a seat. If there’s a mob, head inside to get a number. If it’s just too crowded to wait, the less-exceptional Pizzeria Trianon (described next) generally has room (Mon-Sat 10:30-24:00, closed Sun; look for the vertical red Antica Pizzeria sign at the intersection of Via Pietro Colletta and Via Cesare Sersale at #1; tel. 081-553-9204).
$ Pizzeria Trianon da Ciro, across the street and left a few doors, has been da Michele’s archrival since 1923. It offers more choices, higher prices, air-conditioning, and a cozier atmosphere. For less chaos, head upstairs. While waiting for your meal, you can survey the transformation of a humble wad of dough into a smoldering, bubbly feast in their entryway pizza kitchen (daily 11:00-15:30 & 19:00-23:00, Via Pietro Colletta 42, tel. 081-553-9426).
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
This street, which runs a couple of blocks north of Spaccanapoli, is legendary for its pizzerias and fun eateries. It’s packed with hungry strollers and long lines marking the most popular places.
$ Gino Sorbillo is a local favorite and is on all the “best pizza in Naples” lists...as you’ll learn the hard way if you show up at peak mealtimes, when huge mobs crowd outside the front door waiting for a table (Mon-Sat 12:00-15:30 & 19:00-24:00, closed Sun, Via dei Tribunali 32, tel. 081-446-643). Relatives run similarly named places at #35 (a good option for its specialty: fried pizza) and #37 (skip it) on the same street.
$ Pizzeria di Matteo is popular for its fried takeout treats. People waiting out front line up at the little window to snack on deep-fried goodies—arancini (with rice, gooey cheese, peas, and sausage), melanzane (eggplant), frittatine (balls of mac and cheese plus sausage), and crocché (croquettes)—for €1 apiece or less (sometimes closed Sun, Via dei Tribunali 94, tel. 081-455-262).
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
If you want a full meal rather than a pizza, consider these options.
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
$$$ Ecomesarà serves up quality Neapolitan and meridionale (southern Italian) dishes, abiding by the Slow Food ethic, in a modern setting just below the Santa Chiara cloister, a long block south of Spaccanapoli. The atmosphere is mellow, modern, and international. Cristiano and his staff are happy to explain the menu (Tue-Sun 13:00-15:00 & 20:00-23:30, closed Mon, Via Santa Chiara 49, tel. 081-1925-9353).
$$ Tandem Ragù Restaurant, tiny with a few charming tables inside and out, features a fun menu specializing in Neapolitan ragù (beef, pork, or vegetarian option). The scarpetta dishes are simply various ragùs with baskets of bread for dunking (daily from 12:30 and 19:00, Via Giovanni Paladino 51, 50 yards off Spaccanapoli, below the statue of the Nile, tel. 081-1900-2468).
$$ Taverna a Santa Chiara is your classic little eatery buried deep in the old center of Naples. It’s convivial, warmly run, and simple. Just 100 yards from the tourist commotion of Spaccanapoli, it provides a fun and easygoing break (daily from 13:00 and 20:00, closed Sun at dinner, Via Santa Chiara 6, tel. 081-048-4908).
$$ Trattoria Campagnola is a classic family place with a daily home-cooking-style chalkboard menu on the back wall, mama busy cooking in the back, and wine on tap. Here you can venture away from pastas, be experimental with a series of local dishes, and not go wrong (daily 12:30-16:00 & 19:30-23:00, between the famous pizzerias at Via Tribunali 47, tel. 081-459-034 but no reservations).
$$ Osteria il Garum is great if you’d like to eat on a classic Neapolitan square. It’s named for the ancient fish sauce that was widely used in Roman cooking. These days, mild-mannered Luigi and his staff inject their pricey local cuisine with centuries of tradition, served in a cozy split-level cellar or outside on a covered terrace facing a neighborhood church. It’s just between Via Toledo and Spaccanapoli, a short walk from the Church of Gesù Nuovo (daily 12:00-15:30 & 19:00-23:30, Piazza Monteoliveto 2A, tel. 081-542-3228).
$$ Trattoria da Nennella is fun-loving chaos buried in the Spanish Quarter, with red-shirted waiters barking orders, a small festival anytime someone puts a tip in the bucket, and the fruit course served in plastic bidets. There’s one price—€12 per person—and you choose three courses plus a fruit. House wine and water is served in tiny plastic cups, the crowd is ready for fun, and the food’s good. You can sit indoors or on a cobbled terrace under a trellis. No reservations are taken, so put your name on the list when you arrive—the line moves pretty fast (Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00 & 19:15-23:15, closed Sun, leave Via Toledo a block down from the BNL bank and walk up Vico del Teatro Nuovo three blocks to the corner, Vico Lungo Teatro Nuovo 103, tel. 081-414-338).
$ La Cantina di Via Sapienza is a lunch-only hole-in-the-wall, serving up traditional Neapolitan fare in an interior that feels like a neighborhood joint (but has also been discovered by tourists). It’s a block north of the congested, pizzeria-packed Via dei Tribunali, and a good alternative if those places are just too crowded and your heart isn’t set on pizza (Mon-Sat for lunch only, closed Sun, Via Sapienza 40, tel. 081-459-078).
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
$$ La Stanza del Gusto, two blocks downhill from the museum, tackles food creatively and injects crusty Naples with a little modern color and irreverence. The ground floor is casual, trendy, and playful, while the upstairs is more refined yet still polka-dotted. A few tables are on the sidewalk (weekday lunch specials, Tue-Sat 12:00-15:30 & 19:30-23:30, closed Sun-Mon, Via Santa Maria di Constantinopoli 100, tel. 081-401-578).
$ L’Etto is fast, fun, and cheap, with tasty dishes constantly coming out of the kitchen to fill an inviting buffet line. Choose from 20 vegetable, meat, and fish options (perfect for vegetarians or vegans). It’s self-serve—weigh and pay €2.50 per 100 grams (100 grams is an etto, hence the name). Bread and water are free at the table. It’s bright, mod, and friendly with outdoor tables, too (daily from 12:30 and from 19:30, facing Piazza Bellini at Via S. Maria di Costantinopoli 102, tel. 081-1932-0967).
$ Rosticceria Angela is a tavola calda with hot ready-to-eat dishes and a coffee bar, run by a team of older gentlemen. Pricing is honest and there’s simple, peaceful, air-conditioned indoor seating. Next door (same name, different management) is a tiny meat, cheese, and bread shop with all you need for a cheap meal to-go (rosticceria open Mon-Sat 7:30-21:30, closed Sun, 3 blocks below museum at Via Conte di Ruvo 21, between Via Pessina and Via Bellini, tel. 081-033-2928).
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
$$$ Ristorante la Scialuppa (“The Rowboat”) is a great bet for a fine local meal on the harbor. Located in the romantic Santa Lucia district, you’ll walk across the causeway to the Castel dell‘Ovo in the fisherman’s quarter (the castle on the island) just off Via Partenope. They boast fine indoor and outdoor seating, attentive waitstaff, a wonderful assortment of antipasti, great seafood, and predictably high prices. Reservations are smart (Tue-Sun 12:30-15:00 & 19:30-24:00, closed Mon, Piazzetta Marinari 5, tel. 081-764-5333, www.ristorantelascialuppa.net).
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
$$ Da Donato, an excellent, traditional, family-run trattoria on a glum street near the station, serves delicious food in an unpretentious atmosphere. The best approach is for two people to share the astonishing antipasti sampler—degustazione “fantasia” della Casa Terra e Mare—for €25. You’ll get more than a dozen small portions, each more delicious than the last. A version without seafood is €15 (Tue-Sun 12:30-14:30 & 19:30-22:00, closed Mon, two blocks from Piazza Garibaldi—turn down Via Silvio Spaventa to #39, tel. 081-287-828).
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
To get the full overview of Neapolitan pastries at good prices, visit the bakery outlet of Fratelli Attanasio on a small alley near the train station—with your back to the station building, it’s off the far-right corner of the big square. Come early if possible (Tue-Sun 6:30-19:30, closed Mon, Vico Ferrovia 1, tel. 081-285-675).
(See “Naples Hotels & Restaurants” map, here.)
A good supermarket for picnic supplies is Sapori & Dintorni, in the train-station complex (Mon-Sat 8:00-20:30, Sun 8:00-15:00, enter from outside, by bookstore). By Piazza Dante is a small Superò that’s convenient to Via Toledo hotel listings (corner of Via Tarsia and Vico San Domenico Soriano, Mon-Sat 8:30-20:30, Sun 8:30-14:00).
From Naples by Boat to: Sorrento (6/day, more in summer, departs roughly every 2 hours starting at 9:00, few or no boats on winter weekends, leaves from Molo Beverello, 35 minutes), Capri (roughly hourly, more in summer, hydrofoil: 45 minutes from Molo Beverello; ferries: 50-80 minutes from Calata Porta di Massa). Sometimes there are also seasonal boats to Positano and Amalfi, on the Amalfi Coast—ask. For a map showing boat connections, see here. For timetables, visit www.capritourism.com and click “Shipping Timetable.”
To connect Naples, Sorrento, and the Amalfi Coast, you can travel on land by train, bus, and taxi. Whenever possible, consider taking a boat—it’s faster, cooler, and more scenic, and you can take coastline photos that you can’t get from land. For specifics, check the “Connections” sections of each chapter. Confirm times and prices locally.
By Circumvesuviana Train: This useful narrow-gauge commuter train—popular with locals, tourists, and pickpockets—links Naples, Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Sorrento. The most important Circumvesuviana station in Naples (called “Garibaldi”) is underneath Naples’ Centrale Station. To find it, follow the signs downstairs to Statione Garibaldi and then Circumvesuviana signs down the corridor to the Circumvesuviana ticket windows and turnstiles (no self-service ticket machines—line up). Buy your ticket, confirm time and track, insert your ticket at the turnstiles, and head down another level to the platforms.
The Circumvesuviana is covered by the Campania ArteCard (see here), but not by rail passes. If you’re heading to Pompeii or Herculaneum, take any Circumvesuviana train marked Sorrento—they all stop at both places (usually depart from platform 3). Sorrento-bound trains depart twice hourly, and take about 20 minutes to reach Ercolano Scavi (for the Herculaneum ruins, €2 one-way), 40 minutes to reach Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri (for the Pompeii ruins, €2.60 one-way), and 70 minutes to reach Sorrento, the end of the line (€3.60 one-way). Express trains to Sorrento marked DD (6/day) reach Sorrento 15 minutes sooner (and also stop at Herculaneum and Pompeii). For schedules, see www.eavsrl.it.
On the platform, double-check with a local that the train goes to Sorrento, as the Circumvesuviana has several lines that branch out to other destinations. When returning to Naples on the Circumvesuviana, get off at the next-to-the-last station, Garibaldi (Centrale Station is just up the escalator).
You may save a few pennies with a “TIC” ticket, which covers the Circumvesuviana plus public transport to and from the train station in Naples (for example, Pompeii to Napoli Centrale, then by Metro to your hotel).
By Regular Train: The national rail network is useful only if you need to get to Salerno (for boats and buses to Amalfi) or Paestum—direct trains run to both from Naples.
By Bus: Crowded SITA buses are most useful for traversing the popular Amalfi Coast; see “Getting Around the Amalfi Coast—By Public Bus” on here.
By Taxi: For €100, you can take a 30-mile taxi ride from Naples directly to your Sorrento hotel (ask the driver for the non-metered tariffa predeterminata). You can hire a cab on Capri for about €70/hour. Taxis on the Amalfi Coast are generally expensive, and more than willing to overcharge you, but they can be convenient, especially with a larger group. See “Getting Around the Amalfi Coast—By Taxi” on here.
By Boat: Major companies include Caremar (www.caremar.it), SNAV (www.snav.it), Gescab (a.k.a. NLG Jet, www.gescab.it), Navigazione Libera del Golfo (www.navlib.it), Alilauro (www.alilauro.it), Travelmar (www.travelmar.it), and Alicost (www.alicost.it). Each company has different destinations and prices; some compete for the same trips. Some lines (like Sorrento-Capri) run all year; others (on the Amalfi Coast, for example) only in summer. Trips can be cancelled in bad weather. Faster watercraft cost a little more than slow car ferries. A hydrofoil, sometimes called a “jet boat,” skims between Naples and Sorrento—it’s swifter, safer from pickpockets, more scenic, and more expensive than the train.
For schedules, check online (the best overview is at www.capritourism.com; click “Shipping Timetable”), or ask at any TI or at Naples’ Molo Beverello boat dock. (The handy departure board on the rooftop of the Molo Beverello terminal shows all the upcoming departures.) Most boats charge €2 or so for luggage. If you plan to arrive at and leave a destination by boat, note the return times—the last boat usually leaves before 19:00.
The preset price for a taxi from Naples’ Centrale train station to its port (Molo Beverello) is €11, or you can just hop on tram #1 from the far end of the big square in front of the station.
By Train to: Rome (Trenitalia: 1-4/hour, 1 hour on Frecciarossa, 2 hours on Intercity, 2.5 hours and much cheaper on regional trains; Italo: hourly, 70 minutes), Civitavecchia (at least hourly, 3 hours, most change in Rome), Florence (Trenitalia: hourly, 3 hours; Italo: hourly, 3 hours), Salerno (Trenitalia: at least hourly, 35-45 minutes, change in Salerno for bus or boat to Amalfi; best to take “regionale” trains—Intercity and Freccia express trains are much more expensive but no faster; also avoid slower “Metropolitana” trains that leave from the same platforms as Metro’s line 2; Italo: 4/day, 45 minutes), Paestum (10/day, 1.5 hours, direction: Sapri), Brindisi (4/day, 5-6 hours, change in Caserta; from Brindisi, ferries sail to Greece), Milan (Trenitalia: 2/hour, 4-5 hours; Italo: 11/day, 4-5 hours), Venice (Trenitalia: almost hourly, 5.5 hours, some change in Bologna or Rome; Italo: 3/day, 5.5 hours, reservations required), Palermo (2/day direct, 9.5 hours, also an overnight train). Any train listed on the schedule as leaving Napoli PG or Napoli-Garibaldi departs not from Napoli Centrale, but from the adjacent Garibaldi Station.
By Circumvesuviana Train: See the “Getting Around the Region” sidebar for information on getting to Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Sorrento.
To Pompeii: To visit the ancient site of Pompeii, don’t use national train connections to the city of Pompei (which is far from the site). Instead, ride the Circumvesuviana train, which takes you to the Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri stop near the actual site.