What to see in Naples: guide to neighborhoods, historic sites and unmissable views

See Naples and die. This is undoubtedly a proverb that helps to understand how fascinating this city can be. From breathtaking views to culture, there are so many things to see in Naples. We have thought of creating a short list that can suggest which places you absolutely cannot miss during your vacation: what to see in Naples and what to visit.

Discover Naples in video

A brief visual journey through the wonders of Naples: atmospheres, views, and iconic places of the Neapolitan city.

The 12 Most Famous Attractions in Naples

Naples is a unique mix of history, culture, folklore, and breathtaking views. Below you will find a selection of the 12 most famous and beloved attractions in the city, perfect for discovering the authentic essence of the Neapolitan capital.

What to visit in Naples: places of interest and monuments

Naples is a city to visit over several days. Among the many attractions this city offers, we want to recommend some key places of Naples: what to visit during your vacation.

1 Piazza del Plebiscito

Piazza del Plebiscito, in the Santa Lucia district, is the heart and symbol of the city. Within the 25,000 sqm that delimit it, you can find some of the most important works of Naples, such as the Royal Palace and the Church of San Francesco di Paola. In the square, buildings from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries reflect. It is from here that you can admire Mount Vesuvius, located in front of the rear part of the Royal Palace. The square should be placed first on the list “Naples: what to see“.

2 Royal Palace of Naples

The Royal Palace of Naples was built in the 17th century by the Spanish viceroys. It was later expanded by the Bourbons during the eighteenth century. The royal apartments are open from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with entrance fee. The inner courtyard and gardens are free to access. Not far from the Royal Palace is the San Carlo Theatre, a very famous opera theater, visitable daily from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, except during performances.

3 Maschio Angioino

The Maschio Angioino is the icon of historic Naples, located on the seafront in a particular position. It is one of Naples’ main attractions. Inside you will find the Civic Museum of Naples.

4 Spaccanapoli

Spaccanapoli is the soul of the Neapolitan city. The meaning of its name is literal: the district is actually split in two by a street. This split is clearly visible from above. Here intersect Via Benedetto Croce, San Biagio dei Librai and Vicaria Vecchia (deumanus inferior while the decumanus major was Via dei Tribunali). Spaccanapoli begins at Piazza del Gesù where the Church of Gesù Nuovo from the late sixteenth century is located. Not far away, in the small streets, is the Santa Chiara Cloister, dating back to the 14th century. In this district you will find the true soul of Naples and it is here that you should go to experience Naples’ nightlife.

5 San Gregorio Armeno

Via San Gregorio Armeno is one of the most famous streets in Naples, especially around Christmas time. Perpendicular to Spaccanapoli, here you find many artisanal shops producing examples of the Neapolitan nativity scene. It is in fact known as the “Street of the Nativity Scenes”. But don’t worry; you can watch artisans working on statuettes all year round. To include in the list “Things to do in Naples”.

6 Spanish Quarters and Via Toledo

Via Toledo is the street, full of shops, that connects Piazza del Plebiscito to Piazza Dante. Perpendicular to the street unfold the Spanish Quarters, a degraded area of the city which, however, retains its charm. And speaking of picturesque areas of Naples, beyond Piazza Dante, coming from Piazza Plebiscito, is Pignasecca, where typical city markets take place. Here too it’s good to pay attention. The closest metro station to Pignasecca is Montesanto, but you can also choose to get off at the Via Toledo metro stop, considered one of the most beautiful in all of Europe. Absolutely not to be missed.

7 Posillipo and Via Chiaia

The Posillipo district is located above Piazza Plebiscito. The Posillipo hill offers an absolutely unmissable view of the city. Below lies the small harbor of Mergellina. Via Chiaia is another street to visit if you go to Naples. It runs from Piazza Plebiscito towards Piazza dei Martiri and is an ideal place for shopping and a stroll. At the end of Via Chiaia is one of the city’s historic theaters (San Carlo Theatre and Bellini being the best known), the Sannazaro Theatre.

8 Underground Naples

Underground Naples is a tour through the tunnels and cisterns of underground Naples and is definitely to be included in the list “Naples: things to do”. If you are not claustrophobic, it is the ideal place to discover the hidden treasures of the Neapolitan city.

9 Naples Stock Exchange Palace

The Stock Exchange Palace (1895, designed by Alfonso Guerra and Luigi Ferrara), today home of the Chamber of Commerce of Naples, preceded by the staircase flanked by the bronze lions of Luigi De Luca, was born from the works of the Risanamento, in the new Giovanni Bovio square (1841-1903, philosopher and politician who lived long in these walls) realized in the area of the small squares of the Port Market. Here, in 1898, the Neptune Fountain was moved, restored to the sixteenth-century location in Via Medina as a result of the works for metro line 1.

10 San Carlo Theatre

The San Carlo Theatre, besides the performances of the grand melodramatic repertoire and the revival of masterpieces from the nineteenth century, has also undertaken in recent years an intense activity aimed at the recovery of the eighteenth-century Neapolitan comic opera. The design by Medrano of the San Carlo Theatre of Naples envisaged a hall 28.6 meters long and 22.5 meters wide, with 184 boxes, including those at the proscenium, arranged in six tiers, plus a royal box capable of hosting ten people, for a total of 1379 seats. Eight months after starting work, on November 4, 1737, the theater was already completed.

11 Capodimonte Royal Palace

The Capodimonte Royal Palace, with the large park, houses the art collection of the Farnese and the Bourbons. The palace is open every day except Wednesday, from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM. Paid entrance.

13 Monastery of Santa Chiara

The Santa Chiara Monumental Complex, comprising the Church, Monastery, and Convent, was erected from 1310 to 1328 by the will of the monarch Robert of Anjou and his wife Sancia of Majorca. The sovereigns, both devoted to Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Clare, wanted to build a Franciscan citadel that would house the Poor Clares in the monastery and the Franciscan Friars in the adjacent convent. The Church, the central core of the entire complex, was originally named Holy Host or Holy Body of Christ, a dedication inspired by the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena, which occurred in 1264; this name was promptly changed to Santa Chiara, probably due to the extraordinary number of Poor Clares present in the monastery.

14 Pio Monte della Misericordia

The Pio Monte della Misericordia is an active charity institution founded in 1602 by seven Neapolitan nobles. The seat of the Pio Monte della Misericordia also hosts an archive/library particularly valuable for the quantity and rarity of the documents and volumes preserved there. Of notable importance is the painting by Caravaggio, “The Seven Works of Mercy” (1607), placed in the church above the main altar.

15 Certosa di San Martino

The Certosa di San Martino with its museum is located in a dominating part of the city, on the Vomero hill (upscale district of Naples). The Carthusian monastery dates back to the 14th century and is an attraction of the Neapolitan city. The museum hosts a nativity scene exhibition and an important collection of paintings. From the terrace there is a magnificent view of the Gulf of Naples. The museum is open daily except Wednesday from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm. Admission fee required.

Museums of Naples

16 Archaeological Museum of Naples

The Archaeological Museum is one of the most important archaeological museums in Europe. The MANN hosts, in addition to significant works and ancient artifacts, the Pompeian Collections from the excavations of Pompeii.

17 Chapel of San Severo and Veiled Christ

Visiting the Chapel of San Severo is certainly an exciting experience. Inside this building, it is possible to observe one of the most beautiful works of art in Naples: the Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sammartino, from 1573. The Chapel of San Severo is located at Via De Sanctis no. 19 and is open every day except Tuesday, from 10:00 am to 5:40 pm. On Sundays, it closes at 1:10 pm. Admission is paid.

18 Museum of the Twentieth Century of Naples

The Museum of the Twentieth Century of Naples was established in the spaces of the High Prison of Castel Sant’Elmo. About 170 works created by 90 Neapolitan artists are exhibited, along with some works by non-Neapolitan artists who were active in the city in various roles. From the various testimonies of what was produced between the two wars to the experiences that followed in the postwar period (1948-1958), from the South Group to the so-called Neorealism, from the M.A.C. group to Informal Art or the Group ’58 up to the present day.

19 Museum Complex of Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco

The Museum Complex of Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco – which includes the Church, the Museum of the Opera, and the Hypogeum – represents an extraordinary opportunity to learn about the ancient cult of the souls of Purgatory. In 1605, a group of nobles established an Opera Pia, a lay Congregation, with one of its main aims being the care of the souls of Purgatory: thus arose, by the design of Giovan Cola di Franco, the elegant church, conceived from the beginning on two levels, the upper church, a true masterpiece of Neapolitan Baroque art, and the lower church or hypogeum, which today is still the place of the cult of the poor souls. The church’s iconographic set is of great value: atop the main altar is the masterpiece by Massimo Stanzione, The Madonna of the Purgatory Souls, surmounted by the painting by Giacomo Farelli Saint Anne offers the Virgin Child to the Eternal Father, and in the side chapels the Passing of Saint Joseph by Andrea Vaccaro, and the Death or Ecstasy of Saint Alexis, a youthful masterpiece by Luca Giordano. The Complex also houses a small but precious Museum of the Opera, preserving a collection of paintings and artifacts made between the 17th and 19th centuries, the historical Archive, and a medical clinic dedicated to the needy.

20 Museum Complex of the Most August Archconfraternity of Pilgrims

The Museum Complex of the Most August Archconfraternity of Pilgrims includes a 16th-century church, an 18th-century church (Medrano and Carlo Vanvitelli) magnificent for its unique plan of two octagons connected by rectangles; the Holy Land (work of architect Giovanni Antonio Medrano); rooms designated for the life of the Archconfraternity (Mandate Hall, Vesting Rooms). Everywhere are exquisite pictorial artworks (from the 15th to the 19th century) (Bernardino Campi, Andrea Vaccaro, Francesco Fracanzano, Onofrio Palumbo and Didier Barra, Giacomo Farelli, Francesco De Mura, Giuseppe Bonito, Giacinto Diano), sculptural works (in bronze the expressive statue of founder Fabrizio Pignatelli kneeling, by Michelangelo Naccherino; in marble a Madonna with Child by Francesco Laurana; in stucco the scenic group of the Trinity by Angelo Viva), woodworks (polychrome statues of the Passion by unknown Neapolitan authors of the 15th century; walnut burl choir and dome decorated with gold leaf motifs designed by architect Astarita), precious furnishings and liturgical objects. The very important historical archive contains over 1245 volumes and registers and 328 very precious parchments. The confreres wear a red habit (from the 16th century to today) symbolizing charity, which recalls the blood of Christ shed for the redemption of humanity.

21 Other Museums of Naples

• Hermann Nitsch Contemporary Arts Museum, Naples
• Ascione Coral Museum, Naples
• Castelnuovo Civic Museum, Naples
• Sea Museum of Naples, Thetys Foundation
• Museum of the Twentieth Century of Naples
• Treasure Museum of San Gennaro, Naples
• Elena Aldobrandini Textile and Clothing Museum, Naples
• Duca di Martina Ceramics Museum in Villa Floridiana, Naples
• Giuseppe Caravita Prince of Sirignano Museum, Naples
• Laboratory Museum of Peasant Civilization “Masseria Luce,” Naples
• Madre Museum, Naples
• Scientific Museum of Technology and Labor “Luigi Petriccione,” Naples

22 How to get around Naples

If you are wondering “How to get around Naples?”, we recommend doing it by subway; we also add that it is interesting to take a real tour of the metro stations in Naples, a truly interesting example of contemporary art. The stop of the Via Toledo subway is one of the most beautiful in Europe, it deserves a visit. Alternatively, you can take the urban buses and, as a last resort, a taxi.

Quick information about Naples: where to eat, how to get there, where to sleep

23 How to get to Naples

The best way to reach Naples is by train or by flying. The Naples airport, Capodichino Naples Airport, is about 7 km from the center, which you can reach in a few minutes by taxi or by bus towards the Central Train Station. The international Naples airport connects to various destinations around the world, and the train station, adjacent to the bus station, is very efficient and well served.

24 What to eat in Naples

Naples is famous for its fabulous cuisine. You will not have trouble finding the perfect place to taste dishes from the Neapolitan cuisine. In the list “Naples: what to eat,” remember to include: pizza (it was born in Naples and you cannot miss eating it) from Pizzeria Brandi (the steps of Via Chiaia, where the Margherita pizza was born) or the one from Michele or Sorbillo on Via dei Tribunali, buffalo mozzarella, beans and mussels, and for dessert babà and sfogliatelle. Note the Scaturchio pastry shop in Piazza San Domenico, but many others serve quality products.

25 Where to sleep in Naples: panoramic areas and strategic tips

In Naples, you can choose among neighborhoods full of charm and breathtaking views. For those seeking romance and a sea view, the Mergellina area is perfect: quiet, elegant, and overlooking the Gulf. If you want to stay central, Maschio Angioino and its surroundings offer excellent connections to the port and main attractions.

The historic center is also an excellent choice, especially for those who enjoy staying in B&B, holiday homes, or more typical and informal accommodations. It’s ideal for exploring on foot among art, history, and Neapolitan street food.

🛏️ Tip: discover our selection of hotels and accommodations in Naples for every price range or how to stay in Naples on a limited budget.

💡 Or search for deals on: Booking.com

26 Superstition

At the conclusion of this complete guide to Naples we could not ignore “good and bad luck.” Superstition is inherent in Neapolitan tradition and numbers (17), things and facts often require superstitious rituals that have been passed down through the ages in this city of a thousand colors, as sung in “Napul’è” by the son of Naples, Pino Daniele. Paraphrasing another great Neapolitan figure, Peppino De Filippo, “It’s not true… but I believe it.”

27 Funiculì funiculà

The famous song “Funiculì funiculà” was actually written in Naples when the legendary Vesuviana was in operation, which took people to the crater of the volcano. After that historic system was discontinued, today four funiculars operate in the Neapolitan capital city, connecting the center to the upper neighborhoods of the hills.

Comfortable, fast, with a total of 16 stations and more than 3 km of rails, their small colorful carriages are among the favorite means of transport for Neapolitans and tourists. The Centrale, Chiaia, and Montesanto funiculars connect the center to the panoramic Vomero neighborhood; the Mergellina funicular is instead the link between the hill of Posillipo and the sea. The Centrale has been humorously renamed the “shopping funicular” because it connects the most thriving and elegant commercial areas: via Roma and surroundings (Galleria Umberto and via Chiaia) with via Scarlatti and via Giordano. These areas are also rich historically, monumentally, and culturally.

The Chiaia funicular dates back to 1889 and is one of the oldest in Italy, connecting the neighborhoods adjacent to the Riviera di Chiaia to the very green Vomero, using two modern lines with a maximum capacity of 300 people.

The Montesanto line, in operation since 1891 and thoroughly renovated in recent times, always leads to the fresh heights of Vomero but starts from the popular heart of Naples, the Pignasecca neighborhood. Meanwhile, the Mergellina goes up and down between the tourist port and the elegant Posillipo.

Frequently Asked Questions about What to See in Naples