Looking for that picture perfect postcard view of Naples? This is your spot!…read more Perched atop Vomero Hill, this fortress was built in 1329 as the residence of King Robert of Naples, expanding upon an existing 13th century structure. In 1537 it was further extended under viceroy don Pedro de Toledo to its six-pointed star design, and additional renovations were made thru subsequent centuries. Tufa, a yellow volcanic stone often used in much ancient construction throughout Naples, is also used here. On entering the grounds at 5pm a short line at the ticket office is unavoidable, since after 4:30pm tickets are reduced from €5 to €2.50. A short five minute walk brings you around a corner to an expansive with tall, broad walls, and a short overpass over a shallow ravine brings you to the gate. A few more turns up a gently sloped path thru the ramparts and the panoramic views start coming into sight. At the top of the fortress, the inner ward encircled by the battlements is wide and open, uncrowded on a Sunday afternoon in April. The Museo Novecento is located here which features modern Italian art from 1910-1980 though closes at 5pm, a small museum with about 170 works. Worth dropping by for a look, admission is included in the fortress ticket. Aside from the museum, there's a location of the well-known bakery/café Scaturchio (see my sep review for their Centro Historico location) here where you can grab a coffee or traditional Italian merenda, or afternoon snack. Surprisingly to me there were a number of offices here too, apparently related to cultural heritage administration and art history and documentation. Multiple stairways lead up to the walkways along the top edges with merlons*. Picturesque views appear in every direction, even on a cloudy day you could see miles around the city of Naples, island of Capri, parts of the Amalfi coastline, and the Matese mountains. Spending about an hour and half here, I felt like this was adequate time to walk around the main sections of the fortress without accounting for the art museum. If I ever find myself back in Naples, would certainly come by again, and hopefully catch a sunny day! *in a defensive wall with repeating pattern of ridges, this is the raised block of the ridge used by defenders for cover. Crenels refer to the narrower lowered sections between the ridges used for archers to shoot thru.

The castle itself is located on the hill, and it takes quite a lot of stairs getting there from…read morepublic transportation, and even more steps to the top of the castle. The view on each spots and on the top platform is breathtaking. You can overlook the volcano and city views from different angles.

Known as Cappella Sansevero Art Museum, or Chapel of Santa Maria della Pietà, this Neapolitan…read morebuilding contains a diverse collection of ornate sculpture visible for just 7Euro. Adhering to a strict photography policy, circumvented only through time and patience, expect to spend an hour in the two small chambers, mesmerized by the ornate netting on Il Disinganno and breathtaking Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino. Downstairs guests will also find two anatomical studies of human vasculature that long pre-date the "Bodies" exhibits touring globally

Visited in April 2026, and was really blown away by the detail in the marble sculptures. The way…read morethe sheerness of the fabric captured all the folds and wrinkles over the forms of the Christ and Modesty sculptures was stunning. My mind can't even begin to comprehend how Genoese sculptor Francesco Queirolo carved the life-like roped fishing net texture and structure draped over the two human figures out of solid stone for Disillusion. He certainly was a virtuoso in this art form. The other statues in the room were incredibly elaborate and detailed as well. As other reviews have mentioned, the chapel has a strict no photography policy, there are multiple security guards posted around this room and they watch with hawk eyes so don't even try. The "anatomical machines" portion of the exhibit was two open bodies one male, one female, preserved for scientific study, showing possibly the most complete real life version of the human cardiovascular system including veins and arteries. Fascinating, though could present an ick factor for those that aren't into seeing explicit internal organs. Open daily 9am-7pm except Tuesdays. Regular admission is €12.00 for adults, €6-8 for students, handicapped, youth 10 yrs and over. Free admission to 9 yrs and under. Audio guides are available for an additional €3.50 fee. Regular admission feels steep for essentially access to 1.5 rooms, given the amount of people, had to dock a star. A lot of info available on their website below, I don't think you need the audio guide if you can read thru the descriptions in advance, though cell service isn't great inside, so wouldn't recommend trying access it live. https://www.museosansevero.it/en

You're greeted with beautifully carved pillars and arches with details that tell you stories. The…read moremassive doors are dramatic! Do some neck and shoulder stretches before visiting because looking up and around is required. It's a castle on the outside and a Civic Museum inside. For €6 entry, you get a lot for your visit. An audio guide is optional for €4 more. Note that you're able to get a brochure with a map in English. After entry, you step into a huge courtyard. It appeared an event was being set up the day of my visit. I headed to the left toward the stone steps to start my self-paced tour into the: BARON'S HALL - it looks like a courtroom. Awesome ceiling architecture! Tried to follow the map; forget about going in alphabetical order. On the ground level you'll find the: PALATINE CHAPEL - closed doors for preserving artwork; so full of emotion. No flash photography. Place your camera glass to glass against the doors. Up more stairs to the: 1st FLOOR - find a bronze door with a cannon ball stuck in it. This floor has a lovely collection of religious paintings from 15th-18th centuries. 2nd FLOOR - you'll see more of paintings with war stories and lifestyles from 18th-20th centuries. 3rd FLOOR - modern day collections. Note that these floor exhibits are not directly above each other. Refer to the map and legend on the brochure for your preferred route. Art lovers and appreciators can take their time. Definitely a recommended visit for tourists. Don't forget to catch a breeze and take in views of the Tyrrhenian sea.

Constructed in 1279, and for centuries the Royal residence of Naples' kings into the 16th century,…read morethe gothic exterior of this massive fortress with five towers is a magnificent reminder of Napoli's medieval history and maritime prowess, with an entrance over the largest man-made moat I've seen. Arriving at 5pm on a weekday afternoon, I scrambled (ie. speed walked for half a mile) to make it before their assigned last entry time, which I thought was 5pm for a 6pm closing time, though apparently it's last entry at 5:30pm. Well...I got an extra workout. There's a small ticket window to the left inside the main doors, which takes cash or card, and can also validate your city/museum pass (I had a Naples Pass). Regular admission is €15, tickets for local residents €10, free for children under 18. However because of ongoing renovations to major sections, they were offering reduced admissions of €10 and €6 respectively. Inside what's available to view as of mid-April 2026 are several components. To me each stands alone and feels a bit disjointed to the others, though given its lengthy history and different functions over time perhaps the range of spaces truly embodies the story of the castle, one embued with varied relevance and purpose. - Palatine Chapel: an austere chapel with stone block floors, inset with ledger stones.* - Archaeological route and former Armory room: this is where the ruins can be viewed below a glass floor--of what's believed to be past of a lavish Roman villa from 1st century BCE beneath the castle. Tours need to be pre-booked in advance if you want to descend to the underground level to visit these. - Hall of the Barons: this is the kind of grand hall I'd imagine medieval royalty to preside over, with a massive octagonal star-shaped arched stone ceiling and central round skylight, though it was actually a later construction in the 15th century. The layout includes a U-shaped wooden seating arrangement where the current Napoli city council meets. - Chapel of the Souls of Purgatory: single room with entrance off the courtyard to the right of the entrance to the Palantine Chapel, the frescos are colorful though space is small. - First floor Civic Museum - Art Gallery: this is up a flight of steps (aka the second floor for those of us across the pond), a gallery of about 50 works ranging from 15-18th century religious Neapolitan art, transferred here from other historic buildings that are no longer in use. - terrace on second floor with partial view of the port: I was a little disappointed since I thought the roof of the castle would be accessible though I'm glad I didn't rush here on my first day in Naples and instead went to Monte Echia nearby where the views were much better, more panoramic. It took about 30 minutes to walk around the parts that were open, there are more extensive galleries on the upper stories that were under renovation. I felt it made sense to reduce the price since some portions were closed. For more info: https://www.comune.napoli.it/vivere-il-comune/luoghi/castel-nuovo-maschio-angioino/#orari_apertura https://www.naplesinsider.com/en/e/castel-nuovo-maschio-angioino *an inscribed stone slab usually laid into the floor of a church to commemorate or mark the place of the burial of a deceased person. (as per Wikipedia)

Look to spend at least four hours walking through and reading up on some of the most eye catching…read moredisplays. If your smartphone has the space and your cell network has the reception, I suggest downloading their museum app guide. On the business side, it's a great idea that they offer this instead of providing headsets and hand carry narratives. So, good luck if you're a foreigner with an outside network ;) The exhibits during my visits were awesome. I enjoyed the sculptures and contemporary art most. There are thousands of paintings and they were beautiful as well. I found the stitch work the most impressive. They look like rugs... These are ginormous and span an entire wall with high ceilings. Each of them tell a story. But the details are what captured me most. Strong reccomendation anyway, to take time for any museum and learn something you never knew. Plus in this museum, you gotta check out the outside view from the second level!

This is worth the travel to get to it. Allow a full day and why not take a picnic for the gardens?…read moreNaples is quite unique in that it hasn't actually been part of Italy that long (historically speaking) and has been an independent principality a number of times and has been under the 'control' of both Christians and Muslims at different times. The Capodimonte family are one of the great families of Naples and the house and gardens are tributes to their vision. The décor inside the house is exquisite.

A very small art museum We only spent 1/2 hour here. As with all modern art museums, you will some…read morepieces you like and some you hate. But, they do make you think.

Madre, Naples' sole contemporary art museum, won't be to everyone's liking. Three in my party…read moreenjoyed the experience; one did not. I was in the majority but I come with bias, harboring an affinity for contemporary art while knowing full well that this is not what anyone comes to Naples to experience. Certainly not among the best of contemporary art museums, Madre spans 3 floors and much of what's on display can be walked through quite quickly. A few things with English write-ups below them caused me to stop and linger but many more things caused me to walk on by while observing. Truth be told, you could be in and out of here quite easily inside of an hour if you don't slap on headphones to listen to something or pause to see if what's written is of interest to you. Madre is an "ok" museum that's maybe worth a visit if you're in the area with nothing else on your calendar.