Summer Jazz at Monte Echia: three evenings on Naples's scenic overlook

Mount Echia, the promontory on which Parthenope was born, is transformed into an open-air stage. From 16th July the panoramic terrace of the BA-Bar hosts Summer Jazz, the new festival promoted by BA-B/ART with the patronage of Municipality 1 of the City of Naples. Three Thursdays in July, enjoy great music overlooking the most beautiful gulf in the world, in a setting that combines millennia of history and breathtaking views.

Summer Jazz: the program of three events

The festival is divided into three evenings, all on Thursdays, with duos ranging from soul-jazz to contemporary jazz. It begins on 16th July with the Soulconnection Duo, formed by Arianna Sannino under the heading e Igor Di Martino on guitar. A combination that blends soulful atmospheres with jazz improvisation, perfect for a summer evening al fresco on the panoramic terrace. The warmth of Sannino's voice and Di Martino's refined touch promise to create an intimate and welcoming atmosphere, ideal for those looking to start the summer with the right soundtrack.

Il 23th July It's the turn of the Araya Project: on stage Enrico Valanzuolo with trumpet and flugelhorn, accompanied by Francesco Fabiani on guitar. A duo exploring the most contemporary sounds of jazz, from original compositions to reinterpretations of international standards. Valanzuolo's trumpet intertwines with Fabiani's strings in a close dialogue that promises to astonish the audience, bringing the atmosphere of the most innovative jazz to the Monte Echia viewpoint.

To close the review, the 30th July, will be the sonance, with Mattia Di Nunzio on alto sax and Alberto Cannavale on guitar. Two musicians bring a musical dialogue to Pizzofalcone hill, made of enveloping sounds and refined interplay. The saxophone blends with the guitar in a sonic embrace that closes the month of July with just the right elegance. All events are held at the BA-Bar Monte Echia, in Climb Monte Echia 36, a stone's throw from the Santa Lucia district and the lift that takes you directly from the seafront to the hill.

Monte Echia, a stage suspended between history and panorama

It's no coincidence that BA-B/ART chose this location for its summer festival. Monte Echia is not only one of the most spectacular viewpoints in Naples, with its view stretching from Vesuvius in Capri, passing through Borgo Marinari and the Caracciolo seafront. It is also the place where it all began: here stood Parthenope, the first nucleus of the city founded by Greek colonists around the 9th century BC On the top of the promontory are the remains of the Villa of Licinius Lucullus, while during the viceroyal period the area was enriched with noble palaces and the famous Pizzofalcone Ramps, which still today connect the historic center with the seafront.

Today, thanks to the Monte Echia lift finally opened to the public, the viewpoint is accessible to all: just enter from via Santa Lucia 128 to ascend in just a few seconds to one of the city's most evocative panoramic points. Breathing the air of this hill means walking on the stone from which Naples was born, a place that holds millennia of history. It's no coincidence that in recent months, the Teatro San Carlo he had chosen this very setting for a concert of the Maggio dei Monumenti, as told in this article dedicated to the event on Monte Echia, confirming the extraordinary acoustics and timeless charm of the place.

Pizzofalcone Hill can also be reached on foot through the narrow streets of Montedidio, a route that offers glimpses of Naples still untouched by mass tourism. Walking down after the concert, you'll be immersed in an authentic neighborhood filled with traditional taverns, artisans' voices, and the aromas of home cooking, lending the evening an even more authentic and Neapolitan feel.

BA-B/ART and the Summer Jazz festival

Summer Jazz is just the latest initiative from BA-B/ART, the concept behind BA-Bar Monte Echia, which combines art, music, and quality entertainment. The event is part of the program “Good start”, a permanent cultural program created by the Tourism and Culture Commission of the Municipality 1, which aims to enhance Naples' historic center through widespread, high-quality events. The goal is to create a bridge between the enhancement of historical heritage and contemporary cultural offerings, restoring spaces worth experiencing to residents and tourists.

Access to the panoramic terrace is free, and the BA-Bar's opening hours, open Monday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, allow you to enjoy a sunset aperitif before being swept away by the music. An experience that combines the pleasure of listening to music with the discovery of one of the city's oldest and most fascinating venues. For jazz lovers, the Neapolitan summer offers several opportunities: from the fourteenth edition of Pompeii Inn Jazz, with free concerts from 16 to 18 July, at the festivals of Palazzo Caracciolo, passing through the concerts in the historic villas of the Golden Mile, as told on the page dedicated to the concerts in Naples.

Summer Jazz at Monte Echia fits into this rich calendar with an intimate, intimate program strongly rooted in the region. It's neither a loud nor crowded event: it's the perfect venue for those seeking an evening of quality music, in a setting that has been alive with music for millennia. Bringing jazz to where the sea meets the rock and history becomes a landscape is perhaps the best way to honor a musical tradition that has found one of its warmest and most welcoming homes in Naples.