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Historic Centre of Naples

Naples · Italy

Background

World Heritage since
1995
Type of site
Cultural
Neapolis founded
470 BC

From the Neapolis founded by Greek settlers in 470 BC to the city of today, Naples has retained the imprint of the successive cultures of Europe and the Mediterranean. UNESCO calls it a unique site with a wealth of outstanding monuments, such as the Church of Santa Chiara and the Castel Nuovo.

The listed centre covers about 1,021 hectares and keeps its ancient Greek road layout almost whole. Wikivoyage says Italians have a saying that once you have seen Naples from the sea you can die; the Irpinia earthquake of 1980 damaged parts of the centre, and much of it is still in need of conservation.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 8th c. BCThe first Greek settlement overlooking the sea
  2. 470 BCNeapolis is founded on its grid
  3. 13th c.Castel Nuovo is built under the Angevins
  4. 1737The San Carlo opera house opens, Europe's oldest still active
  5. 1980The Irpinia earthquake damages the centre
  6. 1995Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    Spaccanapoli
    The straight Greek street through the old city.
  2. 2
    Santa Chiara
    The majolica cloister.
  3. 3
    Cappella Sansevero
    Sanmartino's Veiled Christ; book ahead, slots sell out.
  4. 4
    Napoli Sotterranea
    Greek and Roman tunnels under the city.
  5. 5
    Castel Nuovo and Piazza del Plebiscito
    The Angevin castle, the Royal Palace and San Francesco di Paola.
  6. 6
    National Archaeological Museum
    The mosaics, frescoes and statues carried out of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Book Sansevero
Cappella Sansevero slots sell out; queues are long because the chapel is small.
Alibus from the Airport
The airport bus stops at the central station and the port.
After Dark
Wikivoyage: the Quartieri Spagnoli and the Sanità are safe by day but better avoided after dark.
Pizza Queue
Put your name down and wait at a historic pizzeria; the queues move fast.

The Old Centre

From the GoGo Naples guide · Open the Naples Guide ›

  1. 09:00
    Walk Spaccanapoli1 hr
    The straight street.
  2. 10:15
    Majolica Cloister of Santa Chiara1 hr
    The tiled cloister.
  3. 11:30
    The Veiled Christ at Cappella Sansevero45 min
    Booked ahead.
  4. 14:00
    Napoli Sotterranea Tunnels90 min
    Under the city.
  5. 15:45
    Nativity Workshops of San Gregorio Armeno45 min
    The street of presepi.
  6. 19:30
    Pizza Margherita at a Historic Pizzeria75 min
    In the city that invented it.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: May–Oct.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Nov (130 mm), driest Jul (21 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
Pompeii and Herculaneum are 25 km away, the Royal Palace of Caserta 33 km, and the Amalfi Coast 39 km.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 726 · Wikipedia: Historic Centre of Naples · Wikivoyage: Naples (CC BY-SA 4.0) · GoGo Naples guide · UNESCO listing