Naples Top 10

Spaccanapoli is a street that goes through the historical centre of Naples. It divides the city in two parts (the name Spaccanapoli means literally “Naples – splitter”). This artery has very ancient origins: it is one of the three decumani, the nearest to the sea (the “decumani” were three streets that ran through the city, built by the ancient Greeks ). When the Romans conquered Naples they decided to build their lines of communications following the old structure built by the Greeks. While walking through Spaccanapoli the time seems to follow up your steps, bringing you through the thousand-years story of the city. Here you can find ancient buildings, churches and you can even smell the unmistakable odour of Neapolitan home cooking. Don’t be astonished at anything: the experience of walking through Spaccanapoli will make you encounter wonderful churches, the “bassi” (the “bassi” are rooms that has the entrance door at street level , they are often composed of one room in which lives an entire family), artists, artisans and street vendors. During the last years little hotels and bed & breakfast began to rise on this street allowing tourists to live the city like the Neapolitans do. Spaccanapoli is a narrow alley where Neapolitans, tourists and motorcycles coexist (not always in a peaceful way). In spite of appearances there’s no place in Naples that can describe you the soul of this city more and better than this one. The essence of Naples here is revealed without tricks. Spaccanapoli isn’t a picture postcard: Spaccanapoli is Naples.

At the end of XVI century the viceroy Don Fernando got worried because he received the news that the king Filippo III wanted to visit Naples. At that time Naples didn’t have a place suitable to host the king. Therefore Fernando ordered the construction of a sumptuous palace for the illustrious visitor. The royal palace was committed to Domenico Fontana in 1600 and he handed in it after only two years (even if the Palace wasn’t completed). Unfortunately the king changed his mind and didn’t go to Naples. You are luckier than the king, so don’t miss the Royal Apartments, the Royal Chapel, the park and the little theatre. There’s a lot to see inside the Royal Palace then we want to tell you 10 things you absolutely have to visit.

When: Everyday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Never: Every Wednsday, 25th December, 1st January, 25th April and 1st May
Tickets: Full ticket 4 €, reduced ticket 2€
How to get: From the central station: bus R2 stop “San Carlo”. From the Airport: Alibus, stop “Piazza Municipio”

Originally the museum was an horse riding school then the seat of the University. We have to wait the 1816 and the king Ferdinando IV to see it become a museum. At the present time it’s one of the most important museums of the world because of quality and quantity of works exposed. The king Ferdinando wanted a place consecrated to the arts and after two centuries his will is done. The Museum houses a collection of archaeological finds coming from Pompei, a great number of sculptures, artefacts and arts of the Greek – Roman age, the Etruscan and Egyptian collection (the Borgia’s collection) and an interesting antique coin collection (Santangelo’s collection). You must not miss the secret chamber (“Gabinetto Segreto”) where there’s kept a collection of erotic frescoes and sculptures. In this page we want to recommend you 10 things you should see during your visit in the museum.

When: Every day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Never: Every Tuesday, 1st January, 25th December
Tickets: Full ticket 6,50 €, Reduced ticket 3,25 €
How to get here: From Central Station: Bus 201 or the line 2 of the underground, stop: Piazza Cavour.

For a long time the area underneath Naples has been a tuff pit, the stones extracted in this enormous cave served as material to build the city. Therefore below the street level there is plenty of tunnels, caves and ravines. This place called “Napoli Sotterranea” (Underneath Naples) tell us about a parallel life of the city that takes place under our feet. In the underground, people lived an other life exploiting this “other city” in many different ways, for example as an air-raid shelter during the second world war. The Underneath Naples is also the place where all the ghosts of Naples are concentrated: trues and falses, goods and bads. If while you are visiting this narrow and damp alley you’ll hear a strange yelling, don’t panic, you aren’t going crazy: It’s just the “munaciello” (a little ghost dressed as a monk). The munaciello is just one of the 10 things you have to know about “Napoli Sotterranea”.

Where: Piazza Trieste e Trento
When: Thursday at 9 pm, Saturday at 10 am, 12 pm and 6 pm. Sunday and Public holiday at 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm and 6 pm.

Where: Piazza San Gaetano
When: From Monday to Friday 12 pm, 2 pm and 4 pm Thursday at 9 pm too. Sunday and Public holiday at 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, 4 pm and 6 pm.

The Veiled Christ is one of the most fascinating and mysterious statues that you can see in Naples. The story tells that the marble veil that recovers the statue is a veil made of tissue transformed in marble thanks to a special mixture invented by the sinister Prince of Sansevero, illustrious alchemist. Great part of experts support the theory that sustains that the amazing effect of the statue is due to the talent of the sculptor Giuseppe Sanmartino, who realized the Veiled Christ. The finding of some macabre works and of a secret room (both open to the public) contributed to give the Prince and the Chapel a mysterious aura. The Chapel deserves a visit not only for the Veiled Christ, the other works kept there deserve attention too. This place is a secret jewel hidden among Naples alleys and it’s rich of esoteric and religious signs. We want to help you discover this place telling you 10 things to know and to see during your visit to the Sansevero Chapel.

When: Weekdays from 10 am to 5.40 pm, Sunday and Public holiday from 10 am to 01,10 pm.
Never: Every Tuesday
Tickets: Full ticket 6 €, reduced ticket 4 €
How to get here: From the central station take the line 2 of the underground, stop “Cavour”. From the airport: Alibus, stop “Piazza Municipio” then bus n° 1 or 4 or C82, stop: “Via Nuova Marina”.

The connection between San Gennaro and the Neapolitans it’s more than a normal devotion expressed to a saint patron. It’s a common feeling grown during the centuries and passed through restrictions and prohibitions. In spite of the little importance given to this Saint from the Catholic Church, the Neapolitans has a very big consideration of their Patron. The treasure of San Gennaro is the most evident and important sign of this love for “Faccia gialla” (literally “yellow face”, the neapolitans call in this way the Saint because of the yellow colour of his most famous statue, made of golden silver). The treasure of the saint is conserved in the museum dedicated in the Cathedral of Naples; it includes relics and preciouses, but also statues, candlesticks and other jewels which the believers protected strenuously during all the pillage of the city, proving in this way their endless devotion to the saint. San Gennaro is considered a near and comforting presence, like a dear neighbour, the one to talk with in case of necessity.

When: Every day from 9 am to 2 pm. Tickets: Full ticket 6 €, reduced ticket 4,50 €. Groups min. 15 people 4,50 € (the reservation is obligatory). Schools 3,50 €. All the tickets includes a multilingual audioguide while stocks last.
How to get here: Underground line 1, stop “Cavour”. Line 2, stop “Museo”.

Naples is still one of the cheaper cities of Italy. According to your means you can choose among big name shops in Via dei Mille, Via Chiaia, Via Poerio and Via Calabritto, or the less expensive shops in Via Roma, Corso Umberto or the typical local street markets. Wandering the streets of Naples, as in all the port cities, you’ll see improvised markets and choreographic negotiations. Maybe somebody will try to sell you a new mobile at a very low prize… Pay attention at it! They want to cheat you. If you buy it probably you’ll find an empty box or, at least, a wooden cellphone. Welcome in the full neapolitan tradition, you just received a “pacco” (literally: “pack”, it means “to trick someone”). Clearly it’s pretty good to pay a little attention to avoid bringing home these expensive and useless souvenirs. Do not trust people who wants to offer you expensive things at a very low price, above all if they try to sell you from a corner of a street and they’re impatient to take the money. Therefore we recommend you a traditional shopping and we suggest you where to go shopping and what to buy in Naples.

The ancient palace which houses the Capodimonte’s museum is one of the green areas most beautiful of Naples. The Museum keeps some works of the biggest masters of painting like Botticelli, Goya, Tiziano and Caravaggio. Walking through the large rooms of the palace, which are still furnished as the Borbonic family left them, you’ll probably have the sensation to go back on the time line. The 110 rooms and the three floors of the Museum composed a path which starts with the first floor that houses the Farnese’s gallery and the royal apartments, continue on the second floor with the neapolitan’s gallery and ends with the XIX century collection. Among numismatic collections, precious furnitures and pottery, the museum offers a huge photo of Naples of the past. Here we want to suggest you 10 things to see, but we’re sure you’re going to discover during your visit that there’s more and more to see.

When: Every day from 8,30 am to 7,30 pm.
Never: Every Wednesday, 1st Janaury and 25th December.
Tickets: Full ticket 7,50 €, reduced ticket 3,75 €.
How to get here: From the Airport: Alibus, stop “Piazza Municipio” and then bus C63 or R4. Underground line 2, stop “Cavour” and then bus 178 or M2 or 201 or always on line 2 of the underground stop “Montesanto” and then bus C63 or R4.

Naples is a Mediterranean city, therefore people loves to go out and spend their nights outdoor. You don’t have to wait the week end to see the city streets full of life. Every night is the good night to have a beer in the centro storico or to have a walk among the stands that you can find on the streets until late night, especially in the summertime. From the concerts to the theatres, from the discos to the restaurants, Naples always confirm its lifestyle: the night wasn’t made to sleep.

If you eat a pizza in an other city of Italy and you’ll remain disappointed, well… You deserve it! The pizza is a Neapolitan property. In many places of the world people try to pass as pizza ridiculous round, thin and salty cakes. The real recipe obeys precise laws and it’s made of few simple ingredients: water, flour, salt and leaven. A thin dough with a thick and tasty border.
You can find it with a lot of condiments (all very caloric), but the original pizza is the Margherita. It was invented by the pizza maker Raffaele Esposito in honour of the Queen Margherita. Esposito flavoured the pizza with tomatoes, mozzarella, oil and basil. He invented the most envied, good and patriotic dish of the world. In Naples the pizza is excellent everywhere: if you want to find a place where you don’t eat well, it will be a difficult feat. Obviously the Neapolitan food isn’t only pizza: it’s something extraordinary a real symphony of tastes, colours and calories. Think about a plate… well, probably it was invented in Naples: spaghetti, ragù, lasagne, pasta, all kinds of seafood, chops, “soffritto” (a sauce made of oil, onions, carrots and celery), cakes, babà, pastiera… so sit down and let’s try it!