Naples – Chiaia-Posillipo-San Ferdinando

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The First Municipality of Naples includes San Ferdinando, Chiaia, and Posillipo, three neighborhoods located along the coast west of Centro Storico, which form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the historic center of the city. San Ferdinando is centered around Piazza del Plebiscito, and hosts the Royal Palace and two ancient castles, while Chiaia is known for its seaside promenade. Posillipo is famous for its panoramic views of the Gulf of Naples, being located on a hill overlooking the sea, and hosts several villas.

✪ Maschio Angioino

Also known as: Castel Nuovo

Maschio Angioino, also called Castel Nuovo (“New Castle”), is an imposing castle located next to the port of Naples. The castle was erected by the House of Anjou in the 13th century to serve as their new royal residence, and was later expanded and reworked, most notably under the Aragonese rule during the 15th century. After the construction of the new Royal Palace, the castle was used as a fortress thanks to its strategic position. Restored in the 19th and 20th century, now it serves as a museum. The castle features five large cylindrical towers, and its entrance is adorned with an elaborate triumphal arch, while inside the fort are several decorated halls and chapels. The castle also houses the Civic Museum of Castel Nuovo (Museo Civico di Castel Nuovo), which features numerous paintings and sculptures dating between the 15th and 20th century, as well as several archaeological finds. Next to the castle are the archaeological ruins of some ancient structures found while building the Naples Metro.

✪ Royal Palace of Naples

The Royal Palace of Naples (Palazzo Reale di Napoli) is large palace located on Piazza del Plebiscito, which served for centuries as a royal residence. Built starting in the 17th century, it was later reworked and adorned with countless works of art, and in 1919 it became a museum. The palace features a monumental facade and an internal courtyard. Inside the palace is a theater built in 1768, and also numerous lavishly adorned rooms filled with a large amount of paintings, sculptures, and decorations. The palace also houses the Victor Emmanuel III National Library (Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III), one of the largest libraries in Italy, with over a million volumes and several ancient manuscripts, including 1800 papyri found in Herculaneum. Next to the building are some gardens, while adjacent to the palace is Teatro di San Carlo.

✪ Teatro di San Carlo

The Teatro di San Carlo is a historic theater adjacent to Royal Palace of Naples, often regarded as one of the most important opera houses in the world. Opened in 1737, this is the oldest continuously active opera house in the world, and it was used as a model for several other theaters in Europe. The building features a monumental Neoclassical facade, and the interior is lavishly decorated and adorned with frescoes and other artworks. The theater has hosted several prominent composers, especially in the 18th and 19th century, when Bach, Haydn, Händel, Rossini, Donizzetti, Bellini, and Verdi worked here. A young Mozart also visited the theater in 1770. Next to the opera house is a museum dedicated to the history of the theater.

✪ Piazza del Plebiscito

Piazza del Plebiscito is a large square located in front of the Royal Palace of Naples, at the southern end of Via Toledo. Named after the plebiscite that led to the unification of the Kingdom of Naples with the rest of Italy, it is one of the largest squares in the country, and it is often used for public events. Various other historic buildings face the square, with the side opposite to the Royal Palace dominated by the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola.

✪ Castel dell’Ovo

Castel dell’Ovo is an ancient castle located on the tiny islet of Megaride off the seafront of Naples. This area was colonized by the Greeks, and later hosted a Roman villa. The site was later fortified and turned into a monastery, while the first castle here was built by the Normans in the 12th century. The fort was later expanded and reworked several times, and it was also used as a prison. Now restored, it serves as a museum, and it is one of the most iconic sights on the Gulf of Naples. Next to the castle is a tiny port and fishing village that developed since the 19th century, now known for its restaurants.

Piazza del Municipio

Piazza del Municipio is a large square located to the north of Maschio Angioino near the port of Naples. The square is adorned with the monumental Fountain of Neptune (Fontana del Nettuno), erected between 1600 and 1601. This fountain was actually moved around the city several times, before being placed here in 2015.

Galleria Umberto I

The Galleria Umberto I is a large commercial gallery built in Naples between 1887 and 1890. The building was erected in Renaissance Revival style with a large dome, similar to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. Inside the gallery are several stores, bars, and restaurants, while the second floor houses the Coral Museum (Museo del Corallo), a collection of coral jewellery from the 19th and 20th century.

Church of Santa Brigida

The Church of Santa Brigida is a historic church located next to the Galleria Umberto I in Naples. It was built in Baroque style during the 17th century and features various artworks, including the huge ceiling fresco painted by Luca Giordano. The church also houses the burial site of Luca Giordano.

Church of San Ferdinando

The Church of San Ferdinando is a Baroque church located between the Royal Palace of Naples and the Galleria Umberto I, erected between the 17th and 18th century. The church features a decorated facade and a richly adorned interior, which includes large and elaborate frescoes, among many other artworks.

Basilica of San Francesco di Paola

The Basilica of San Francesco di Paola is Neoclassical church built in the 19th century facing Piazza del Plebiscito. The church features a wide colonnade and a large dome, while the interior is adorned with several paintings, sculptures, and other artworks.

Via Chiaia

Via Chiaia is a popular pedestrian road in Naples, often crowded with tourists. The street begins near Piazza del Plebiscito with Caffè Gambrinus, a historic 19th-century café, and features a few other attractions like the 17th-century arch of Ponte di Chiaia, and the 16th-century Baroque palace called Palazzo Cellammare. Also, one pizzeria along Via Chiaia claims to be the birthplace of the pizza Margherita. From Via Chiaia, a side street known as Gradoni di Chiaia features a popular staircase that climbs up the hill.

Bourbon Tunnel

The Bourbon Tunnel (Galleria Borbonica) is a long underground tunnel built in the 19th century to link the Royal Palace of Naples to the military barracks of Piazza della Vittoria. The tunnel was never completed and it was later abandoned, but during World War II it was used as a shelter. Now a museum, the tunnel houses several wartime artifacts and abandoned vehicles.

Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli a Pizzofalcone

The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli a Pizzofalcone is a Baroque church erected between the 16th and 17th century in Naples. The church is richly adorned with artworks and decorations, including the large fresco on the ceiling. Inside the basilica are also some funerary monuments and a Neoclassical altar.

Naples Promenade

Naples features a long seaside promenade that runs along the beautiful coast of the Gulf of Naples. Starting from the small port near Piazza del Plebiscito, the promenade continues along Via Partenope and Via Francesco Caracciolo, until it reaches the port of Mergellina. Along this promenade are several historic palaces, the islet of Castel dell’Ovo, and the large park of Villa Comunale. Just behind this park is the Riviera di Chaia, a historic avenue that runs parallel to the coast. At the opposite ends of the promenade are two monumental fountains, the Fontana del Gigante (“Fountain of the Giant”) to the east near Castel dell’Ovo, and the Fontana del Sebeto to the west in Mergellina. Both fountains were built in the 17th century, and are richly adorned with sculptures.

Villa Comunale

Villa Comunale is a large park located between the seaside promenade of Naples and the Riviera di Chiaia. Built in the 18th century as the private garden of the royal family, it was later opened to the public. The garden is adorned with several elaborate fountains, sculptures, and monuments. Inside the park is the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, a research center dedicated to biology, which also houses a rich aquarium, a library, and a museum.

Villa Pignatelli

Villa Pignatelli is a large Neoclassical villa located near the Riviera di Chiaia in Naples, and erected in the 19th century. The villa features several richly adorned halls with numerous artworks and decorations, and houses two museums. The Principe Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortés Museum (Museo Principe Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortés) is a museum of applied arts hosting several historic porcelains, sculptures, and paintings. Here is also the Carriage Museum (Museo delle Carrozze), a collection of ancient carriages from the late 19th and early 20th century.

Palazzo delle Arti di Napoli

Palazzo delle Arti di Napoli is an art museum hosted inside the historic Palazzo Carafa di Roccella. The museum houses exhibitions on various forms of contemporary art, and includes a library and spaces for educational activities.

Parco Vergiliano a Piedigrotta

Parco Vergiliano a Piedigrotta is a small park located near the train station of Mergellina in Naples. The park includes the supposed burial of Roman poet Virgil and also the tomb of 19th-century poet Giacomo Leopardi. Here is also the entrance to the Crypta Neapolitana, a 700-meter-long tunnel built by the Romans in the 1st century BCE.

Church of Sant’Antonio a Posillipo

The Church of Sant’Antonio a Posillipo is 17th-century Baroque church in Naples. While it houses a few artworks, it is best known for its position on the hill of Posillipo. The site can be reached from Mergellina ascending a series of steep hairpins, and next to the church is the Belvedere of Sant’Antonio a Posillipo, a popular panoramic terrace with a great view on the Gulf of Naples.

Church of Santa Maria del Parto a Mergellina

The Church of Santa Maria del Parto a Mergellina is a church located near the port of Mergellina in Naples. Built in Renaissance style during the 16th century, it features several artworks and elaborate frescoes. Inside the church is the intricate funerary monument of poet Jacopo Sannazaro and a 16th-century wooden nativity scene made by local Renaissance artist Giovanni da Nola.

Schilizzi Mausoleum

The Schilizzi Mausoleum (Mausoleo Schilizzi) is a mausoleum and funerary monument built in the Posillipo neighborhood of Naples between 1881 and 1889. The building is in Egyptian Revival style, and was originally the mausoleum of a local banker. After World War I, it was repurposed as a monument for fallen soldiers.

Archaeological Park of Posillipo

The Archaeological Park of Posillipo (Parco Archeologico di Posillipo) is an archaeological area located at the southern end of Posillipo in Naples. The park can be accessed through the Seiano Cave (Grotta di Seiano), a 770-meter-long tunnel built by the Romans. The archaeological complex, located on a cliff overlooking the sea, includes the ruins of an ancient theater and a Roman villa. The Palazzo degli Spiriti is instead a ruined nymphaeum located nearby, on the coast of Marechiaro.

Gaiola Island

Gaiola Island (Isola la Gaiola) is a tiny island located just off the coast at the southern tip of Posillipo. The island is composed of two rocks connected by a tiny bridge. One of the rocks hosts a villa built in the 19th century, which is said to be haunted because of a series of deaths and other unfortunate events that happened to all its past owners. Gaiola Island is now part of a protected marine reserve, which includes the submerged archaeological ruins around the islet. This park extends from the coast of Marechiaro to the east to the Trentaremi Bay (Baia di Trentaremi) to the west.

Parco Virgiliano

Parco Virgiliano is a park located at the southern end of Posillipo, on top of a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Naples. The park features a few decorations and a sporting venue, but it is best known for the breathtaking view that can be enjoyed from its panoramic terraces.