Naples
Naples' National Archaeological Museum serves up one of the world’s finest collections of Graeco-Roman artefacts. Originally a cavalry barracks and later…
Must-see attractions in Bay of Naples
Naples
Originally designed as a hunting lodge for Charles VII of Bourbon, the monumental Palazzo di Capodimonte was begun in 1738 and took more than a century to…
Naples
It's in this Masonic-inspired baroque chapel that you'll find Giuseppe Sanmartino's incredible sculpture, Cristo velato (Veiled Christ), its marble veil…
Bay of Naples
Herculaneum harbours a wealth of archaeological finds, from ancient advertisements and stylish mosaics to carbonised furniture and terror-struck skeletons…
Pompeii
The ghostly ruins of ancient Pompeii (Pompei in Italian) make for one of the world's most engrossing archaeological experiences. Much of the site's value…
Certosa e Museo di San Martino
Naples
The high point (quite literally) of the Neapolitan baroque, this charterhouse-turned-museum was built as a Carthusian monastery between 1325 and 1368…
Naples
Naples' oldest and most sacred catacombs became a Christian pilgrimage site when San Gennaro's body was interred here in the 5th century. The carefully…
Naples
Whether you go for Giovanni Lanfranco's fresco in the Cappella di San Gennaro (Chapel of St Janarius), the 4th-century mosaics in the baptistry, or the…
Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara
Naples
Vast, Gothic and cleverly deceptive, the mighty Basilica di Santa Chiara stands at the heart of this tranquil monastery complex. The church was severely…
Naples
Built for a Spanish merchant in the 17th century and reconfigured in belle-époque style by architect Luigi Platania in the early 20th century, Palazzo…
Naples
Envisaged as a 16th-century monument to Spanish glory (Naples was under Spanish rule at the time), the magnificent Palazzo Reale is home to the Museo del…
Naples
The 1st-floor gallery of this octagonal, 17th-century church delivers a satisfying, digestible collection of Renaissance and baroque art, including works…
Naples
An evening at Italy's largest opera house is magical. Although the original 1737 theatre burnt down in 1816, Antonio Niccolini's 19th-century…
Naples
Holding about eight million human bones, the ghoulish Fontanelle Cemetery was first used during the 1656 plague, before becoming Naples' main burial site…
Naples
Traverse five centuries along Naples’ Bourbon Tunnel. Conceived by Ferdinand II in 1853 to link the Palazzo Reale to the barracks and the sea, the never…
Complesso Monumentale di San Lorenzo Maggiore
Naples
The basilica at this richly layered religious complex is deemed one of Naples' finest medieval buildings. Aside from Ferdinando Sanfelice's facade, the…
Naples
Steep steps lead down to this marine reserve, rich in biodiversity and submerged Roman ruins. Due to its size, only 100 bathers are allowed through its…
Mt Vesuvius
Since exploding into history in AD 79, Vesuvius has blown its top more than 30 times. What redeems this slumbering menace is the spectacular panorama from…
Basilica Santa Maria della Sanità & Catacombe di San Gaudioso
Naples
While we love the baroque paintings by Andrea Vaccaro and Luca Giordano – not to mention the two contemporary sculptures by Riccardo Dalisi – it's the…
Bay of Naples
Buried beneath the unappealing streets of Torre Annunziata, Oplontis was once a blue-ribbon seafront suburb under the administrative control of Pompeii…
Pompeii
This restored, 90-room villa is one of the most complete structures left standing in Pompeii. The Dionysiac frieze, the most important fresco still on…
Naples
William Kentridge’s monumental equestrian statue trumpets entry to this award-winning, jaw-dropping Metro Art Station, then his dazzling mosaic of shadowy…
Naples
The extraordinary Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo is an architectural Kinder Surprise. Its shell is the 15th-century, Giuseppe Valeriani–designed facade of Palazzo…
Chiesa di San Domenico Maggiore
Naples
Completed in 1324 on the orders of Charles I of Anjou, this was the royal church of the Angevins. Pietro Cavallini's frescoes in the Cappella Brancaccio…
Naples
When Madonna and Child overload hits, reboot at Naples' museum of modern and contemporary art. In the lobby, French conceptual artist Daniel Buren sets…
Naples
When Ferdinand Acton, a minister at the court of King Ferdinand IV (1759–1825), asked Pietro Valente to design Villa Pignatelli in 1826, Valente whipped…
Naples
In baroque-rich Naples, even staircases can be an event and the masterpiece gracing the courtyard of this palazzo is one of its most showstopping…
Naples
In a workshop with glue simmering on the hob and tools covering the walls, luthiers Salvatore Masiello and Michele Caiazza build mandolins under the warm…
Bay of Naples
Currently closed, the Villa dei Papiri was the most luxurious villa in Herculaneum. Owned by Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, Julius Caesar's father-in…
Naples
Parco di Capodimonte makes for a blissful chill, with lakes, a wood and various 18th-century buildings, including former royal porcelain workshop Palazzo…
Naples
Ferdinando Sanfelice’s debut staircase is this double-ramped diva inside the Palazzo Sanfelice. Upon its completion in 1726 it became the talk of the town…
Naples
Recalling Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Naples' most famous 19th-century arcade is a breathtaking pairing of richly adorned neo-Renaissance fronts…
Complesso Museale di Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco
Naples
Consecrated in 1638, the engrossing chiesa delle cape di morte (the church of the skulls) sits on two levels. While the upper church boasts fine paintings…
Naples
It's at this 16th-century hospital and monastic complex that you'll find the Museo delle Arti Sanitarie, a small museum home to rare, historical surgical…
Naples
When you need a break from Naples' hyperactive tendencies, take a deep breath on its pedestrianised seafront strip. Stretching 2.5km along Via Partenope…
Bay of Naples
In Roman times, these 1st-century-BC ruins were part of a sprawling palace and spa complex. Emperors would entertain themselves and their guests in a…
Naples
Star-shaped Castel Sant'Elmo was originally a church dedicated to St Erasmus. Some 400 years later, in 1349, Robert of Anjou turned it into a castle…
Chiesa e Chiostro di San Gregorio Armeno
Naples
Overstatement knows no bounds at this richly ornamented 16th-century monastic complex. The church packs a visual punch with its lavish wood and papier…
Naples
Built by the Normans in the 12th century, Naples’ oldest castle owes its name (Castle of the Egg) to Virgil. The Roman scribe reputedly buried an egg on…
