Big square used for events to hold a lot of people. The architecture is simply lovely and detailed…read more I only walked outside of it. It sits on a large square for events if needed

Naple's most iconic square is framed by Prefettura di Napoli a government office on the north, on…read morethe south by Palazzo Salerno (Sede del Comando Territoriale Sud - currently military offices), by the royal palace on the east, and Basilica of San Francesco di Paola to the west. The last two are open for visitors and pretty quiet on an April evening. The port area and waterfront public park Giardini del Molosiglio are nearby within walking distance to the southeast. As magnificent and grand as these surrounding buildings and others nearby are, this piazza also very much a piece of the local cloth. Where school groups and tourists frequent during the day, is open space in the evening for kids riding bikes and playing soccer, for families taking walks with strollers and dogs. While I was there it was fun to see a group of students singing along to a couple musicians on a guitar and mic, a few kids flying kites, the sun setting to the west casting a warm glow onto the structures in the square. Fun facts: - named after a plebiscite (aka referendum or survey) which united Naples with the rest of Italy. - Joachim Murat, bro-in-law of Napoleon had planned to dedicate the square to the emperor though when the Bourbon rulers were restored to the throne plans changed. Hence today the two statues in from of the church are Bourbon kings Charles III and his son Ferdinand I. They also instructed the completion of the neoclassical basilica along this square. - there's a local game/tradition of attempting to cross the square blindfolded starting from the center of the main entrance of the royal palace with the goal of walking directly in the middle of the two statues. Legend is that it's an impossible feat, due to the irregular shape of the square, uneven cobblestones and slight slope. - the square became a parking lot in 1963 to deal with the overflow of cars in the city, then reconfigured back to pedestrian only in 1994.

Italy is filled with gorgeous fountains, and Naples is no exception. In fact, Naples being right on…read morethe water, has the best iteration of Neptune. This gorgeous fountain of Neptune, truly is a sight to behold. Interestingly, enough, it feels like it's slightly out of the beat and path, and you definitely need to know that it's there, despite its massive size. Little too, few tourist were around in the middle of the day to look at it, which is truly a shame because it's stunning. The fountain not only pays homage to Neptune, but it truly embraces everything about Neptune and the water. It's free to visit, and you definitely should walk those few extra blocks to go see it!

You can't miss it. It's the public square in back of the Church of San Domenico Maggiore, and just…read moreoff of Spaccanapoli (or Via Benedetto Croce). This is also where you'll find the beautiful Obelisk of San Domenico which towers over the square. It's a symbol of resilience & hope, but I couldn't help but feel like it's also protecting everyone. It was erected after the plague of 1656 that devastated Naples. So, maybe its purpose is to make you feel that way. There are also former palaces on each side of it. The Palazzo Petrucci currently houses a Michelin Star restaurant of the same name. You'll also see the outdoor terrace of their pizzeria in the plaza. On the opposite side is the Palazzo Corigliano. It's currently occupied by a college of a university that teaches languages. There's history and worldliness all around this piazza. It's a lively public area that is frequented by locals, tourists, parishioners, and students. You'll see the young, the elderly, and all ages in between enjoying the shops & restaurants. You can ideally spend a couple of hours here just watching how Naples lives. It's a cool place to be when near this historic city center.

A beautiful little plaza in the central of older Naples surrounded by several good restaurants and…read moreis the start of several famous shopping streets that wind up through the hills of this city. Use this plaza as a stepping off point on your adventures as there is some private parking facilities located not too far away and is easily accessible and known to the city's taxi drivers. Once you're here feel free to wind through the snaking streets of this part of Naples and be amazed by the shops and the friendliness of the folks that live here.

Castel Nuovo was one giant construction site when we were here…read more Of course, it's been under construction for nearly nine hundred years. From Charles I House of Anjou, to the Kingdom of the two Sicily's (1266), to the Kingdom of Naples. It was also used by Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, who lived there for a short time in 1535. But no Italian history would've complete, without the involvement of de' Medici family of Florence. Seemed Alfonso V of Aragon (1443), had established a royal court here after conquered the throne of Naples and as with most little boys, he needed his to be, er um...grander. He intended for the Castel Nuovo to compete with the one in Florence by Lorenzo de' Medici. Ultimately he ended up completely rebuilding the entire fortress. A famous architect friend once observed to me, that it's important to be able to distinguish between "good" and "better." LOL The castle is very imposing. It has five huge turret like towers, that can be seen throughout Naples. Our driver couldn't figure out how to drop us off because of all traffic on Via Nuova Marina, so we settled for the nearby Galleria Umberto mall (see review) instead. LOL. See photos.

The Nuovo castle looks better from the outside and going inside, other than the second floor open…read moreview facing the harbor. The museum exhibits are lack of maintenance and all presenting in almost darkness. It's still worth the €6 entrance fee to explore.

A great way to spend a rainy day in Napoli…read more The guided tour itself takes between 90 minutes to an hour 45. It worth it. There is a good amount of stairs. There's several different paths through the catacombs. If you're claustrophobic, it would be a good idea to skip doing this part.

Checks the box off for interesting tour to take in a foreign city. Tour itself was 5 stars, the…read morewait and the crowds dropped it a star. Underground tours in Naples are very popular with multiple sites and entry points, this one being the main location. Entrance is via an alley along Via dei Tribunali, one of the main stretches in the historic center, and on a Sunday noon it was packed with visitors waiting for their tour times. Like probably 70-80 people waiting in a 12 x 20 foot area...a fair number of staff on hand wrangling the lines, telling people/groups with pre-bookings to line up in front of those without. Each person basically has to talk to a staff member to figure out exactly who they should be standing behind. Then there are staff members calling out times for each tour at the front, Italian then English alternately. I'm not sure why they don't implement an easier, more straightforward system, for each language--one line for prebooked and one line without. Tickets can be booked in advance online by tour language and they ask you to be there 15 minutes prior to your time slot. This is most certainly not only recommended, but required if you want to avoid inadvertently missing your timeslot due to the confusing line as mentioned above. Also their website refers to the online tickets as "skip-the-line" though to be clear you are essentially just booking a spot in advance, you still need to wait in line at the entrance. And hands down book in advance. They "guarantee" entry at the door (as I heard a few different staff members mention to certain people in line), however what they don't initially mention is this is only after all pre-booked visitors enter, so this could mean an indefinite wait of 30 minutes, an hour, 1.5 hours...who knows. For safety reasons entry is only possible via guided tour, and there are limits to the size of each group. They definitely push it though, considering my group of about 35ish was one of several groups to go down in staggered times of about 15-20 minutes apart. Once the guide directs the group to enter the pathway leading underground, they make you line up along the stairs while another group exits, then your group can enter. It's several flights down (then back up) so I saw some elderly with walking handicaps and families with strollers struggling. Honestly I wouldn't recommend coming here if you fall into either group. I imagine it could be dangerous for the former (think slippery stone in some areas) and there was a toddler crying during two-thirds of my tour that made for a very distracting experience if you consider the cavernous reverberations. After waiting in line for about 15-20 minutes outside, then another 10-15 minutes on the stairs inside, the tour itself lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes after we finally got downstairs. It was very informative and our guide tried her best to crack jokes and maintain a light-hearted atmosphere while at the same time projecting her voice as loud as possible and telling other nearby groups to keep their voices down (yes, bc there were a few different groups in close proximity sometimes so she had to practically yell to be heard). She shared about the history, functions (aquifer, munitions storage, landfill, war bunker, etc) and unique conditions (cool temps and high humidity) that makes this subterranean complex such an integral part of Naples' story. The last 20 minutes was dedicated to visiting the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater only a few minutes walking from the Sotterranea entrance/exit. It's in a separate building altogether on a residential street and it was intriguing to see the intersection of antiquity and modern life. Tickets are €18 for adults, €15 for students 11-24 yrs old, €10 for children 5-10 yrs old. Time slots available on the hour from between 10am to 7pm daily, last entry at 6pm. For more info: https://www.napolisotterranea.org/en/

Quite different from San Gennaro, these catacombs have a claustrophobic space. We entered to the…read moreright side of the original catacomb entrance. It's inside the church. The church was built around and over the catacombs to protect it. Another history lesson you'll have to hear about on this tour. You'll find the church's interior really beautiful and grand with gates that guard the original entrance. Put away or secure all your loose belongings like cellphones, cameras, sunglasses or hats cuz you're gonna need to hold on to the sides making your narrow way downstairs to the underground. You can take pictures once you're safely flat on two feet. Oh and hopefully you ladies are wearing flats or tennies cuz it is not the kind of platform to walk pretty. The stone paths further in are just right for one person, cozy for two. Making your way through, there are more turns. There's an area we stopped to learn about how the rich back in those times, were the only ones who can afford the service where their loved ones whom have passed away were "treated" in the section that drains body fluids into a container placed beneath the corpse. When the flesh deteriorated the skeleton's skull would often fall. And so the skull would be placed on a stone shelf just above their bones; lined up across. (A scene you may find familiar in many Latin cultures especially during Dia de Muertos.) It wasn't a sanitary practice, but we're talking history, and change came with time. Giovanni Balducci was a Tuscan artist who was hired to be the only one that painted skeletons at San Gaudisio catacombs. These are the only catacombs known to have placed the skulls of the dead in the concrete (see photos)... again, for the rich who were able to afford the service. Along the shorter gallery (in comparison to San Gennaro's larger expanse), the painted skeleton of the men are on left; women are on the right painted with skirts. P.S. your entrance ticket to San Gennaro gets you into these catacombs for free - two for one.

Tour would have been great if they had staggered the English speaking and Italian speaking tours…read more They started at the same time so all you could hear was the loud Italian speaker screaming behind us. Would not recommend. Two stars is being generous.

It's a vibrant place to be when visiting the historical center of Napoli with its beautiful…read morechurches & saintly landmarks. It's the straight road that divides the city. You'll get a great view of it from Largo di San Martino. We were there on a busy Friday morning. Entering Via Benedetto Croce from the Piazza del Gesù Nuovo. It was the perfect way to start this exploration. We walked just a little past the Obelisk of San Domenico Maggiore while checking out the street food items, bakeries, and shops along the way. We visited the ornate Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo after taking in this whole experience. There is also the Santa Chiara Monumental Complex, the Sansevero Chapel, and Chiesa di San Domenico Maggiore that you'll run into along the way. It's not just a steet. It's a cultural & historical local experience that shouldn't be missed. If anything, you can find great souvenirs, street food, and important things (like an ATM).

Friendly & clean. Right on the main cobblestone road of downtown Napoli. Beautiful outdoor…read morebreakfast area in top tourist destination.

One of Naples' crowning museums, the artifacts here complement a visit to Pompeii in the same trip,…read moresince the collections span archaeological finds from Pompeii, Rome and beyond. From sculpture, sacred and funerary objects, mosaics, paintings, household items and furniture, to architectural models and decorative elements, there's plenty of intriguing objects to pique various interests. On a grey Sunday morning in April, I arrived at 10am, and was glad I didn't come later! There were two lines, one for those purchasing tickets at the entry and those with pre-booked tickets online in advance. The latter was a fairly short line, maybe about 10 people, while the former was about 20ish. When I left a couple hours later both lines had more than doubled in length. Inside, the exhibit halls begin with sculptures unearthed during archaeological finds, with the direction of visit encircling one of the smaller inner courtyards. They do an excellent job of providing Italian and English translations for didactic labels and descriptions, and I was able to learn much about a) the background and provenance of sculptures and other finds, b) key figures in archaeological excavations which discovered many of the pieces now housed here, and c) the history of this museum. The route of visit continues to a columned hall with some waiting area seating and contemporary local art pieces, (apparently where school groups rest before touring the museum with docents), which lead up a pair of curved stone staircases where you can look upwards at a central dome. On the second floor highlights include a collection of watercolor works from watercolorist Luigi Bazzani, who captured colorful paintings of Pompeii at the turn of the 20th century, a collection of elaborate furniture, and many rooms of artifacts from steles, ceramics, blown glass and tableware. Many colorful wall paintings found in villas and homes were transferred from archaeological sites to this museum. There's a curious collection of erotic art from antiquity called the Secret Cabinet* too. Unfortunately both these sections were closed: a) the mosaic floor where they previously allowed visitors to enter wearing cloth covers over shoes, and b) the sprawling mini replica of Pompeii that looked to be at least 12 x 15 feet. The latter I glimpsed thru a walkway that was cordoned off. The Sundial Hall, named after (you guessed it) a functional sundial installed in the SW corner of the room, was one of the most impressive rooms in the museum, originally serving as the Bourbon** Royal Library of Naples, then later as the National Library. The beautifully restored ceiling fresco depicts the Bourbon royalty as patrons of the arts. Among the most famous group of objects here are items from the Farnese Collection, begun by then Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (1468-1549), who later became Pope Paul III. Theses works were displayed in various settings notably the Farnese palace, villa and gardens in Rome, then subsequently passed down to descendants. Farnese Hercules, Farnese Artemis, the Farnese Bull and the Farnese Cup are all sublimely sculpted pieces. The total time recommended is easily 2.5-3 hours, additional if you want to read more of the placards. Free lockers, coat check and bathrooms are available. Admission is €20.00 for regular tickets, €2.00 for 18-25 year olds, free for teachers, disabled and those with certain city passes including Artecard and Naples Pass. Hours: 9.00 am - 7.30 pm with last entry at 6.30 pm Closed Tuesdays. *did not post these pics as I didn't want to get flagged for posting explicit content! lol **Bourbon as in the royal dynasty that ruled southern Italy from 1734 until 1860. Not the whisky made with a higher percentage of corn from the southern United States. =)

It was the highlight of our visit to Naples. We skipped it after seeing Pompeii over 10 years ago…read more There was no way that we were going to pass it up this time. This is where you'll find the original statues, artifacts, and frescoes unearthed from Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ancient Rome, and even more archeological sites in Italy. The experience was everything that I imagined it would be and more. Some people wonder whether they should visit it before or after seeing Herculaneum or Pompeii. In my opinion, it should be after. The location of where some of these pieces were found is still fresh in my memory. It all came back to me when reading the descriptions. I was also very amazed with the Farnese Collection. These statues are colossal in size. The Farnese Bull has to be the largest sculpture ever unearthed. It's so incredible when you see it up close and personal. Very impressive! It's a very well organized museum. Well worth the admission fee. There's a nice café inside as well as a bookstore. My only disappointment was that they had sold out of the English museum guides that I collect when traveling. They did have the Italian version. Do purchase your tickets online in advance. There was a line of people trying to buy tickets. The situation gets worse when a tour group arrives. Especially when there are 4 cruise ships in port. Also, make sure you scan the QR code to download the museum app for free audio guides and maps. It makes it so easy to find everything. Give yourself more than an hour. There is so much to see. It's a popular attraction for a reason.