Naples is a city rich in magnificent places and monuments, many of which can be visited completely for free. These are places where the history of this great southern capital was made—such as the beautiful Castel dell'Ovo, where Greek colonists founded the first settlement of Parthenope in the 9th century BC; the Duomo of Naples, which houses the relics of Saint Januarius; or the unique Fontanelle Cemetery, one of the city's most fascinating and mysterious sites. Below you will find many wonderful places in the city to explore for free.Â
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Experiencing Naples during this season means diving into an unmissable calendar of events. Amidst the alleys of the Historic Center and the beauty of the Spanish Quarters, our properties offer you the perfect starting point to enjoy the best of culture, music, sports, and major international events.
Here is the complete and updated guide with all the appointments not to be missed in the coming months:
Cimitero delle Fontanelle
Cimitero delle Fontanelle
The Fontanelle Cemetery is one of the most fascinating and mysterious places in Naples. It is carved into the tuff rock of the Materdei hill and is accessed from the small church of Maria Santissima del Carmine near the tuff quarries. The origins of the Fontanelle Cemetery probably date back to the terrible 16th century when the city suffered many popular uprisings, famines, earthquakes, Vesuvius eruptions, and epidemics; the bodies of the various victims of these events were gathered here. Later, it also received the dead from the plague of 1656 and the cholera outbreak of 1837. In 1872, the parish priest of Materdei, along with his parishioners, reorganized the scattered bones and arranged them into their current state.
Hours & Periods: Monday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM by reservation only.
Where: Via Fontanelle, 80, 80136 Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 081 795 6160.
Belvedere di San Martino
Belvedere di San Martino
Largo San Martino is a place of tireless vitality. At any hour of the day, the viewpoint is alive with young people, couples, and tourists heading to the breathtaking terrace to enjoy the fantastic panorama it offers. Standing out prominently is Spaccanapoli to the left, while to the right, you can admire the beautiful area of Capodimonte, not to mention the sea dotted with sailboats and, of course, Mount Vesuvius alongside part of our wonderful gulf.
Where: Largo S. Martino, 80129 Naples
San Domenico Maggiore
San Domenico Maggiore
In Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, built by King Charles of Anjou between 1283 and 1324 by French architects and given to the Dominicans. It reflects Gothic canons but has the unique feature of facing the opposite direction of the square. In the 17th century, it underwent significant transformations, and the flooring was replaced with one by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro. Under Murat, it became a public property and its library was damaged. It suffered further damage during World War II due to bombings, and in 1953 the coffered ceiling, roofs, and several chapels were rebuilt. It once housed Caravaggio's The Flagellation, which is now in the Capodimonte Museum (convent entrance requires a fee).
Hours & Periods: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Where: Piazza S. Domenico Maggiore, 8, 80134 Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 081 442 0039 / +39 081 458188.
Virgiliano
Virgiliano
It is located at the top of Capo Posillipo, on the most prominent rocky spur, and is a park offering breathtaking, ever-changing panoramas depending on where you stand. You can see everything from 150 meters above sea level: following the path to the right at the entrance, you can admire Nisida, Bagnoli, Cape Miseno, Procida, Ischia, the Gulf of Pozzuoli, the Hermitage of Camaldoli, and then, continuing past the point, the Gulf of Naples, Mount Vesuvius, Sorrento, Capri, and the Bay of Trentaremi with its archaeological remains, alongside beautiful and steep vertical rock cliffs plunging straight down into the sea.Â
Parco di Capodimonte
Parco di Capodimonte
Spanning around one hundred hectares, it is the largest green space in Naples. Designed by the architect Ferdinando Sanfelice in 1734, the Park of Capodimonte was originally a hunting reserve for Charles of Bourbon. It extends across five main avenues from which many paths branch out, leading to various areas including the Royal Palace—now the Capodimonte Museum—the Casino dei Principi, Palazzo Palazziotti, the stables, and the Church of San Gennaro. It was shaped into its current layout by the botanist Dehnardt in the mid-19th century, who transformed the gardens into an English style, filling it with elms, oaks, lindens, chestnut trees, cypresses, and pines.
Hours & Periods: October, February, and March: 7:45 AM to 6:00 PM / November, December, and January: 7:46 AM to 5:00 PM / April, May, June, July, August, and September: 7:45 AM to 5:00 PM. Closures: December 25th, January 1st, and Easter Monday.
Where: Via Miano, 4, Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 081 741 0080.
Parco Archeologico posillipoÂ
Parco Archeologico posillipoÂ
On the Posillipo hill, it was originally a Roman patrician villa belonging to Publius Vedio Pollio, dating back to the Augustan era. Upon his death, the Pausilypon complex passed to the emperor. The complex is accessed through the Sejanus Grotto, built by the Romans and approximately 770 meters long, connecting Coroglio with the Gaiola valley by passing through the Posillipo hill. At the end, you reach a terrace that includes two entertainment buildings—the theater and the odeion—followed by a panoramic balcony overlooking Gaiola.
Hours & Periods: Monday to Saturday (excluding holidays) at 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, and 11:30 AM – maximum 40 people, reservation required (+39 081 2301030).
Where: Discesa Coroglio, 36, 80123 Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 081 240 3235.
I bastioni di Castel Sant Elmo
I bastioni di Castel Sant Elmo
Located at Via Tito Angelini 22, Castel Sant'Elmo is the only castle in all of Europe to feature a 6-pointed star shape. It is precisely thanks to this unique architecture that visitors can enjoy a breathtaking 360-degree panorama. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month. The rampart walkway is also open on Tuesdays, allowing visitors to explore the parade ground, ramparts, and pedestrian walkways with a reduced ticket price of €2.50 (regular price is €5.00 on all other days).
Where: Via Tito Angelini, 22, 80129 Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 081 229 4459.
 Real Orto Botanico
 Real Orto Botanico
The Naples Botanical Garden was established in the early 1800s during the "French Decade." The French brought to life an idea originally conceived by Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, which had been left unfinished due to the revolutionary uprisings of 1799. The foundation decree for the institution was signed on December 28, 1807, by King Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother. To create the park, land owned in part by the Religious of Santa Maria della Pace and in part by the Cava Hospital was expropriated. It is currently managed by the Federico II University and houses numerous and rare botanical varieties.
Hours & Periods: Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (reservation always required).
Where: Via Foria, 223, 80137 Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 081 253 3937.
Basilica san Francesco di Paola
Basilica san Francesco di Paola
The Basilica is located in the famous Piazza del Plebiscito and was built in two stages. During the "French Decade" at the behest of Joachim Murat, a wide portico with 38 Doric columns was built in front of the Royal Palace on the space created by the demolition of the "Largo di Palazzo" convents dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola. In 1815, King Ferdinand I, having returned to power, had a basilica built in the center of the square dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola as a thanksgiving for the reconquest of the kingdom and as compensation for the destruction of the convents.
Where: Piazza del Plebiscito, Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 0982 582518.
Castel dell’ovo Â
Castel dell’ovo Â
It is the symbol of the city. It is located on the small island of Megaride, where Cumaean settlers of Greek origin landed in the mid-7th century BC before founding the first nucleus of Parthenope on Mount Echia. In Roman times, around the 1st century BC, the famous villa of Lucius Licinius Lucullus was built on the islet and on Mount Echia. Later, in the 5th century, cenobitic monks settled there, but it was only under Robert of Anjou that Castel dell'Ovo became a true castle. Today, visitors can see the Master Tower, the monks' cells, the cenobites' refectory, the Norman tower, and the ruins of the Church of the Savior. From the castle's terraces and ramparts, you can enjoy an enchanting view of the gulf and a unique panorama of the city seen from the sea.
Hours & Periods: Summer period: weekdays from 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM (last entry at 6:45 PM) / holidays and Sundays from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (last entry at 1:15 PM); Winter period: weekdays from 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM (last entry at 5:45 PM) / holidays and Sundays from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (last entry at 1:15 PM).
Where: Via Eldorado, 3, 80132 Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 081 795 4593.
Basilica di San Lorenzo Maggiore
Basilica di San Lorenzo Maggiore
It is located on Via dei Tribunali and dates back to the 12th century, making it one of the oldest basilicas in Naples in pure Gothic style. Charles I of Anjou financed its construction, and the church adopted a Gothic style blending French and Franciscan elements. The apse was built by French architects, while the naves took on an Italian style. Over the centuries, the structure was modified—partly due to earthquakes—even taking on a Baroque appearance. However, since 1882, numerous restorations have returned the church to its original style.
Hours & Periods: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM (except during mass).
Where: Via dei Tribunali, 316, 80138 Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 081 290580.
Biblioteca nazionale
Biblioteca nazionale
The National Library of Naples was founded in the late 18th century when the book collections kept in the Royal Palace of Capodimonte—including the famous Farnese library brought to the city by Charles of Bourbon, son of Elizabeth Farnese—were placed in the Palazzo degli Studi, which is now the National Archaeological Museum. Over time, the library was enriched with collections from the suppression of religious orders and the acquisition of private libraries, and it was officially opened to the public on January 13, 1804, by King Ferdinand IV. In 1910, the Officina dei Papiri Ercolanesi, established by Charles of Bourbon to preserve and study the papyri recovered from the Herculaneum excavations of 1752–1754, was annexed to the library. In 1922, thanks to the efforts of Benedetto Croce, it was transferred to the Royal Palace in Piazza del Plebiscito, and other important city libraries were incorporated. In recent years, it has been further enriched with valuable private collections.
Hours & Periods: Monday to Friday: from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM and from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM; Saturday from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
Where: Piazza del Plebiscito, 1, 80132 Naples.
Contacts & Information: +39 081 781 9111.
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