Naples Review
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Naples Review is a web guide to the city of Naples in Italy written exclusively in English. There are so many sides to this fascinating city and through the pages of this website I aim to point you in the direction of the highlights and hidden gems.
Naples is one of the oldest cities in Europe and was once one of the biggest in the world. Walking its streets now you'll find history seeping from every pore and behind the facade of almost every building you'll find an intriguing story. There's also a city underneath the city, an underground labyrinth of tunnels and secret passages that are equally as interesting as the sprawling metropolis above ground. A good starting point for any tour of Naples would be Piazza del Plebiscito; this is the main square in the city and central to the major sights. At one end of the piazza is the distinctive Basilica di San Francesco di Paola while directly opposite across the square there's the Royal Palace of Naples. There are in fact two royal palaces in the city; the Royal Palace of Capodimonte being the other one and requires a bus or taxi from the centre. |
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Attached to the Royal Palace of Naples is one of the city's proudest landmarks: the Teatro San Carlo which is the longest continually active theatre on the world and one which you can take a guided tour around. Across the road from Teatro San Carlo is the Galleria Umberto I, a magnificent shopping arcade built at the end of the 19th century and along similar lines to Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
A short walk from the Galleria Umberto I brings you to the Castel Nuovo, one of three castles in the city. Castel dell'Ovo guards the shoreline in the Chiaia district while Castel Sant'Elmo sits in a commanding position overlooking the city in the hills of Vomero. Just next door to Castel Sant'Elmo is the Certosa di San Martino and from just outside, you can get one of the best views of Naples from the Belvedere San Martino.
Vomero is one of several places in Naples that can be reached via a funicular railway and there are other interesting ways to get around beside this. The city has a growing underground Metro system that's quite unlike any other. There are several Metro stations that are works of art in themselves such as Toledo and Università with their incredible modern designs. You can also travel from Naples by sea to many places; ferries and hydrofoils can whisk you off to the nearby islands of Ischia, Capri and Procida or along the Bay of Naples to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast beyond.
Naples' National Archaeological Museum is renowned as being one of the best of its kind in Italy, while other museums of note include the religious museums of the Sansevero Chapel where you'll find the famous Veiled Christ. Also, don't miss the complex of the beautiful Santa Chiara and another church: Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia. Naples Cathedral can boast a second church within it (the Basilica di Santa Restituta), as well as the Cappella di San Gennaro, the chapel in honour of the city's patron saint.
As alluded to a little further up, there's much of Naples that can be discovered underground. One of the most intriguing places is the Cimitero delle Fontanelle with its endless collection of skulls and bones while there are various ancient catacombs to discover such as the Catacombs of San Gennaro. Of the Underground Naples experiences, my favourite is the Galleria Borbonica where you'll find abandoned old Vespas and vintage cars left over from its days as a world war two bomb shelter.
I've only really scratched the surface of things to see and enjoy in Naples with these few lines but there's so much more. This is a city where you need to soak up the atmosphere which can be electric at times. It's noisy, chaotic and the most vivacious of all Italian cities but with a spirit of pride and warmth. I can't write so much about Naples with mentioning the pizzas; they are another source of great pride and most pizzerias in the city centre will provide you with pizzas you'll never forget (for a good reason!). You should also stop for coffee throughout whenever possible, the smaller cups are meant to be drunk quickly and are so strong that you'll have plenty of energy to visit some of the sites mentioned above.
I hope to have given you just a little flavour of the city here and the website can add more depth to everything. My wish is that you find Naples Review to be a useful resource for planning your trip to the city but above all, you enjoy the best that Naples can offer.
Dion Protani: founder of Naples Review
A short walk from the Galleria Umberto I brings you to the Castel Nuovo, one of three castles in the city. Castel dell'Ovo guards the shoreline in the Chiaia district while Castel Sant'Elmo sits in a commanding position overlooking the city in the hills of Vomero. Just next door to Castel Sant'Elmo is the Certosa di San Martino and from just outside, you can get one of the best views of Naples from the Belvedere San Martino.
Vomero is one of several places in Naples that can be reached via a funicular railway and there are other interesting ways to get around beside this. The city has a growing underground Metro system that's quite unlike any other. There are several Metro stations that are works of art in themselves such as Toledo and Università with their incredible modern designs. You can also travel from Naples by sea to many places; ferries and hydrofoils can whisk you off to the nearby islands of Ischia, Capri and Procida or along the Bay of Naples to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast beyond.
Naples' National Archaeological Museum is renowned as being one of the best of its kind in Italy, while other museums of note include the religious museums of the Sansevero Chapel where you'll find the famous Veiled Christ. Also, don't miss the complex of the beautiful Santa Chiara and another church: Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia. Naples Cathedral can boast a second church within it (the Basilica di Santa Restituta), as well as the Cappella di San Gennaro, the chapel in honour of the city's patron saint.
As alluded to a little further up, there's much of Naples that can be discovered underground. One of the most intriguing places is the Cimitero delle Fontanelle with its endless collection of skulls and bones while there are various ancient catacombs to discover such as the Catacombs of San Gennaro. Of the Underground Naples experiences, my favourite is the Galleria Borbonica where you'll find abandoned old Vespas and vintage cars left over from its days as a world war two bomb shelter.
I've only really scratched the surface of things to see and enjoy in Naples with these few lines but there's so much more. This is a city where you need to soak up the atmosphere which can be electric at times. It's noisy, chaotic and the most vivacious of all Italian cities but with a spirit of pride and warmth. I can't write so much about Naples with mentioning the pizzas; they are another source of great pride and most pizzerias in the city centre will provide you with pizzas you'll never forget (for a good reason!). You should also stop for coffee throughout whenever possible, the smaller cups are meant to be drunk quickly and are so strong that you'll have plenty of energy to visit some of the sites mentioned above.
I hope to have given you just a little flavour of the city here and the website can add more depth to everything. My wish is that you find Naples Review to be a useful resource for planning your trip to the city but above all, you enjoy the best that Naples can offer.
Dion Protani: founder of Naples Review
Naples Highlights
Naples In - FocusThe Sansevero Chapel Museum is one of the most popular attractions in Naples, largely due to its most famous exhibit - "Il Cristo Velato" (The Veiled Christ); a remarkable piece of sculpture by Giuseppe Sammartino. Sculpted from a single piece of marble, the work shows a dead Christ covered in a veil that almost feels life-like.
There are further, incredible sculptures on display from Francesco Celebrano and although not nearly as famous, just as impressive as the Veiled Christ. |
"The Veiled Christ" at Sansevero Chapel Museum
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Also on display in the museum is a seemingly incongruous area down a flight of stairs where you'll find two bodies (a man and a woman) preserved in glass cabinets. The original curator of the museum: a certain Prince Raimondo, was an alchemist who developed a liquid to keep certain internal organs preserved, something which led to his eventual excommunication by the pope! It's certainly a quite macabre sight and not for the feint-hearted but these various exhibits create a memorable experience and one that's highly recommended.
Such is the clamour to visit the museum that it's nearly always extremely busy with long queues outside its entrance. The ticket office lies just a few doors down from the entrance but you can gain faster access by booking your tickets on-line; below you'll see a green button which takes you to the museum's official website (in English), where you can purchase your tickets.
The museum is located in the heart of the Centro Storico (historic centre) on Via Francesco de Sanctis. The museum is open every day from 09:00 to 19:00 apart from Tuesdays when it's closed all day. Adults above 25 years old pay €7 while there are various concessions for children, younger adults and Artecard holders. The "skip the line" tickets bought on-line come with a €2 booking fee which is certainly worth the time it will save you.
One important thing to note is that photographs are strictly prohibited in the museum and the rule is rigorously enforced.
Such is the clamour to visit the museum that it's nearly always extremely busy with long queues outside its entrance. The ticket office lies just a few doors down from the entrance but you can gain faster access by booking your tickets on-line; below you'll see a green button which takes you to the museum's official website (in English), where you can purchase your tickets.
The museum is located in the heart of the Centro Storico (historic centre) on Via Francesco de Sanctis. The museum is open every day from 09:00 to 19:00 apart from Tuesdays when it's closed all day. Adults above 25 years old pay €7 while there are various concessions for children, younger adults and Artecard holders. The "skip the line" tickets bought on-line come with a €2 booking fee which is certainly worth the time it will save you.
One important thing to note is that photographs are strictly prohibited in the museum and the rule is rigorously enforced.
THINGS TO SEE IN NAPLESThere is so much to see in the city of Naples, however a lot of it is quite hidden! Follow our guides to find old theatres among people's basements and beautiful churches around the most unlikely of corners. Of course not to forget the impressive sites of Vesuvius, Pompeii and Herculaneum just a short train or coach ride away!
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NAPLES TRAVEL GUIDEWith the nearby airport, taxis and airport shuttle service as well as the port and train station - Naples is a very easy city to reach. In the city itself the streets of Naples are hectic, though if you feel brave enough you can rent cars, mopeds, bikes, segways and more and then join in the fun to make your own way around the city!
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NAPLES HOTELSNot sure where to stay in Naples? View our comprehensive guide to hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, apartments and villas as well as a guide to what you will find in each wonderful area of the city. Whether it's something by the sea, overlooking the city from a height or in the middle of the historical centre, the choice is vast.
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THINGS TO DO IN NAPLESWhile many use the city as a base for day trips or a port stop, there is so much hidden in the city of Naples to do and see. From underground tours, the best food (many would argue!) in Italy to sailing, segways and museums - no matter your tastes, you won’t be short of things to do on your city break in Naples.
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