Things to Do in Naples

Giuseppe Sanmartino’s unbelievably realistic sculpture, Veiled Christ, is the unfailing draw to Sansevero Chapel (Museo Cappella Sansevero). The Naples chapel is a riot of baroque sculptures, religious art, and Masonic-inspired design. In an underground chamber, allegedly preserved human circulatory systems display local taste for the occult.

Castel Nuovo, known locally as Maschio Angioino, has the imposing stone walls, soaring turrets, and crenellated ramparts of a storybook medieval castle. Built as the new royal residence between 1279 and 1282 by Charles I of Anjou, it is one of Naples' most striking buildings and home of the city’s Civic Museum.

With a warren of narrow alleyways and roughly cobblestoned streets, crammed with small stores, barber’s shops and dimly lit bars, the Spanish Quarter (Quartiere Spagnoli) is one of Naples’ most atmospheric local districts. Built to house troops during the Spanish occupation, the historic quarter might be somewhat rundown these days, but it still buzzes with life, with colorful laundry flapping from the balconies, residents sipping espresso on their doorsteps and motorbikes juddering by at all hours of the day and night.

Despite earning itself a rather unsavory reputation in recent years due to an abundance of petty crime and pickpocketing, the Quartiere Spagnoli is still one of Naples’ most characteristic areas and makes a unique addition to a tour itinerary. As well as offering a unique glimpse into everyday life in the city, it’s home to landmarks like the Baroque church of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the 18th-century Palazzo Serra di Cassano.

Castel dell’Ovo, the imposing fortified castle on the island of Megaride in the Bay of Naples, is one of Naples’ most famous monuments. Connected to the mainland by a causeway, the castle—home to the Museum of Ethno-Prehistory—offers sweeping views over the city and Mount Vesuvius in the distance.

The Royal Palace of Caserta (Reggia di Caserta), famous for its massive size and opulent style, is a triumph of late Italian Baroque architecture. The largest royal residence in the world, the palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, shares a number of features with the Palace of Versailles and is one of the most-visited monuments in southern Italy.

The smallest island in the Campanian Archipelago, a trip to Procida can make a big impression.

Compared to its better known island neighbors, a small number of visitors venture to Procida, making it a great destination for travelers who don’t enjoy crowds. While Chiaiolella Beach is the island’s most popular stretch of sand, the beach at Pozzo Vecchio is known for its role in the film Il Postino.

Lined with a pastel rainbow of buildings, just wandering the narrow streets can provide hours of enjoyment. It’s questionable who has the better view, the houses and churches along the coast, or the many boats anchored offshore.

Perched high above the chaotic historic center, Posillipo Hill is one of the most elegant residential neighborhoods in Naples. This tiny hillside on the northern coast of the Gulf of Naples offers sweeping views over the city and a more urbane atmosphere than the teeming warren of streets below.

The energetic city of Naples can be daunting, with its warren of scooter-clogged streets and lanes teeming with open-air vendors that stretch from the bay to Mt. Vesuvius. Luckily, you can enjoy the best of what Naples has to offer by simply concentrating on the UNESCO-listed historic center, one of the most captivating in Italy.

Beyond the facade of pyramid-shaped stones fronting Gesú Nuovo Church (Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo) lies a brilliant baroque interior. The building’s imposing shell was part of the fortified Palazzo Sanseverino before it was converted into a church in the 16th century. Inside are three elaborate naves, 11 chapels, and religious art by Cosimo Fanzago and Luca Giordano.

Neapolitans boast that the historic San Carlo Opera House (Teatro di San Carlo) was opened in 1737, predating the opening of the famous La Scala in Milan. The opera house is Italy’s largest public theater and one of the oldest in the world, with an opulent interior of gold leaf, red upholstery, and frescoed ceilings. If making it to a performance is not feasible, tours taking in the exterior and exploring the interior are more than worthwhile.

Naples’ Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale di Napoli) is a stellar reminder of this city’s royal history. Construction began in the 1600s when Spain’s Viceroy Fernando Ruiz de Castro ruled Naples, and the site was designed by Renaissance architect Domenico Fontana. Today, visitors can enter to take the soaring double staircase up to the royal apartments decorated by architect Gaetano Genovese.

The Path of the Gods (Sentiero Degli Dei) hiking trail skirts the peaks above the Amalfi Coast, rewarding you with spectacular bird’s-eye views of the coastline and Mediterranean Sea far below. The sweeping panoramas and lofty position inspired the trail’s poetic name.

Winding past some of Naples' most noteworthy attractions, Via Toledo is one of the city's oldest streets. Travelers who wander down this 0.7-mile (1.2 km) -long stretch of picturesque pavement will pass the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the Teatro Augusteo and the stunning Galleria Umberto.

In addition to some incredible architectural and cultural attractions, there are plenty of Italian boutiques and big-name department stores along Via Toledo, while dozens of tasty restaurants set on quiet side streets provide perfect spots to enjoy a traditional Naples lunch. And of course, the street itself is home to what is easily considered the city's best people-watching.

Naples’ elegant Posillipo Hill neighborhood is bookended by two lovely public parks, both dedicated to the poet Virgil: the Parco Virgiliano a Piedigrotta at the foot of the hill and Parco Virgiliano a Posillipo at the top. Both provide a welcome respite from the bustle of central Naples and are a highlight of this residential area.