Capital of Campania, in southern Italy, Naples is one of the oldest cities in Europe.
With Vesuvius in the background and the Tyrrhenian Sea below, it can be discovered through the old center and its churches, the popular Spanish districts, museums such as the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, or even on the Vomero hill.
If it sometimes suffers from a sulphurous reputation, it is above all a Mediterranean city of cachet, which is apprehended, contemplated and savored.
To discover
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Naples, between religious heritage and popular spirit
During your stay in Naples, take the time to admire the architectural marvels of the Church of the Gesù Nuovo.
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The historic center of Naples
The beating heart of the city, the historic center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Also called
Spaccanapoli
, it takes its name from an eponymous thoroughfare which in Greco-Roman times separated north from south.
From now on, this picturesque district is full of remarkable religious monuments that you absolutely must visit, such as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, called Duomo, famous for the relics of Saint January, Patron Saint of the city.
A few steps further on, you enter the Basilica of Santa Chiara, the Church of Gesù Nuovo and the Sansevero chapel to discover their architectural marvels.
Less well known, the Sant'Angelo a Nilo church houses the tomb of Cardinal Rinaldo Brancaccio, sculpted by Donatello and Michelozzo, which is also worth a visit.
Between two visits, we bask on the piazza Bellini to blend in with Neapolitan youth, and the piazza San Domenico Maggiore, ideal for resting with a glass of Spritz.
GUIDED TOUR WITH FRANCOPHONE GUIDE
The charm of Sanita and Capodimonte
To the north of the historic centre, the Rione Sanità district is popular and lively, even more so on SSC Napoli team match nights.
We discover it while walking in the market of via Vergini, and we admire its committed street art.
We dive into the history of the city with a visit to the catacombs of San Gennaro which form an impressive funerary site that has become an important place of pilgrimage.
The history of Naples can also be discovered at the Museo Capodimonte (closed on Wednesdays), placed on a hill overlooking the city facing the vast eponymous park.
This former Bourbon palace houses the works of the greatest Italian painters, with a spotlight on Neapolitan art.
DISCOVERING STREET ART
The chic and royal Naples
From Piazza del Plebiscito, discover the Royal Palace, the San Carlo Theater or the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola.
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San Ferdinando neighborhood
Change of atmosphere in the San Ferdinando district, instantly more peaceful.
And for good reason, it is the former royal district where we find the Royal Palace of Naples and the San Carlo theatre, the oldest opera house in Europe.
During a stroll, we discover the elegant Piazza del Plebiscito, which houses the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola.
We continue the discovery by the via San Carlo to arrive in the Galleria Umberto I, a shopping mall full of charm with its glass dome where we do some shopping.
As for coffee and local pastries, you can savor them at the Gran Caffè Cambrinus, a historic café founded in 1860.
GUIDED TOUR OF THE ROYAL PALACE
The Vomero district
Nestled on a hill, Vomero is a newer, residential part of town that offers stunning views of the bay and Mount Vesuvius, and a more upscale atmosphere.
In its heights, you can visit the San Martino Charterhouse (closed on Wednesdays), a monastery transformed into a museum dedicated to Neapolitan history, the Sant'Elmo Castle and Villa Floridiana (closed on Tuesdays), a royal residence that has become a ceramics museum.
The Chiaia district
A popular and peaceful district, Chiaia extends from the Vomero hill to the seaside. We breathe the iodized air and we walk sometimes in the picturesque alleys, sometimes on the seafront. Near the marina, you can taste an authentic Neapolitan pizza and delicious seafood in one of the restaurants that offer a view of the bay.
We also walk around the Villa Comunale, a huge park where palm trees, fountains and sculptures stand enthroned.
Not far away is the Villa Pignatelli (closed on Tuesdays), a neo-classical house-museum which contains a collection of objects from the 18th and 19th centuries.
At the bottom of the garden, you shouldn't miss the certainly small, but charming Carriage Museum.
If we continue the walk to the east, we arrive at Castel dell'Ovo, a castle on the water, and one of the most visited monuments in the city.
NEAPOLITAN PIZZA WORKSHOP
Welcome to the Amalfi Coast
On the cliffside, the village of Positano and its colorful houses can be reached by car or ferry from Naples.
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Explore the iconic site of Pompeii
It is 25 km south-east of Naples that we set foot on the archaeological site of Pompeii, witness to one of the greatest natural disasters in history.
The ancient Roman city, engulfed by an eruption of Vesuvius in the year 79, whose skeleton remains intact, can be visited over a day, with its forum, its street of abundance, its thermal baths and its Villa of the Mysteries.
EXCURSION TO POMPEII AND VESUVIUS
Positano, Amalfi, Capri… from villages to islands
The Amalfi Coast is a Mediterranean marvel.
From Naples, take the coastal road and immerse yourself in these picturesque landscapes made up of villages and monuments perched on cliffs falling into the sea.
We visit Sorrento where we taste a limoncello, Positano where we immortalize its small colorful houses, Amalfi with its beautiful cathedral and Ravello with its Ville Rufolo.
For a getaway at sea, take the ferry and discover the unmissable island of Capri, or Procida, preciously preserved from mass tourism.
AMALFI COAST EXCURSION
