Top 10 Naples Attractions

Some of the top things to do in Naples include simply wandering curious cobblestone alleys, weaving in and out of heavenly shrines, and diving into even more heavenly pizzerias. But it you want to check off the big Naples tourist attractions, bookmark this list and navigate your way through Napoli’s impressive history:

1. Spaccanapoli

What to do in Naples? Start by strolling the legendary street of Spaccanapoli. The name literally means ‘Naples splitter’, because it divides the city in two. It’s Naples must-see promenade, providing access to swathes of sights in the city. Many of these are steeped in history, securing Spaccanapoli its UNESCO World Heritage status. This fascinating street reveals a kooky side to Naples; mysterious underground remains, time-warped pizzerias and a weirdly wonderful hospital for dolls attract flocks of visitors.

2. Royal Palace of Naples

Worth a trip for the achingly seductive staircase alone, the Royal Palace of Naples is an overwhelming example of timeless glamor. Expect a smorgasbord of decorative art trends, from flamboyant rococo to more subdued neoclassical.

A number of rooms in Naples’ must-see royal residence were designed by Napoleon’s younger sister Caroline Bonaparte Murat, Queen of Naples from 1808 to 1815. There are ties linking Marie Antoinette to the Royal Palace of Naples, as well as architectural wizard Luigi Vanvitelli, who designed the brazenly Baroque grand staircase, Caserta’s Scalone D’Onore.

3. Castel Nuovo

Among a bewildering array of Neopolitan must-see sights, Castel Nuovo is an essential stop off. Locals know this Angevin fortress as Maschio Angioino, built for Charles of Anjou in the late 13th century and a spot where top intellectuals and artists would hang out.

Step into its regal Cappella Palatina to see frescoes by Giotto (on the splays of the Gothic windows) and Francesco Laurana’s Madonna (look above the portal). Learn the story behind the triumphal arch entrance, which commemorates Alfonso of Aragon’s entry to Naples, and don’t miss the Hall of Barons, named after the slaughtered ringleaders of the Barons revolt in 1486.

4. Cappella Sansevero

Stone is brought to life in Cappella Sansevero – a tiny 16th-century chapel where the princes of Sangro di Sansevero lie buried. Top of the Naples sightseeing bill here is Giuseppe Sammartino’s Veiled Christ (1753) – a work of technical ingenuity, with remarkable tissue-like form teased out of the marble.

Mystery shrouds this baroque beauty – Prince Raimondo, an 18th-century alchemist, is credited with its restoration. He was reported to have carried out grisly experiments on human bodies before he was excommunicated, though thankfully the examples of his ‘anatomical machines’ that can still be seen in the crypts were found to be artificial.

5. Naples Zoo

Naples Zoo has been one of the top Napoli landmarks for families since it opened as a botanical garden in 1919. You can combine watching big cats – lions, tigers and rare clouded leopards – with a cruise that floats past islands packed with monkeys, apes and lemurs. Have lunch with giraffes (you’ll need to pay an extra fee to take a turn at feeding them) and even alligators (thankfully these feeds are left to the pros). Many of the species in Naples Zoo are endangered in their native lands, so getting up close to the creatures and meeting the keepers who look after them is a rare experience.

6. Piazza del Plebiscito

No tour of Naples’ tourist attractions is complete without visiting this grand semi-circular piazza. To one side, you have Castel Sant’Elmo luring you in via vine-lathered paths. To the other stands the church of San Francesco di Paola, constructed on the model of the Pantheon in Rome. Stand whichever side you like and you’ll never forget the view.

7. Teatro di San Carlo

If you’re not an opera fan, Teatro di San Carlo is still a Naples must-see. If you are an opera fan, it’s the creme de la creme of venues. Oozing in quintessential Italian splendor, the opera house can be found adjacent to Piazza del Plebiscito. It’s the oldest venue to remain continuously active in the world, commissioned by the Bourbon King Charles III of Naples in 1737.

If you want to catch a show, opera season runs from late January until May and ballet season kicks off in April and ends in June. Out of season, you can grab a guided tour ticket and indulge in the history of this magnificent building.

8. Museo di Capodimonte

Conde Nast Traveler named it ‘the most underrated museum in Italy’, only to be rivaled by Paris in the sophistication stakes. Museo di Capodimonte is the country’s largest museum, a repository for important Neapolitan paintings inside a palace built for Bourbon rulers.

The building’s 18th-century staircase rivals the marble creation in the Royal Palace of Naples, and it’s impossible not to imagine queens of the past sipping tea in the royal apartments. From King Charles of Bourbon’s collection on the second floor, leading to highlights from Masaccio, Raphael and Andy Warhol on the floors above, the rooms are filled with time-traveling glory. Don’t leave without soaking up Caravaggio’s hair-raising ‘Flagellation of Christ’.

9. Catacombs of San Gennaro

The underground world of Naples is a quiet sensation. Away from the buzzing streets, the Catacombs of San Gennaro is a place to encounter the souls of the city’s past. Naples must-see burial ground was the original place of rest for San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples in 472AD.

The Catacombs of San Gennaro are the only site of their kind in the world. Mosaics and early Christian frescoes share stories of Neopolitan society of the time – be sure to investigate the 6th-century painting of the family of Theotecnus.

10. Castel Sant’Elmo

Napoli’s landmarks are a time-bending reminder that this was once the seat of an entire kingdom, and none more so than Castel Sant’Elmo. The medieval fortress watches over the city, offering travelers staggering 360-degree views over the bay, which are worth the trip alone. Inside this star-shaped gem is a museum dedicated to 20th-century Neapolitan art, housed in a former military prison.

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