Tourist Attractions in Naples

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in Naples

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About Naples

Colourful and expressive, Naples evokes mixed feelings. The magnificent cathedrals and palaces of the Neapolitan kings stand side by side with the city’s poor neighbourhoods, the bright colours of the city streets replaced by the peeling tiles of dilapidated houses. Neapolitans themselves are fiery, emotional people who don’t like to be bothered with unnecessary worries.

Yet Naples is a true architectural delight and the inexorable power of history. On the shores of the Gulf of Naples, Roman civilisation flourished, Vesuvius erupted and Renaissance geniuses created. The city has absorbed the history of entire epochs and now it is ready to share it with everyone. And the local cuisine and excellent wine attract not only foreigners, but even Italians from other parts of the country.

Top-20 Tourist Attractions in Naples

Mount Vesuvius

 4.3/5

6440 reviews

An active volcano of the Apennine mountain system. History describes 80 eruptions of Vesuvius, but the most destructive one occurred in 79. As a result, several Roman cities were destroyed and buried under ashes. In the XIX and XX centuries, several attempts were made to organise lifts to the volcano for tourists, but all the structures were destroyed by the next eruption. Nowadays, Vesuvius can be climbed on a hiking trail.

Pompei

 0/5

Ancient Roman city founded in the 6th century BC by the Italic people of Oscov. In the 1st century BC. Pompeii fell under the rule of Rome. In 79, as a result of a powerful eruption of Vesuvius, the city was completely buried under ashes, killing several thousand inhabitants. Excavation of the territory began in the XVIII century. As a result, Pompeii was literally “dug out” from under a thick layer of ash. Nowadays, a historical park-museum has been opened on the territory.

Archaeological Park of Herculaneum

 4.7/5

9944 reviews

Another ancient city affected by Vesuvius’ volcanic activity in 79 AD. Not only was it covered with ash, but it was also flooded with lava and mud that rained down from the sky. Most of the population escaped. Organised excavations began in 1738 on the initiative of King Charles III. A museum was opened in the nearby town, where the found exhibits were taken. The buildings and interiors of the houses of Herculaneum are well preserved thanks to the hardened lava.

Open time

Monday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Sunday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Piazza del Plebiscito

 0/5

Naples’ main town square, located near the harbour. It is surrounded by the main sights of the Middle Ages and New Ages. The piazza acquired its modern shape in the 17th century, when several palaces were built around it. The square was named in honour of the 1860 referendum in which the people of Naples voted in favour of becoming part of the Piedmont region.

Royal Palace of Naples

 4.6/5

8623 reviews

The residence of the Spanish governor of Naples, Fernando Ruiz de Castro. Kings and other royalty used the palace during their visits to the city. The building was damaged in a fire in 1837, which was followed by an enormous reconstruction. At the end of the 19th century, statues of famous Neapolitan rulers were erected on the façade. A separate palace wing houses the library of Victor Emmanuel III.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco da Paola

 4.6/5

954 reviews

A 19th century neoclassical church built under the reign of Ferdinand I. The church is dedicated to St Francis. The king believed that it was he who helped to win back the lands seized by the French and regain the crown. The outlines of the building echo the architecture of the Roman Pantheon, the cathedral altar of the basilica is lavishly decorated with precious stones, and the floor is lined with marble slabs.

Open time

Monday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 AM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Sunday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM

Sansevero Chapel Museum

 4.7/5

32194 reviews

In the past, the chapel was a private church and the tomb of the noble family of San Severo. The first Duke of this family, Giovanni Francesco Paolo de Sangro, built the church in gratitude to the Madonna for a miraculous cure of a serious illness. It is believed among the locals that one of the dukes of San Severo was Grand Master of the Neapolitan Masonic lodges, and the chapel was the temple of the “society of free masons” until the middle of the 18th century.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM

Cathedral of Naples, Chapel of St. Januarius

 4.8/5

1688 reviews

A temple dedicated to the patron saint of Naples, St Januarius. It was laid out under King Charles I of Anjou in the 13th century. In the cathedral chapel unique paintings of the XIV century have been preserved. The most important relic of the cathedral is the XVII century vessel with the blood of St Januarius, which is in a frozen state. But three times a year, in the presence of a large number of believers, a religious “miracle” takes place and the blood becomes liquid again.

Open time

Monday: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 3:00 – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 2:30 – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 2:30 – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 2:30 – 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 2:30 – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 3:00 – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 4:30 – 6:00 PM

Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara

 4.7/5

13164 reviews

A religious complex in honour of St Clara of Assisi, which includes a monastery, a museum and the tombs of the Anjou rulers. The first church was built on this site at the beginning of the 14th century. In the middle of the 18th century, it was reconstructed and Baroque became the predominant style in the architecture of the complex. In 1943 the church was destroyed by bombardment, but in 1953 it was restored to its original XIV century appearance.

Open time

Monday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Galleria Umberto I

 4.6/5

4911 reviews

A 19th century shopping arcade in neoclassical style with neo-Renaissance elements, a remarkable example of New Age urban architecture. The design was modelled on the Victor Emmanuel Gallery in Milan, but in the end the copy turned out to be more luxurious than the original. Inside, there are shops and restaurants and periodic piano concerts.

Open time

Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte

 4.7/5

25214 reviews

The Naples Museum of Fine Arts, home to the most extensive collection of Titian. Most of the exposition was collected by members of the Farnese family, from which Pope Paul III came. The pontiff constantly commissioned canvases from Michelangelo and Titian, who created portraits of almost all members of the Farnese family. In the XVIII century a separate palace was built for the collection.

Open time

Monday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Sunday: 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM

National Archaeological Museum of Naples

 4.6/5

28696 reviews

A museum housing finds from the excavations of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabia. The exhibition is housed in a building dating back to the 16th-17th centuries. The building was originally a university, then the private collection of the Bourbons and Farnese and the royal library were moved here. The most valuable exhibits are the works of art created by ancient masters. They were recovered from under the rubble of the cities destroyed in the eruption.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM

San Carlo Theatre

 4.8/5

7341 reviews

The theatre was built under Charles III Bourbon in the first half of the 18th century. The building had a seating capacity of over 3,000 spectators, making the Neapolitan opera house the largest in the world. The historic building has not survived to this day, as it was destroyed by fire in 1816 and bombed in 1943. In addition to performances, tourists have the opportunity to visit the theatre on a guided tour.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Ovo Castle

 4.6/5

34135 reviews

A coastal fortification whose powerful walls jut into the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The fortress stands on a small island and looks like a huge stone ship from afar. The first building on the site was the villa of the Roman commander Lucullus. In the 5th century, the structure was fortified in case of an attack on the city from the sea. Monks lived on the island until the 9th century. The castle was expanded over the following centuries, and in the 17th century it was converted into a prison. A fortress built in the early 12th century has survived to this day.

Right now place is temporarily closed.
Please re-check in future

Castel Sant'Elmo

 4.6/5

27125 reviews

The fortress is built on a hill and therefore dominates the cityscape. The castle walls offer a mesmerising panorama of Vesuvius and picturesque views of Naples. The castle was built on the site of a 10th century church. In the XVI century the Spaniards rebuilt the fortress and since then its appearance has remained virtually unchanged. Over the centuries, the fortress has been repeatedly besieged and stormed because of its favourable strategic position.

Open time

Monday: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Sunday: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM

Castel Nuovo

 4.4/5

29275 reviews

A palace built for Charles of Anjou in the 13th century. The monarch was never able to live in it, as he was killed during a rebellion. The building combines the impregnability of formidable fortifications and the luxury of a royal residence. The castle was alternately owned by the French, Spanish and Austrians. At the beginning of the XIX century it was even in the hands of the Russian squadron. Today, the grounds are home to a museum and the headquarters of the historical society.

Open time

Monday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

Royal Palace of Naples

 4.6/5

8623 reviews

A country palace of the Neapolitan rulers, built in the 18th century. It is 3.5 times the size of Versailles in France. The palace was designed by L. Vanvitelli. When planning the architect took the Royal Palace of Madrid as a model. On the territory there is a court theatre and a church. It was supposed to build a library and a university, but these plans remained on paper.

Open time

Cimitero Delle Fontanelle

 4.5/5

574 reviews

An ossuary (ossuary) located in caves on the slopes of Materdei Hill. The first burials appeared here in the middle of the 17th century, when hundreds of people were dying every day as a result of the plague epidemic. Later, the remains of poor people who did not have enough money for burial were brought here. The last corpses were brought here in 1837. The cemetery began to be ennobled at the end of the XIX century. In the twenty-first century, visitors were allowed to enter the cemetery.

Right now place is temporarily closed.
Please re-check in future

Catacombe di San Gaudioso

 4.7/5

4173 reviews

A complex of underground labyrinths that began to take shape in the 2nd century AD. Here the first Christians hid from persecution. In the catacombs the followers of Jesus buried the dead, held church services and organised underground temples. Ancient paintings and mosaics have been preserved on the walls. On one of the upper levels is the tomb of the Neapolitan patron saint and protector St Januarius.

Open time

Monday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Naples

 0/5

A bay on the Tyrrhenian Sea that surrounds the western coast of Italy. Thanks to its marvellous climate and excellent living conditions, these places have been inhabited since ancient times. The islands of the Gulf of Capri and Ischia are considered to be excellent places for beach holidays. The Gulf of Naples offers spectacular views of Vesuvius, Naples and the vast expanse of the Tyrrhenian Sea.