A Guide to Naples

The famous city of Naples is located on the Tyrrhenian coast in the southern half of Italy. Its reputation is due to the dominating volcano Vesuvius, which the city lies at the base of. The combination of the views over the gulf of Naples and the rolling hills as a backdrop, make it one of the most captivating townscapes in the whole of Europe. As well as the fabulous landscape Naples has a lot to offer historically and culturally, being the most important port in southern Italy.

The sites include the Piazza Municipio, Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino), the San Carlo Theatre housing fine programs of ballet and opera, the grand Palazzo Reale, Museo Archeologico Nazionale which consists of some of the finest pieces of Greek and Roman sculpture still existing, Piazza del Plebiscito with its Basilica of San Francesco di Paola.

With over 800 churches in Naples you can certainly wet an appetite for ecclesiastical buildings, with the most important being the Monastery of Santa Chiara, the Cathedral with its fine Renaissance chapels, the Monastery of S. Gregorio Armeno, the Church of Santa Brigida, th Church of the Spirito Santo, the Church of Monteoliveto, the Spire of the Immacolata, the Church of San Pietro ad Aram, the Church of San Paolo Maggiore, the Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore.

The artistic quarter of the city is found around the road via San Biagio dei Librai where traditional studios and workshops can be found as well as Palazzo Cuomo, Palazzo Gravina, the Museum of Capodimonte, Castel Sant'Elmo, and Castel dell'Ovo.