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.

Visited May 20, 2022. Booked tickets online. Great small museum. Don't worry if you don't score a…read moreticket online. There seemed to be a short line for those who didn't have tickets. The highlights are the Veiled Christ, Modesty & Disillusioned. It really was something else to see that kind of artistry with marble. Be sure to go downstairs and check out the 2 anatomical studies which display all the veins in a human body.

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

Naples isn't Florence, Venice, or Rome and nothing could have screamed that louder than Certosa e…read moreMuseo di San Martino, a diamond in the rough. Located at the very top of the Vomero district and sitting beside the imposing Castel Sant'Elmo, the Museo di San Martino does little to outwardly win your heart. Here, you need to work to reveal the wow factor. Immediately after paying the entry fee I walked into a tired-looking courtyard. As one of the first things you encounter, it's easy to wonder what you've gotten yourself into. Next you'll wonder how to find the treasures talked about on the audio guide you rented. Pro tip: don't bother renting the audio guide, something I rarely say. Next up is a beautiful church, classic Italian, ornate and lovely. Friends I was with walked from here through another building, then out to the gardens. I'm not sure what's happened since some of the photos posted here on yelp, but it was impossible to walk through the gardens thinking anything other than "how hard would it be to pull some weeds?" The garden is a lovely stroll with beautiful views but majorly unkempt. So look a little harder. It wasn't until I began wandering off the beaten path here that I discovered riches. Naples is known for their hand-carved nativity scenes, assembled by locals at the start of December. Here, you'll find the best of that genre, featuring entire city scenes, flying angels, babies, toddlers, water features, the poor and unbathed... the list goes on. One of the things Neopolitans are quick to tell about their nativity scenes is how realistic the figures are. That is: the people are not made to look like models. They feature the faces of the the needy, the unattractive, those generally not featured in the arts from this time, making the scenes all the more interesting. Anyhow, there's a heavenly assortment of nativity-scapes here including a huge one that goes dark and then brightens to daylight. This section is a must-see. There's tons of other ancient (circa the 1500's) sculptures here as well as some fabulous views of Mount Vesuvius. There was honestly more to see here than I even saw. In the end, despite Museo di San Martino not being a place that screams "see me", it is.

This place is nothing short of awesome. It used to be a monastery and sits right next to Castel St…read moreElmo. In a way it has been turned into a museum, but there is still much of it that is reflective of the former monastery. I actually discovered this place completely by accident, namely because I was looking for the entrance to the Castel and ended up walking in here instead. Needless to say the old monastery part of this, especially the religious art that covered the walls, was nothing short of mind blowing. Mind you, it can be easy to get lost in here, however once you find your way into the courtyard, the serenity of the place literally washes over you.

This was another highlight during our visit of Naples. It's not to be missed if you're a WWII buff,…read moreor have any personal connections to this era. We purchased the standard tour (there are 3) which starts at the entrance of Vico del Grottone. It's close to the Piazza del Plebiscito. There are timed entries. We just happened to get there just before the guided English tour at 11:00am. The timing was perfect. I would rethink this one if you have mobility or night vision issues. The very first thing you'll do is walk down a very high, narrow, and dimly lit stairway with pumice walls surrounding you. I'm pretty sure our tunnel guide said it was 90 steps down. The good news is that you won't have to climb up at the end. You'll exit out into a covered parking area along Via Monte de Dio. Our guide was so passionate & knowledgeable. I think his name was David. He also made sure that every question was answered. It's quite a long & rocky history of why the King had it built, and the obstacles they had building around the aqueducts and holding tanks. The vision was never fully realized after the fall of the Bourbon monarchy. It was abandoned until WWII when it was used as a shelter from bombs. It's an incredible story, and you can see how the residents of Naples lived under the brutal conditions of war. Some lived there longer because they had nowhere else to live after houses were destroyed. We were very impressed with how well the tunnels were restored, and hearing about how all these secrets (artifacts) were uncovered. It had been hiding under Naples all these years until being rediscovered some time in 2005. I don't think it even opened to the public until 2010. It was a very memorable & unique experience. Very much worth the small admission fee. Definitely seek it out if you are in Naples. It only takes an hour, and it's well worth the time.

An inspiring tour to take. Long history of use in Naples. Started hundreds of years ago and used…read morethrough WWII and after. Excellent tour guides. Multiple tour options ranging from easy to more involved requiring hard hats. Unique antiques shop included as part of tour. Well worth the price of 10€ to see this amazing underground area.

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.

If you have a short amount of time when visiting Napoli (Naples) and want to see ancient Romans,…read morethen Herculaneum is a great option. Highlights/Tips: + Can be reached by public transportation; however, there is a bit of a walk from the stop + Extremely well preserved + While smaller than Pompeii, there are less crowds and you can easily see all structures and key sites with a 2.5 hour visit depending upon how long you stand and look. + If you really want a more in depth understanding of the site, I'd go with a guide. While you can do a self guided tour, I feel that a guide can provide much more context and clue you in on additional things + Accessibility- some may find the experience a bit strenuous; however, the roads/ paths into the structures are much easier to navigate than Pompeii. They seem to be much flatter and not as steep. If you are a wheelchair user, I would highly recommend seeking recommendations from other individuals as I can't speak to this. +Shade- This is especially important during the summer months. There are more shady spots to be found in the Herculaneum. I would recommend going in the Gymnasium cave like area if you really need to cool down. ***Watch your step, especially if it has rained and/or just in general. Some of the areas for walking are uneven stones and I saw quite a few older individuals slip and cause themselves potentially ending vacation injuries on the day I went.

We wanted to tour some Vesuvius ruins, and like most people assumed Pompeii was the place to go…read more But luckily while researching I found Herculaneum...the much smaller and closer option for our brief stay in Naples. The train station was a short walk away. They provide (and require) free lockers for large backpacks. The grounds are fairly small and therefore quite manageable to wander in a couple hours. Everything was neat and clean, signed well, and easy to tour on your own...although there are guided tours of course.

One of the best experiences I've ever had. We had an archaeologist-led private tour and couldn't…read morehave asked for more. Amazing history, absolutely huge - I didn't understand the scale of Pompeii until we were there. Worth the trip to Napoli to visit Pompeii alone! Spectacular 10/10 highly recommend!!

The Scavi di Pompei is the English name for the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, which is an ancient…read morecity once buried by ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It's one of the most remarkable sites in Italy for visiting, and I would suggest at least make it a half day trip or a minimum three hours visit here.

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/

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.

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.

Lots of walking, lots of cobblestones and thankfully, a cafe with beer and wine at the top. The…read moreview from the parapets is stunning and we were fortunate that it was the one clear afternoon of our four days in Napoli. There are captions throughout and it is an interesting climb with all parts of the castle to see along the way. At the top, there are restrooms but they were both pretty bad when we got there - no paper or towels at all. The cafe at the top has some basic snacks, beer and wine. And a fantastic view of the valley! And at least the cafe had a restroom with paper but it is down a steep flight of stairs. [Review 19223 overall - 373 in Italy - 193 of 2023.]