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Visit Naples in one day

Naples from above

An itinerary to discover the historic center of Naples, and beyond, with walks and breathtaking views.

The itinerary that leads into heart of ancient Naples starts from a very suggestive place, the Vomero, and catapults the tourist in the middle of the city ​​center through the historical Scale della Pedamentina.

It is one of the most particular routes you can do in the city in a day just because it starts from the top, allowing you to admire the center of Naples from an exceptional perspective, and leads into the middle of the alleys and main streets of the oldest parts of Partenope.

You can admire them crib shops, the oldest theater in Europe, i castles, shopping streets and much more.

Below, all the details of this wonderful itinerary.

1

A walk that starts from the top

from Vomero to the historical center with Pedamentina

This evocative itinerary starts from upper part of Vomero. To get there, starting from Piazza Garibaldi, just use the 1 metro line to get off at Vanvitelli stop, in one of the busiest squares in the elegant district, and take a short walk along Via Scarlatti to Via Morghen. Here are the stairs, also mobile, which lead into the even higher up to Largo San Martino where it is enjoyed more complete and fascinating view on the ancient center of Naples. The look follows all Spaccanapoli and widens, with a view that offers unforgettable views, even coming up to the sea. In San Martino there is the homonymous one chartreuse, one of the most beautiful examples of the Neapolitan Baroque, and the Castel Sant'Elmo with his arms terrace.

From this widening leave the Pedamentina stairs, one of the ancient pedestrian paths of Naples that connect the upper part with the lower part of the city. You can start a nice and pleasant walk along i 414 steps that arrive at Corso Vittorio Emanuele, along the gardens and gardens of the Certosa that unravel along the hill. Once you reach the Corso, where the stairs seem to stop, just walk left and after a few minutes you will find on the right the Montesanto stairs which arrive near the Funicular station of the same name, in the old town center.

Pedamentina in Naples

2

In the beating heart of Naples

at the end of the stairs, a dip in the Pignasecca up to the Galleria Umberto I, via Toledo

Once at the destination, from the Montesanto station area you can reach the famous via Toledo crossing the feature Pignasecca. This is a truly folkloric road, with a colorful market full of stalls with fish, fruit, clothing, CDs and much more, which are often an irradiation of shops and shops that are on the road. Going through it all comes out in Piazza Salvo d'Acquisto, more known as Piazza Carità, which leads directly onto Via Toledo, one of the famous shopping streets of the city. You will find shops of clothing, telephony, watches, the famous shop of umbrellas craft Talarico, bar and the unmissable Station of the Art of Toledo. It was considered the most beautiful in Europe with its dozens of varieties of blue, the long cone that reaches deep below sea level and the mosaics of Kentridge.
Towards the end of via Toledo you will come across the Galleria Umberto I, a must see not only because it is a fascinating monumental structure in Liberty style, but also because it is full of shops such as the prestigious Barbaro.

Via Toledo in Naples

3

A look at the oldest theater in Europe

from the Teatro San Carlo to Piazza del Plebiscito, with a coffee break at the famous Gambrinus

Coming out of the Galleria Umberto I and coming back on via Toledo, which along the way it runs along the typical Spanish Quarters, a maze of intricate uphill streets where the most authentic part of Naples lives, you get in a few minutes in Piazza Trieste and Trento. From here you can also admire one side of the prestigious San Carlo Theater, the so-called Massimo Napoletano and the oldest theater in Europe, where important performances are staged every year and concerts and famous operas are held. This is also the right area for one coffee break in the famous Caffè Gambrinus, historical bar of Naples in Liberty style furnished with 800 works and statues, or at the Professor's Café.
After the relaxing coffee break, you can arrive in the adjacent Piazza del Plebiscito, one of the most important squares of Naples and also a symbol of the city in the world. THE'visual impact is unforgettable and on one of the sides there is the Royal Palace, while in front there is the large Basilica of San Francesco da Paola.

San Carlo Theater in Naples

4

Arrival in the new Piazza Municipio

before returning to the subway, it is impossible to miss the beautiful Maschio Angioino

Returning to Piazza Trieste and Trento and taking Via San Carlo, you will be able to see the homonymous Theater more closely by coming in Piazza Municipio, where stands the City Hall of Naples and there is the beautiful Fountain of Neptune. Crossing the square you will arrive at the Castel Nuovo or Maschio Angioino, medieval and renaissance castle, also a symbol of the city and that reigns over the whole square. After this walk, you can take the underground in Piazza Municipio and get off at Piazza Dante to continue with a visit to the historic center.

Piazza Municipio in Naples

5

Between ancient excavations and historic monumental churches

the walk continues among the squares and the most important churches of Naples

From Piazza Dante, with the statue of the homonymous poet, it is sufficient to cross thearch of Port'Alba, one of the ancient ways of access to the city, to find yourself in Piazza Bellini with the small corner of Greek-Roman excavations. Going down Via San Sebastiano, with the many shops of musical instruments, we arrive at the Complex of Santa Chiara, with its beautiful Maiolicato Cloister. Not far away is Piazza del Gesù Nuovo with the obelisk of the Immaculate. Impossible not to visit the Church of the Gesù, whose interiors are one of the most important examples of baroque in Naples. Returning to Santa Chiara and continuing you will arrive in Piazza San Domenico Maggiore with the homonymous Basilica. A visit that we recommend on this path is the one to the famous nearby Veiled Christ, famous all over the world for its extraordinary nature, located in the Palazzo Sansevero with many other unmissable works of art.
In addition, along this route there are many rotisserie, bars and pizzerias for a quick lunch.

Top view of the Church of Santa Chiara in Naples

6

In the street of the cribs famous all over the world

from San Gregorio Armano to the monumental Duomo

The route from Piazza del Gesù to Piazza San Domenico Maggiore is located along the famous Spaccanapoli and, continuing from the second square on Via San Biagio dei Librai (Decumano Inferiore) it will cross the via dei Presepi San Gregorio Armeno. A must is a tour of the artisan shops with the handmade shepherds before coming out on via dei Tribunali, which corresponds to the Decumano Maggiore. On this road there are the Conservatory of San Pietro a Majella, Underground Naples, the Church of San Paolo Maggiore and the Basilica of San Lorenzo. Going on it crosses Via Duomo, a street full of museums that takes its name from the Duomo, inside which there is also an ancient paleochristian baptistery. If you have time, you can visit the adjacent Museum of the Treasure of San Gennaro. To end the tour you can easily return to Piazza Garibaldi by subway from Piazza Cavour.

Via San Gregorio Armeno in Naples