Naples Sightseeing: Art, Churches and Viewpoints

Look up, then look down

The best sightseeing in Naples happens at two heights: inside churches, where ceilings and cloisters hold the art, and on the hills, where the whole bay opens up. This route sorts the city by what you want to look at.

Sculpture and paintings

The star is Giuseppe Sanmartino’s Veiled Christ of 1753 in the Cappella Sansevero, whose marble veil looks translucent. The chapel also holds anatomical machines in its crypt. Open 9:00 to 19:00 and closed on Tuesdays, it admits only booked visits: EUR12 for adults, EUR8 for ages 18 to 26, EUR6 for ages 10 to 17. Reserve ahead and arrive early. The Cappella Sansevero tickets page lists availability.

For classical sculpture and Roman painting, the National Archaeological Museum is the place. The Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii’s House of the Faun, the Farnese Hercules and the Secret Cabinet are the highlights. Admission is EUR20, EUR10 with the Artecard, and free for under-18s. Hours are 9:00 to 19:30 and it closes on Tuesdays. Details are on the MANN fares page .

Churches and cloisters

Gesu Nuovo has a facade of diamond-pointed volcanic stone, and Santa Chiara’s cloister has pillars covered in painted majolica tiles around a garden of citrus trees. The Duomo di San Gennaro is free to enter. All three enforce a dress code: covered shoulders and knees, with no sleeveless tops or short shorts. The liquefaction of San Gennaro’s blood is displayed on the Saturday before the first Sunday of May, on 19 September and on 16 December.

Early Christian Naples

The Catacombs of San Gennaro and San Gaudioso lie in the Rione Sanita. These burial galleries and crypts are among the oldest Christian sites in the city, and visits are guided by local cooperative guides. Advance booking is required, with last entry at 17:00; see the Catacombs of Naples site .

Viewpoints

  • Castel Sant’Elmo and the Certosa di San Martino: ride the Montesanto funicular, about EUR1.20 to EUR1.30 on an Unico ticket, and look over the bay, Vesuvius and the islands.
  • Parco Virgiliano, Posillipo: a free hilltop park with views to Capri, Ischia and Nisida.
  • Castel dell’Ovo and Borgo Marinari: the seafront causeway is free; check the castle interior on the day.
  • Lungomare Caracciolo: a long seaside promenade, best as the sun sets behind Vesuvius.

Royal Naples

The Royal Palace on Piazza del Plebiscito shows Bourbon apartments and a marble grand staircase. The Teatro di San Carlo, inaugurated in 1737, offers guided visits of its gilded hall, and the programme is on the Teatro di San Carlo site .

Day out of town

Pompeii is 25 km southeast and reached by the regular Circumvesuviana from Napoli Garibaldi towards Sorrento in about 35 minutes. Entry is EUR20, there is a daily cap of 20,000 visitors and named tickets. You can browse Pompeii day tours on Viator if you want a guide.

Tips

  • Plan one booked ticket per day and let the rest be wandering.
  • Pickpockets work around Piazza Garibaldi and on the Circumvesuviana.
  • Avoid driving in the centre, since camera zones have gate-specific hours.

For a day-by-day order, see the 2-day itinerary .