There’s another Naples beneath your feet. An entire hidden city that runs underground and «supports» modern Naples like an immense network of stone stilts! For some time now, this underground Naples has become a tourist attraction, and where once there were only secret tunnels, abandoned warehouses and cellars, now there are fascinating itineraries rich in stories lost in time. Landing at Naples Capodichino Airport (NAP), with the many transfer services available to travelers, you can easily reach the city’s central historic quarter. A place rich in monuments to admire but also «secret passages» that lead directly into the «tuff belly» of Partenope.
Naples and its artistic heritage
The wonders of Naples «above ground» are now very famous throughout the world. From the most famous monuments like the Anjou Castle, Dell’Ovo Castle, Plebiscito Square with the Royal Palace, the Cathedral and the «Holy Cribs’ Street» (Via San Gregorio Armeno)… to the Spanish Quarters… up to the Museums (Archaeological Museum, Capodimonte, the Monastery of Santa Chiara, the Chapel of St Severo – home to the incredible statue of the Veiled Christ).
Places such as the Phlegraean Fields, Pozzuoli, Posillipo, and the city of Pompeii itself, just a half-hour drive away, are also part of Naples’ charm even though they are not close to the central quarters. From Naples, with public and private transfers, you can also quickly (an hour drive) reach the romantic towns of Castellammare di Stabia, Vico Equense, Sorrento. From Naples’ port, you shall take a ferry to the islands that dominate the gulf: Procida, Ischia, and Capri.
Discovering the underground
The underground of Naples has been populated for millennia. As in many Italian cities, during the time of the early Christians, catacombs were dug here too in order to celebrate rites away from the dangerous eyes of Roman soldiers. Indeed, the catacombs of Naples have long been a popular tourist attraction: the Fontanelle, St Gennaro, St Gaudioso… these places are a taste of what exploring the underground city is like, today.
The catacombs of Saint Gennaro, accessed from Via Capodimonte, are a burial site dating back to the 2nd century AD where bishops were also buried; the tomb of the patron saint, St Gennaro, is the most famous site on the route. At St Gaudioso (access from Piazza Sanità), you can admire the beautiful mosaics and wall paintings from the 5th century AD, as well as the tombs of Neapolitan nobles dating back to the 17th century. Le Fontanelle is an ancient underground hospital, later converted into a cemetery, which was used until World War 2. It lies beneath the church of the same name.
But you don’t have to be a believer, a mystic, or a religious history enthusiast to explore Naples’ underground, because the map of this magical hidden city continues… and has much more to offer.
The Hidden City
Today, Underground Naples is a great itinerary made up of a series of ancient tunnels, chambers, and passages that literally run beneath the city. It boasts the title of «one of the largest underground urban systems in the world» – with over 40 miles of tunnels created by the ancient Greeks and in use ever since.
Developed during the Middle Ages, it became an aqueduct during the Bourbon era, then a system of food and commercial warehouses, and finally, in the 20th century, an air raid shelter. The tourist potential of this hidden Naples was understood in the 1970s, when the first «tours» began, organized mostly by scholars and intellectuals. Ten years later, the first agencies specializing in these tours did work altrady.
Today, access to the Underground Naples route is from Piazza San Gaetano, next to the Basilica of St Paul Maggiore. Opening hours and contact information for further information can be found on the OFFICIAL WEBSITE .
What to see at Underground Naples
The most fascinating stops of Underground Naples are the Roman Theater and the War Museum, but the Co.R.E. Contemporary Art Gallery and the incredible Hypogeum Gardens will also leave you speechless. Finally, visit the Tufello Wine Cellar, where barrels of one of the finest Neapolitan food and wine products are stored.
The Roman Theater consists of the remains of the cavea and corridors of an ancient theater from the Nero era, now so embedded in the foundations of the buildings above that you can climb up to emerge, through a trapdoor, directly into the noble apartments!
The War Museum recalls the anguish and drama of the city’s daily life during the bombings of World War 2. Approximately 40,000 people took refuge in these tunnels, and everyday objects, clothing and vehicles were also stored here. After the war damage, much got lost, but what was saved is now on permanent display – along with uniforms, weapons, and banners.
The spectacular underground garden, on the other hand, is ultra-modern. Created in 2015 for the International Expo, it demonstrates how it is possible to grow crops even 35 meters underground and in the absence of sunlight. Special lamps replace the sun’s rays while the humidity of the caves, kept pure and free of polluting dust, nourishes the soil in which the plants grow. The produce from this garden is excellent paired with Tufello wine!
Finally, a stroll through the Co.R.E Gallery—with futuristic paintings immortalized on the tuff of the ancient caves—introduces you to other subterranean spectacles you shall admire while visiting another unique place in Naples: the subway!
Underground Art
Some Naples subway stations have become fully-fledged underground tourist attractions. Transformed into art masterpieces by visionary architects and artists, they are a sight not to be missed. You will find them on Metro Line 1 (stops: Toledo, Università, Municipio, Duomo, Garibaldi, Mater Dei, Quattro Giornate) and Line 6 (Chiaia and San Pasquale). Preview this marvel by clicking here: https://metroart.anm.it/ .
