Naples Travel Guide

Naples, City of a thousand faces

It is not a coincidence that at the begining of this third millennium the peculiar magic of this civilisation continues to generate new sources of amazement: the recovery of age old monuments and traditions – folklore, gastronomy, genuine cultivation – that were thought irreparably lost, events and shows worthy of the great international circuit, new fodder for artistic and scientific research. The artistic treasure of Naples to visit are, in fact, to many to count: the historical centre, a patrimony under the tutelage of UNESCO, the palaces, churches, catacombs and underground passageways, the Archaeological Museum, the places of medieval and renaissance power amassed around the Castel Nuovo and Royal Palace, the unforgettable waterfront from Castel dell’Ovo to Posillipo. The hilly area of Vomero offers masterfully restored buildings like the Capodimonte Royal Palace and the Certosa (monastery) of San Martino, museum collections amongst the most important in the world.

A trip through the twentieth century city takes you, among the notable emerging urban and architectural sights, to the rationalist Mostra d’Oltremare, with its park, sports complex and exhibition space, to Città della Scienza (Science City) near by. Science is also witness to the recovery of industrial archaeological complexes and the originality of a scientific tradition that renews itself. Unusual and surprising is the exploration of the new homes of contemporary art: monumental structures like the PAN, Palazzo delle Arti Napoli, the MADRE, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Donnaregina (Donnaregina Contemporary Arts Museum), and the unique artistry of the metro stations that evidence the original horizons of farseeing cultural politics.

Naples, in the final sum, remains, deep in its roots, even with all the difficulties and contradictions inherent to all big metropolitan cities, an extraordinary place to live, admire, and enjoy with all the senses: for the depth of the art and civilisation that has idelibly marked its history; for the mild climate that accompanies day and night the shows, musical and theatrical events, exhibitions, fairs and religious gatherings; for the gourmand possibilites to search out the age old culinary tradition, the seafood and the unique typical products (buffalo mozzarella, pizza, Docg wine, varied and refined pastries) in all their local translations, or for finding fine hidden little shops where craftsmen still ply their wares. The origins of the city are lost in time and charming legends. The most tenable hypothese puts the beginnings of the city in the 9th century BC, when the greeks colonised the Gulf on their way up to the high Thyrrenean mineral deposits. In 326 it was declared a Roman colony.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Naples became the capital of an important Duchy, that namaged to stave off the invading Longobards. In 1137 the Duchy fell into the hands of the Normans, who favoured cultural integration. The Port of Naples became the most important in the world. After the death of Frederick II of Svevia, Carlo D’Angiò made his triumphal entrance to Naples in 1266. Power passed into the hands of Alfonso d’Aragona in 1442, after a long war that brought the city to its knees. In a short time, however, the situation changed: important civil engineering (the construction of sewage conducts and streets) and restoration works were undertaken (at Castel Nuovo the Triumph Arch was built). Other works (like the opening of via Toledo, the construction of the Spanish Quarters – formerly barracks – and the restoration of the Chiaia Riviera) were completed during the following two centuries during the Spanish rule (1503-1707), up to the arrival of the Bourbons (1734), who reigned the Kingdom of Naples until 1860 when Italy was finally united.

Our journey of discovery of the city begins in the historic core which preserves ancient greek-roman imprints, to continue with the places of power of the medieval-renaissance period concentrated around the Castel Nuovo and Royal Palace. We will then follow along the waterfront from the Castel dell’Ovo to Posillipo, to end up on the green hills of Capodimonte and Vomero.

The historical centre: from Spaccanapoli to Piazza Mercato

The “womb” of Naples is the greco-roman historical centre: a chessboard divided by three main roads, the decumans, intersected at right angles by roads called “cardinals”. It is here that the pulse of the City is best felt: the alleys, the artisan workshops, the innumerable artistic marvels that surprise you in the least expected places, the voices of the “napolitani”.

It is also the cultural centre of the City, with the University on via Mezzocannone, the literary cafès of Bellini Square, the bookshops of Port’Alba, and the Italian Institute for Historical Studies on via Benedetto Croce. The Piazza of the Gesù Nuovo is the entrance gate to the old centre. The steeple of the Immacolata (1747) and the Church of the Gesù Nuovo, which on its facade preserves the 15th century ashlar-work of the Sanseverino Palace (before it became a church it was the property of the Sanseverino family which used it as its palace), introduce baroque religiousness to the city.

The inside of the church is an exultation of marble, stucco and frescoes, with works by Francesco Solimena, Luca Giordano and Massimo Stanzione. Not far away is the austere church of Santa Chiara, built in 1310 by Roberto d’Angiò in a Provencal gothic style and transformed with baroque decorations in the mid 1700’s. After being damaged by the bombings of 1943, it was restored back to its original, more sober, form. Here you will find the sepulchral monuments of the royal Anjou family (14th century), work of sculptors of the Tuscan school.

A stroll in the cloister of the Poor Clares is not to be missed. It was designed by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro. Here Naples suddenly becomes silent and perfumed by narcissus and wistaria; yellow, green and blue are the dominating colours of the tiles that dress the magnificent octagonal columns and the seats on which the neapolitan “riggiolari” Donato and Giuseppe Massa painted pastoral and mythological scenes. In via Benedetto Croce the 14th centruy Filomarino della Rocca Palace can be found, home to the philosopher Benedetto Croce, who also founded the Italian Institute for Historical Studies, still a busy didactic centre with a rich library.

Piazza San Domenico is one of the Aragons’most notable urban legacies, a peaceful co-existance of contrasting architectural styles: the church (13th century) was the official Aragonese dynastic church, of which the funereal arches remain: the steeple of San Domenico (17th century) and the lovely façades of the Corigliano Palace (18th century), today seat of the University Institute Orientale, and the Sansevero Palace.

In piazzetta Nilo stands the hellenistic statue of Nilo, rediscovered in the middle ages, to which the Neapolitans have given the affectionate name of “Body of Naples”. Here the little church of Sant’Angelo a Nilo stands. Constructed in 1385 and altered in the 18th century, it contains the beautiful Renaissance tomb of Cardinal Rinaldo Brancaccio, made in Pisa from 1426 to 1428 by Donatello, Michelozzo and Pagno di Lapo, and sent to Naples by sea, alongside other works from the 15th and 16th century.

Strolling along via San Biagio dei Librai (also known as Spaccanapoli) you can browse in the little shops full of antiques, religious objects and jewelry. At number 114 we come across a masterpiece from the late Mannerism period of the 17th century – the Chapel of the Monte di Pietà, part of the monumental Carafa Palace and decorated with frescoes by Belisario Corenzio with the help of Luigi Rodriguez and Batistello Caracciolo. Almost hidden in a tiny alley that intersects with vico San Domenico we find the small but extraordinary Sansevero Chapel. A visit to this spectacular baroque complex is a must. A triumph of a single artwork is to be found in the statue of the Veiled Christ, sculpted by Giuseppe Sanmartino: the effect, the virtuosity of the handling of the marble and the play of light make it a true masterpiece. It will be difficult to contain your curiosity for the many inventions and anatomical machines exhibited, which gave the Prince Sanseverino the fame (not deserved) of being a witch and a sorcerer.

Via San Gregorio Armeno, with its lively bustling scene, is characterised by the belltower of the church with the same name. In the two months before Christmas San Gregorio Armeno become the most vivacious area of the centre, and it fills up with stands that sell little figurines and decorations for nativity scenes. Apart from the traditional baby Jesus, Mother Mary and father Joseph figures the craftsmen compete with one another to make figurines depicting current political and gossip column personalities. In the complex of the convent of San Gregorio Armeno, annexed to the church, and characterised by the sumptious Baroque nave and by the extraordinary caisson ceiling, a visit to the cloister with its gardens, orchards and citrus groves, is not to be missed. At the end of this street we find ourselves in the heart of the greco-roman city, corresponding to the part of town that was the agora and forum, and where the layers can still be seen.

The centre of all of this was piazza San Gaetano, where the San Paolo Maggiore Church built between the 8th and 9th century, and the San Lorenzo Maggiore Church, which in the cloister hosts greco-roman excavations, are to be found. It is here that the great writer Giovanni Boccaccio met his darling Fiammetta on Holy Saturday in 1336. A trip in the underground of Naples is a tremendously exciting experience that reveals the secrets, history and legends of the city. No one knows the exact dimensions of the “dark” Naples, but spelunkers have, in the last few years, counted up to 700 cavities for a total area of 1 million metric cubes. To begin this time travel one starts from piazza San Gaetano, in the heart of the historical centre, for a two hour trip through subterranean passages and cisterns.

The Greek-roman theatre is interesting, with a picturesque low entrance in Cinquesanti alley. From the cloister of the San Lorenzo Maggiore church it is just a few paces to step backwards 2,600 years among the stones of the greek walls. In the Spanish Quarters the descent is to 40 mts below the ground along stairs to arrive at the ancient cisterns and aqueducts used more recently as shelters from the bombing during the war. In via Tribunali, to the left, the little Santa Maria del Purgatorio ad Arco church is characterised by a bizzare baroque decoration: the skull and bones in front of the Church symbolise the devotion of the Neapolitans to the “pained souls”, known as “pezzentelle”, a slang for “without relatives”. Just a little ways on is the church and former convent of San Pietro a Majella, where since 1826 one of the most important conservatories of music has its home. There you can see the paintings of Mattia Preti, masterpieces of Italian painting in the 17th century.

The nearby piazza Bellini is very lively, especially in the evenings, and full of cafès. In the opposite direction, towards the end of via Tribunali, the church of the Girolamini rises and houses the gallery of the same name with paintings from the 16th-18th centuries. Via Tribunali intersects with via Duomo, which in turn takes its name from the Cathedral, a gothic structure completed by Robert of Anjou in 1313. The façade has been often renovated, as the original one collapsed in the 1349 earthquake. Inside, the structure is based on the latin cross with three naves and is richly decorated. You can clearly see the 18th century baroque interventions on the central nave. Along the left nave is the entranceway to the paleochristian basilica of Santa Restituita. Founded in the 4th century by the Emperor Constantine, today it reveals a Baroque interior created after the 1688 earthquake. The ample fragments of mosaic pavement seem to belong to yet another paleochristian basilica, Stefania (6th century). Under Santa Restituita you can see greek-roman archaeological remains. On the left of the apse is the entrance to the Baptistry of San Giovanni in fonte, built between the 4th and 5th century, and therefore the oldest bulding of its kind in the western Christian world. On the square structure rests a mosaic covered dome.

Other than the medieval chapels rich with frescoes and décor, the 17th century Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro is a must. For the rich embellishments the most famous of contemporary painters were summoned (Fanzago, Domenichino, Ribera, Lanfranco). The magnificent chapel is highlighted by the precious decorations and large silver reliquery busts. It is here that for the two weeks of celebration of the miracle (the liquifaction of San Gennaro’s blood) the reliquery of San Gennaro’s blood is on exhibit. At number 288 of via Duomo is the Filangieri Civic Museum, donated to the City in 1882 by Gaetano Filangieri, Prince of Satriano. The collection is composed of a vast series of art objects – from arms to porcelain, books and furniture. Going up past the Duomo, to the right on a cross street, is the Donnaregina Palace.

This is where MADRE Museo d’Arte Donna Regina (Contemporary Art Museum) has its seat. The building was projected by the celebrated Portoguese architect Alvaro Siza and is a grand museum with an international feel. The permanent collection is made up of works by artists that have worked in Naples in the past: it hosts works that were once shown in piazza del Plebiscito and the Archaeological Museum, as well as works conceived, projected, painted and constructed expressly for this museum: important works of such artists as Long, Bianchi, Clemente, Horn, Kapoor, Kounellis, Paolini, Sol Lewitt, Serra, and others. Cross via Duomo and on the right on via dei Tribunali is the Pio Monte della Misericordia complex, founded in 1601; it is on of the city’s oldest charitable organisation. The octagonal church has, on its main altar, Caravaggio’s masterpiece depicting the Acts of compassion. The Gallery is also interesting, put together over time with private donations. One of the major benefactors of this gallery was the painter Francesco de Mura who, in 1782, left 192 of his paintings (of which 42 remain today).

At the end of via dei Tribunali we find ourselves in front of Capuano Castle, the oldest of the four castles Naples boasts. Built in the Norman era, it became the Palace of Justice and is still today the seat of the Civil Court. One of the gates of Naples is also here, Porta Capuana; erected in 1484 it was the most important eastern entrance to the city. Here, and near the Porta Nolana by the train station of Garibaldi Square, there are two of the most picturesque of the city’s markets, specialising in fish, fruit and vegetables. Not far away is the Church of San Giovanni a Carbonara, constructed between 1343 and 1418. Here the elegant Caracciolo del Sole (1427) and Caracciolo di Vico (1516) chapels are to be found, as well as the grandiose tomb of Ladislas of Durazzo (1428), king of Naples.

The last stop is piazza Mercato, one of the crucial corners of Neapolitan history: here Konradin von Hohenstaufen was beheaded in 1268, and in 1647 Masaniello gathered his people during the antispanish revolt led by him. The square is dominated by one of the most popular and venerated churches of all of Naples, the Basilica of Santa Maria del Carmine, dedicated to Santa Maria la Bruna. In her honour, in July, a fireworks competition is held that concludes with the burning of the highest belltower of the City (75 mts). On via Nuova Marina, lastly, the Port opens up before us. It was begun by Charles II with the foundation of the Angioino Pier, and enlarged in the course of the centuries up until the early 1900’s, when it reached its present day dimensions.

From Castel Nuovo to Foria and the Sanità

The area between Castel Nuovo and the National Archaeological Museum, going by via Toledo, is the centre of Naples. Considered by the Neapolitans to be the most representative, it contains some of the most symbolic monuments of the City: the Maschio Angioino, the Royal Palace, piazza del Plebiscito, the San Carlo Theatre, the Umberto I Gallery, the National Archaeological Museum. Castel Nuovo (named so as to distinguish it from the older royal residences - Castel dell’Ovo and Castel Capuano) is also known as Maschio Angioino.

The impressive fortress, on which work was begun in 1279 by Charles I of Anjou but subsequently modified by the Aragonese, has a trapezoid base and is surrounded by a moat where the foundations of the five cylindrical towers stand. The Triumph Arch marks the entrance to the castle and is its main ornament. It was erected to commemorate the triumphal entrance to the city by Alfonso of Aragon in 1443. The magnificent sculpted reliefs represent the best finest examples of Renaissance sculpture in the south. Inside the castle is the Palatine Chapel, the only building that still has its original look, and the extraordinary Barons’ Hall.

The Civic Museum here was inaugurated in 1992. Castel Nuovo dominates the centre of piazza Municipio. At the high end of the square San Giacomo Palace rises, seat of the City of Naples; it incorporates the 16th century San Giacomo degli Spagnoli Church. Behind the altar rests the magnificent tomb of the Viceroy Pedro da Toledo. The Umberto I gallery (1887-1890) above has a splendid iron and glass covering 57 meters high, and below an elegant inlaid marble floor. There are shops, cafès and bookstores on the inside. Santa Brigida Church is part of the complex and has a beautiful fresco called Heaven, by Luca Giordano, in its dome. The San Carlo Theatre, inaugurated on November 4, 1737, and named after its patron Charles of Bourbon, is the oldest opera house in the world. The building, partially destroyed by fire in 1816, was restored by Antonio Niccolini, the designer of its façade. In the early 1800’s the San Carlo Theatre lived through one of its most glorious seasons ever thanks to the impresario Domenico Barbaja who commissioned works by musicians such as Gioachino Rossini and Gaetano Donizetti. Coming out of the theatre we find ourselves on piazza Trieste e Trento (once piazza San Ferdinando) where the historical cafè Gambrinus still stands, once the preferred meeting place for poets and intellectuals. The baroque San Fernando Church, which gives onto the same square, is home to a great tradition: every Good Friday the Stabat Mater of Pergolesi is performed. Crossing the piazza Trieste e Trento the famous piazza del Plebiscito opens up, the largest of the city, spectacular backdrop of cultural events and concerts. It is characterised by the profile of the San Francesco di Paola Church, with its neoclassical colonnade and its Pantheon of Rome inspired interior. At the centre of the square the two great statues of Charles of Bourbon (work of Antonio Canova) and Ferdinand I on horseback face the Royal Palace. Construction was begun in the early 1600’s based on a project by Domenico Fontana. Enriched by Joachim Murat and Carolina Bonaparte with neoclassical embellishments and decorations, some from the Tuileries, it was damaged in 1837 by fire, and restored by Gaetano Genovese. To visit the priceless interior cross over the honour courtyard and enter the Historical Living Quarters Museum (30 rooms on one floor) which has preserved the original furniture and décor. The monumental staircase of coloured marble inlay and the Small Court Theatre, a ballroom transformed in 1768 by Fernando Fuga into a gracious Rococo ambience, are beautiful. In another part of the palace the National Library, with its more than million and a half volumes and several priceless medieval codices, can be found.

The famous papyrus of Herculaneum are preserved here. From piazza del Plebiscito the vital via Toledo begins, the main axis of the urban expansion projected in 1536 by order of the Viceroy Pedro de Toledo. Many Neapolitans simply call it Toledo, for others it is via Roma (because it was so called from 1870 to the 1980’s). Via Toledo is one of the main streets of the city, characterised by ancient churches and palaces such as the Carafa di Maddaloni (1582) and the Doria D’Angri (1755), fruit of the genius of Luigi Vanvitelli. From his balcony Garibaldi proclaimed the annexation of Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to the Kingdom of Italy. Off to one side of via Toledo, at the foot of the San Martino Hill, the Spanish Quarters’ spiderweb unfolds. Once in piazza Carità, a little detour must be made to visit two jewels of Renaissance art: the churches of Monteoliveto and Santa Maria La Nova. Built in the 1400’s, the church of Monteoliveto (or Sant’Anna dei Lombardi) preserves its simple interior and the rigorous formality of the original structure. The Del Pezzo and Ligorio altars are masterpieces of Renaissance sculpture. The magnificent lifesized terracotta sculptures of the Lament of the Dead Christ (said to represent the members of the Aragon royal family) are hosted in the capital area. The Santa Maria la Nova Church is also Renaissance, with its imposing cloisters. Built in the 1200’s it was completely restructured starting in 1596. Also splendid the gilded wood caisson ceiling, into which 46 panels, painted by the major Neapolitan artists of the day, were inserted at the end of the 1500’s. The last part of via Toledo gives onto piazza Dante. Decorated by the monument to Dante (1872) by Tito Angelini, it is enclosed by the hemicycle of the Foro Carolino, constructed by Luigi Vanvitelli.

Port’Alba stands out to the left of the hemicycle, from which you reach the street of the same name, site of some of the oldest bookstores of Naples. Near to piazza Dante is the National Archaeological Museum, the most important museum of classical archaeology in the world. Charles of Bourbon put the largest art collection in Italy, the Farnese collection inherited by his mother Elisabeth, into this building (the old “Study Palace” or university). Over the years the largest archaeological collection of all time, relics from the city and from the villas buried under the ashes of Vesuvius in 79 BC, was brought here.

The most important collection of the museum is that of the mosaics, paintings, jewellery and objects recovered from the buried vesuvian homes. A collection unmatched peer in the world that attracts, needless to say, millions of visitors. Another highlight is the classical sculpture collection, some roman copies of Greek originals, amongst which the celebrated Farnese sculptures (the Bull, the Hercules and dozens of others). The cameo and cut gem collection, which includes the extraordinary Farnese Cup, is also very rich. The vast epigraph collection includes over 2,000 pieces representing all of the languages once spoken in Campania (from Greek to Oscan, Etruscan to Latin). The Egyptian collection is only second in importance in Italy to that of Turin. There is a section dedicated to the Papyrus Villa, the famous roman house in Herculaneum that brought to light so many relics, amongst which the celebrated statues in bronze and marble. The Secret Cabinet is a part of the museum that houses a 19th century collection of Greek and Roman objects considered “obscene” at the times, reserved only for authorized visitors. It includes now sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, amulets, oil-lamps and graffiti with erotic themes from the digs at Pompeii. From the museum you get onto piazza Cavour: here begins via Foria that crosses the popular Sanità, Vergini and Sant’Antonio districts. The lovely 16th century church of Santa Maria della Sanità, with its grandiose pincer-shaped stairs that frame the crypt, is to be seen. From the church you gain access to the Catacombs of San Gaudioso. In this quarter you can find the 17th century Palace of the Spaniard (dello Spagnolo) and the Sanfelice Palace both works of Ferdinando Sanfelice and used as models for theatrical backdrops.

Further along, via Foria reaches the Botanical gardens. Created in 1807 by Giuseppe Bonaparte, it was originally conceived to study plants useful to agriculture, commerce and for medicinal purposes. Today, the area of circa 12 hectares contains about 10,000 species for a total of 25,000 plants, one of Italy’s most important collections for content and area. Particularly interesting is the rich variety of succulents. Back at the Archaeological Museum, ascend towards Capodimonte on via Santa Teresa degli Scalzi. Next to the big Incoronata del Buon Consiglio Church are the catacombs of San Gennaro, among the oldest and most amazing of Campania. Going further up the hill you arrive at the Royal Palace of Capodimonte, which houses the museum of the same name.

The waterfront: from Chiaia to Posillipo

The waterfront between Castel dell’Ovo and Posillipo, with its panoramic view of the entire Gulf, Vesuvius and the islands, is the most famous scene of Naples. The profile of the coast is dominated by the massive tuff wall of the Castel dell’Ovo, the oldest of the city, that sits on the little islet of Megaris facing the famous Santa Lucia quarter. Now connected to land by a small bridge, the island was chosen by the roman patrician Licinius Lucullus as site for his new villa. It was transformed into a convent by the Saint Basil monks in about 492 AD. Under the Normans in the 12th century it became a fortress.

The Hall of the Columns, so called because it re-used the powerful columns of the original villa, must be visited. From the cannon terrace, on the high part of the castle, you can enjoy a marvellous view of the gulf. Under the walls of the castle is Borgo Marinari, constructed in the 1800’s, it was originally meant to house fishermen, their boats and their families. It now houses nautical clubs, restaurants, bars and trendy night spots. Walking along the very famous via Caracciolo you can enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery of Naples, from Vesuvius all the way to the hills of Posillipo, dotted with houses immersed in green and all framed by the intense blue of the sea. Via Caracciolo runs parallel to Villa Comunale, the City Park, once called Royal gardens and designed by Luigi Vanvitelli at the end of the 1700’s, and to the old waterfront that even today is called the Riviera di Chiaia. You can visit the Zoological Sation, (founded by the German Anton Dohrn in 1872) and the oldest Aquarium in Europe. On the Riviera di Chiaia, in the neoclassical Villa Pignatelli, is the Principe Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortes Museum, still with its original furnishings. The Bank of Naples keeps its rich collection of paintings here.

A Carriage Museum is soon to be opened in the old stables with a collection of period coaches and harnesses. Via Caracciolo ends at Mergellina, where according to legend the current dragged the lifeless body of the siren Partenope. Also here the view is breathtaking, the hills of Posillipo and Vomero with Vesuvius in the distance. Near to piazza Sannazaro is via di Piedigrotta (so called because it was at the foot of the grotto, today a tunnel, dug in the 1st century BC by the Romans who wanted to make transit from Pozzuoli to Naples easier: in fact the other side of the tunnel is called Fuorigrotta, or out of the grotto) that ends in front of Santa Maria di Piedigrotta. Between the church and the Mergellina Station is the entrance to the Park of the Tomb of Virgil, one of the most visited sites of the Grand Tour. The park hosts the so-called tomb of Virgil, a 1st century AD sepulchre traditionally identified with the burial of the poet. In 1939 the tomb of another great poet, Giacomo Leopardi, who died in Naples in 1837, was also transferred here. Leaving the waterfront behind, going on to the Western district, in piazzale Tecchio we find the Mostra d’Oltremare; a large exhibition centre built in the 1930’s of great historical, architectural and environmental value.

The area of about 700.000 square metres houses buildings, gardens, fountains and a large open-air arena the serves as a theatre. From Mergellina the beautiful scenic Via Posillipo goes up the hill, the old Pausilypon (Greek for “pain reliever”). You can see the enormous Palazzo Donn’Anna and numerous villas immersed in green. At the extreme end of the promontory of Coroglio is the Villa del Pausilypon, the remains of the luxurious home of Publius Vedius Pollio, one of Octavian’s supporters. Upon his death the villa went to the emperor. The grandiose villa was composed of several buildings erected between the 1st century BC and the 4th AD, to cover an area of about 9 hectares. At the centre was the huge residential structure, around which were built a grandiose theatre, an odeion and thermal baths. Apart from its private dock on the Cala dei Lampi, the complex included its own roads and the tunnel known as the ‘Grotta di Seiano’, that crosses the rocky coastline to Coroglio, which today is the point of access to the complex.

The most spectacular panorama of Posillipo is enjoyed from the Virgiliano Park, located on the top of the hill. From between trees, gardens and sporting facilities, one’s eyes roam over the entire Gulf of Naples, the Phlegrean Fields, and over to the sea, from which the island of Nisida emerges. This magical scenery inspired a whole generation of painters in the 1800’s, known as the School of Posillipo. Their rendering of this enchanted panorama did much to contribute to the fame of the beauty of Naples. From the sheer cliffs of Coroglio and the cove of Trentaremi, to the western edge of Posillipo, we can see nearby Bagnoli. Today it is the object of an ample project aimed at recuperating the marine environment, the beach and the former Italsider ironworks abandoned years ago. Some of the results of this project can already be seen in the Science Centre or ‘Città della Scienza’, an interesting example of the recovery of industrial archaeology. Dedicated to scientific phenomena and the history of discoveries, the first science centre in Italy is an interactive museum and a hub of scientific and avantgarde technology. The visit, from the large planetarium to the scientific instruments that “must” be touched, is particularly interesting for children.

The hills: from Vomero to Capodimonte

The Vomero district was born in the 1800’s, in a green zone famous for its views of the Gulf. Today the small Liberty Style villas exist side by side to modern buildings, and are one of the most lively quarters of Naples, with a wealth of shopping attractions. The heart of the Vomero is Piazza Vanvitelli, from which it is easy to reach Villa Floridiana, a gift of Ferdinand of Bourbon to his morganatic wife Lucia Migliaccio, the Duchess of Floridia. The elegant building, built by Antonio Niccolini and surrounded by a large park with fake ruins, sumptuous paths, fields and a panoramic terrace, today houses the Duca di Martina Ceramics Museum.

The nucleus of the collection are the pieces donated by the heirs of Placido De Sangro, Duke of Martina, an avid collector of coral, ivory, snuff-boxes and most of all porcelain and majolica. The collection of porcelain from Capodimonte and the Far East are especially interesting. From Piazza Vanvitelli you can get to the top of the hill (with the escalator, if you wish), to the Castel Sant’Elmo and the Certosa (charterhouse) of San Martino. Castel Sant’Elmo dominates the city with its imposing profile. With the nearby charterhouse, it is visible from many parts of Naples. This massive fortress was built in the 1300’s by Robert of Anjou and was completely restructured under the Pedro de Toledo government (1537-1546). The ground plan forms a six-pointed star; part of it carved into the tuff rock, and is surrounded by bastions and moats. From the glacis you can enjoy a 360° panorama of Naples. Next to the Castle is the monumental complex of the Certosa of San Martino, also projected by Robert of Anjou.

It was begun by Tino di Camaino in 1325, and later transformed in the 1500’s and the middle 1600’s by the most noted architects of the day (Dosio, Fanzago), thus becoming the most complete example of Neapolitan Baroque and one of the city’s most grandiose monuments. The inside of the church is a triumph of frescoes, sculptures, polychromatic marble and paintings. The frescoes were done by, among others, Giovanni Lanfranco and Battistello Caracciolo. Even the presbytery and the sacristy are richly decorated: oils by Ribera, Massimo Stanzione and Guido Reni, wardrobes and choir-stalls of inlaid wood. The vault of the ‘Cappella del Tesoro’ is decorated with the luminous fresco by Luca Giordano, The Triumph of Judith. The halls around the cloister house the National Museum of San Martino. The museum has sections dedicated to sculpture and painting, minor arts and theatre.

The section dedicated to the scenes of the city is very important, starting with works from the 1400’s and including the famous Tavola Strozzi. Particularly interesting is the cribs’ section made up of works by artists from the 1700’s and by two exceptional groups of works: the wooden figurines of San Giovanni a Carbonara from the 1400’s and the Cuciniello Crib from the 1800’s, named after its donor. Do not miss the Prior’s Apartment (the restored living quarters of the Prior), set in a very panoramic position, and the beautiful gardens of the convent. The highest point of the city is the Eremo dei Camaldoli, an hermitage at 457 mt above sea level. It was constructed in 1585 and has a splendid view over the Gulf, the islands and the Phlegrean Fields. The border of the urban weave of the hill, it also merits a visit to fully enjoy the nearby Camaldoli Park. From Camaldoli, going down along Viale Colli Aminei, you arrive to Capodimonte. The name derives from the late latin “Caput de Monte” (top of the mount) and clearly indicates its position: a hill on the highest part of the City. Here rises the Royal Palace of Capodimonte, surrounded by a vast park.

Charles of Bourbon, a dedicated hunter, wanted to construct a hunting lodge here. After having done so, he had it enlarged to house the precious Farnese collections. The building, designed by Antonio Medrano, was finished only in 1839. Located in the immense park are the hunting lodge of Vittorio Emanuele II, a small lodge known as “of the Queen”, the Chapel of San Gennaro, the building of the old 1737 porcelain factory of Charles of Bourbon, the hermitage of the Cappuccini monks and the Fagianeria (pheasant breeding facility). Today, the Royal Palace is home to the National Museum of Capodimonte, one of the most important in the world for painting and the decorative arts. The main nucleus of the Museum is the Farnese Collection, started by Pope Paul III and inherited by Charles’ mother Elisabeth Farnese. The picture gallery has more than 200 masterpieces: Masaccio, Botticelli, Raphael, Ribera, Titian, Mantegna, Correggio, El Greco, Lorenzo Lotto, Parmigianino, Carracci, and Bruegel.

There are also two preparative drawings by Raphael for the ‘Segnatura Room’, and by Michelangelo for the Pauline Chapel in the Vatican. Also exceptional is the gallery of 13th-19th century Neapolitan painting: the Saint Ludovico of Tolosa by Simone Martini, the evocative Flagellation by Caravaggio, and again the works of Ribera, Luca Giordano, and Francesco Solimena. The section dedicated to the 1800’s is rich with the School of Posillipo painters, from Anton Smick Pitloo to Giacinto Gigante, and the masters of Naturalism, like the Palizzis. The many artists of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s – from Domenico Morelli to Vincenzo Migliaro – complete the artistic panorama. The contemporary section is also renewed by the presence of artists such as Alberto Burri, Andy Warhol, Carlo Alfano and Mimmo Paladino. The Museum holds other surprises: the Historic Apartment, with the porcelain sitting room of Queen Maria Amalia, for example. The collection of decorative arts is one of the richest in all of Italy with unique works like the precious Farnese Box and the wall tapestries of d’Avalos, and the exceptional porcelain works like the Aurora Cart by Filippo Tagliolini.

Texts and photos are published for courtesy of TOURISM OFFICE REGIONE CAMPANIA (www.turismoregionecampania.it)