Piazza San Gaetano, Spanish Quarters, Rione Sanità
Naples Underground Skip-the-Line Ticket and Guided Tour
Catacombs of Naples Entry Tickets & Guided Tour
Catacombs of San Gaudioso Entry Tickets & Guided Tour
San Lorenzo Maggiore & Neapolis Sotterrata Tickets
Tunnels, ruins, catacombs
1.5-2 hours per site
Over 1.5 million collectively
Infants, people with major mobility issues
Naples Underground is more than a series of subterranean passages, it's a hidden part of the city's history. There are five main sites you can access. The Napoli Sotterranea and the Spanish Quarters Underground are manmade tunnels that hold integral parts of the aqueducts and cisterns that supplied the city with water, as well as bomb shelters during the Second World War. Neapolis Sotterrata are the ruins of a Roman marketplace beneath the San Lorenzo Maggiore Basilica. The Catacombs of San Gennaro and San Gaudioso are burial sites where early Christians found sanctuary and expressed their faith through intricate frescoes and mosaics. Here's what you can expect to see inside each of them.
This authorized route beneath Piazza San Gaetano tells an exciting story, starting from Greek tuff quarrying to innovative hypogeum gardens.
The Graeco-Roman theater, also known as the Theater of Nerone, connects visitors to a typical Neapolitan apartment. From here, you can view the rooms once used by Emperor Nero as his private dressing room.
The underground tunnel networks were used as a bomb shelter by close to 40,000 people, during the Second World War. The Underground Naples War Museum collects and preserves documents and objects relating to the war, including bunk beds, forgotten weapons, and war machinery.
At the entrance of the Naples Underground, you will find the Co.R.E. Gallery, a contemporary art gallery. Visiting the museum offers the opportunity to discover the most talented and innovative artists in contemporary art research.
The warm temperatures and humidity inside the tunnels coupled with accumulated water from those cisterns have grown some interesting foliage 35 meters below the ground. It was established during Expo Milano, 2015, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”, with the sole motive of checking if plants can grow in such inhospitable conditions.
A unique wine produced in the tuffaceous cavities of Underground Naples, the Tufello Wine is a must-try while you are in Naples. The tuffaceous rock acts as a natural insulator, creating a temperature and humidity that is ideal for aging wine. This process results in a wine with a distinct flavor and aroma.
A set of tunnels beneath a historic neighborhood that shows the expansion of the Neapolis Aqueduct, and cultural changes during rapid urbanization.
Dug more than 2,500 years ago, these were used to store and supply water in the past. Sewer tunnels, rainwater harvesting cisterns, and water caverns are common sightings inside the Neapolitan tunnels.
Part of the Neapolis Aqueduct was converted into air raid shelters during the war. The preserved artifacts and graffiti offer poignant insights into life at that time.
The underground tunnels were originally excavated as quarries for tuff, a volcanic stone used in building Naples. These vast cavities highlight the city's architectural foundations.
Unpack layers of history at these underground ruins, from the Greek agora to the Roman macellum and the Christian church built atop them.
Find everything from taverns to treasuries lining the structured roads and forum 10 meters underground.
The Swabian cloister lies in the lower right corner, leading to the grand Sixtus V room, once a friars' refectory. Luigi Rodriguez's early 17th-century frescoes adorn the vaults, exuding an austere yet captivating ambiance.
The new museum, which spans three floors above the courtyard, chronicles San Lorenzo's history, from classical archaeology to charts of historic shipping routes linking Naples to Magna Grecia and the Roman Empire.
Discover early Christian frescoes and richly decorated tombs at these Catacombs situated in the Rione Sanità.
San Gaudioso
Created in the 5th-6th century, it is the oldest depiction of the Virgin Mary in Campania.
San Gaudioso
Noble and clergy tombs followed an interesting process: skulls were showcased within ambulatory walls, while their bodies were frescoed, often adorned in attire and tools symbolizing their status. It was often painted for free by Giovanni Balducci in order to secure himself an aristocratic burial.
San Gaudioso
This painting depicts Pascentius at the time of his death being welcomed by the Apostle Peter and other saints.
San Gennaro
The grand lower vestibule, with soaring 6-meter-high ceilings, features a magnificent baptismal font commissioned by Bishop Paul II, who sought refuge in the Catacombs of San Gennaro during the 8th-century iconoclastic conflicts.
San Gennaro
This crypt holds the tombs of the city’s bishops, vivid frescoes, and mosaics honoring early Christian leaders.
Each group’s contributions collectively shaped Naples Underground into the complex and historic network it is today.
The Naples Underground is an integral part of the Historic Centre of Naples, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. This recognition highlights the cultural, historical, and architectural significance of the underground structures as part of the city's long history. Key aspects of this recognition include:
The Naples Underground is unique because it reflects over 2,500 years of continuous use, starting with Greek quarrying, Roman aqueducts, and early Christian burial sites, to Spanish-era cisterns and WWII bomb shelters. Its layers mirror the city's complex history and evolution.
The tunnels and subterranean storage systems of the Naples Underground reach a depth of up to 40 meters beneath the city's surface.
The Catacombs of San Gennaro and San Gaudioso were specifically used as Christian burial and worship sites, featuring frescoes and mosaics that reflect early Christian art. In contrast, most other underground spaces served civic, military, or residential purposes.
Many parts of the underground, such as Napoli Sotterranea and the Spanish Quarters, were repurposed as air-raid shelters. Thousands of residents sought refuge here during Allied bombings, leaving behind graffiti and artifacts that capture wartime life.
At the Neapolis Sotterrata, you can see a preserved Roman macellum (marketplace), complete with shops and storage areas, offering insights into the commercial and social life of ancient Neapolis.
The underground provided water through cisterns and aqueducts, acted as a refuge during wars, and influenced burial practices through catacombs. It was an essential part of the city's infrastructure, connecting directly to homes and shaping daily routines. Learn more about the history of the Naples Underground here.
Rediscovery required extensive excavation due to centuries of urban development burying these sites. Preservation has involved balancing historical authenticity with modern safety requirements to ensure these fragile spaces remain accessible to the public.
