3 days walking tour of Naples

What to see in Naples in 3 days? Well, you can see a lot! I made an itinerary with the first 2 days visiting museums and churches and the last day you can chose if go to the archaeological site of Pompeii or to enjoy the Posillipo view.

DAY 1

Start from the Naples train station and take via Poerio, then via Tribunali and reach the Duomo of Naples (Naples Cathedral), widely known as St. Gennaro's Cathedral in honor of St. Januarius, the city's patron saint. It's a Roman Catholic cathedral completed in the early 14th century and inside you can find the Royal chapel of the Treasure of St. Gennaro with many frescoes, the high altar by Francesco Solimena, the bronze railing and many others artworks. In this Cathedral there is a vial containing the dried blood of St. Gennaro and it is brought outside the first Saturday of May and September 19th when the blood liquefies. If that doesn't happen the legend says great disasters will strike Naples. 

Near the Duomo there is the Museum of the Treasure of St. Gennaro where a collection of artworks is kept. The treasure consists in artworks and donations made by Popes, kings and emperors throughout 7 centuries. The ticket to visit the Museum costs 5 euros and you can find more information at the official site of San Gennaro Museum.

Keep walking in Via Tribunali and you will find Napoli sotterranea (Underneath Naples), an underground tour of the city (2 hours, the ticket costs 9,30€. For more information about time and days click here). The tour will take place 40 meters (about 130 feet) underground, in the caves used to extract the tufa of which the city is built. These caves have been used for many purposes since 400 B.C., for example as cult sites, catacombs, or shelter during WWII. The legend says that if you hear someone crying is just Munaciello, a ghost of a monk that sometimes appears in the underground Naples!

After this tour I suggest to take lunch. You must taste a classic Neapolitan pizza in one of the many restaurants or pizzerias in the area. 

After lunch take via Nilo and then via De Sanctis and visit San Domenico Maggiore Church situated in the historic center in a square with the same name. In the square there is an obelisk on the top of which there is a statue of Saint Dominic, erected in 1656. Inside the Church you can admire many frescoes and near the church there is Cappella Sansevero built in 1590. Inside the chapel there are late-Baroque sculptures like the famous Veiled Christ.San Domenico Church is situated in the street known as Spaccanapoli (Naples splitter), a narrow street of Greco-Roman origins.

Take now via Croce, then Calata trinità maggiore and turn left in via Monteoliveto. Proceed in via Medina and you will reach Castel Nuovo known as Maschio Angioino, a medieval castle built in 1279. Inside the castle there is a museum that you can visit with a 5 euros ticket and that will show you some castles chambers and artworks. Proceed in via San Carlo and see the Royal Palace of Naples, one of the residence of Bourbon kings. In 1888 King Umberto I of Savoy had niches be built with statues of kings of dynasties. Go now in via Chiaia and reach Piazza Vittoria where you can take a bus or a metro to go back to the train station. If you have some time left, take a walk along via Caracciolo and enjoy the beautiful panorama!

DAY 2

Today you will start from San Lorenzo Maggiore Church, easily reachable from the train station by underground. Situated in the historical center of the city it's a big church with a museum where you can admire artworks and frescoes of the 13th century. Underground you can see the old Roman and Greek Naples. The ticket to visit the museum costs 9€.
You go then to the Naples National Archaeological Museum, one of the most important museums in Italy with a large collection of Roman artifacts especially from Pompeii and Herculaneum. The museum was built in the 1750s and has a great collection of marbles, bronzes and mosaics as well as Egyptian artifacts. The ticket costs 8€ and they close on Tuesday. After visiting the museum you take the underground and reach Castel Sant'Elmo a medieval fortress and it's now a
museum that you can visit with a 5€ ticket.
Take now the underground and stop at Toledo and keep walking in via Toledo until you reach Teatro San Carlo, the famous opera house opened in 1737. With a 6 euros ticket you can take a tour.

Take now via Cesario Console, then via Giordano and reach Castel dell'ovo (egg castle), the oldest fortification in Naples, situated in the Megaride peninsula. Its name comes from a a legend about a Roman poet, considered a sorcerer. The legend says that Virgil put an egg as a foundation to support the castle and if the egg had been broken, the
castle would be destroyed and disasters would strike Naples. It is open from 09.30 to 19.30 and the entrance is free.

DAY 3

The last day you can chose to visit Pompeii or Capri or to visit Posillipo Hill, a residential area in Naples from where you can enjoy a wonderful view.You can reach it from the train station or from any metro station taking metro n.2 to Mergellina stop. From there take the funicular to reach Posillipo enjoying the panorama while moving. This area is residential so there aren't many attraction, but you can take a walk looking at the panorama. Across the Gulf of Naples you can see Mt. Vesuvius. There are also many restaurants. If you want to visit some attraction i recommend you the Posillipo Archaeological Park, reacheable from Viale Virgilio intresting for its history and views. You can see the Grotta di Seiano an artificial 770 meters long tunnel that passes through a hill, at the end of which there is an archaeological area with an ancient villa and the remains of Odeion, an ancient theater.