Naples

Naples is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. In fact, there are numerous attractions that the city offers its visitors. Its thousand-year history has left on its territory numerous monuments and historical and artistic evidence of great value, the beauty of its sea and its landscape, the delicacies of its cuisine and the warmth of its people, then, make a trip to Naples a unique and exciting experience. 

But what are the main destinations of an ideal tour in Naples?

First of all, you absolutely must take the classic walk to the Centro Storico (Historical Center). Start from Piazza del Gesù to admire the beautiful baroque church of the Jesuits, embellished by the works of Giovanni Lanfranco and Massimo Stanzione and then, just opposite, continue to the Basilica of Santa Chiara, the church built by the Angevins as their mausoleum, where inside you will find the tombs of King Robert of Anjou, his son Charles, Duke of Calabria and other members of the illustrious family, made by the most famous sculptors of the time. Your excursion continues along Spaccanapoli to visit other important monuments such as the Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore where the famous Flagellation by Caravaggio was once kept, now in Capodimonte. A temple of culture where intellectuals  such as Tommaso d’Aquino and Giordano Bruno studied. Going straight on, then, you will find yourself in Via Duomo, where there is the Cathedral of the city, an authentic treasure chest of inestimable value. Among the many wonders, the Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro, where the relics of the patron saint of the city are kept, an authentic masterpiece of Baroque Art, decorated with works by Giovanni Lanfranco, Domenichino, Jusepe de Ribera and Giuliano Finelli. In front of the Chapel of the Treasure, there is the Basilica of Santa Restituta, the oldest in the city, founded in the fourth century AD. After completing your tour of the Duomo, return to the center, this time taking Via dei Tribunali to reach Piazza San Gaetano where there are two beautiful churches, San Lorenzo Maggiore and San Paolo Maggiore. On the left you will find Via San Gregorio Armeno, the famous street of the masters of the crib, who have immortalized with their art all the most important characters of the Neapolitan society and not only: from artists such as of Pino Daniele and Massimo Troisi, to the most illustrious personalities of international politics such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs Luigi di Maio and the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden. After eating a nice sfogliatella, a good coffee and the classic pizza “a portafoglio” (as a wallet), continue towards Piazza Dante to take Via Toledo, one of the busiest streets of the city. Via Toledo will lead you straight to the sea, but along the way you will come across other places of interest: Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano, where Caravaggio's The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula is kept, Galleria Umberto, an icon of Belle Époque of Naples and above all the splendid setting of Piazza del Plebiscito. Here face two of the most important monuments of Naples, the Royal Palace, designed by the famous architect Domenico Fontana and symbol of the power of the Spanish viceroyalty and the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, built in the Bourbon era on the example of the Pantheon in Rome. From Piazza del Plebiscito begin your walk towards Mergellina, without forgetting of course to take a look at the Maschio Angioino, a monument that represents the power of two prestigious dynasties that ruled Naples: the Angevins and the Aragonese. Here is the seat of the Civic Museum of Castelnuovo, rich in testimonies that tell the various historical phases of the city. When you reach the sea, walk along Via Caracciolo and enjoy the spectacular seascape framed by Vesuvius and Castel dell'Ovo, the oldest castle in Naples, built on the tufa island of Megaride in the first century BC, in the heart of ancient Partenope. But if you want to learn more about the history of Naples and want to admire other masterpieces of Neapolitan art, we recommend that you visit at least three of the many museums in the city.

The first is the Certosa e Museo di San Martino (Charterhouse and Museum of San Martino) which dominates the city with the adjacent Castel Sant'Elmo from the hill of Sant'Erasmo, on the extreme offshoot of the Vomero district. Here you must absolutely visit the church, an authentic masterpiece of Baroque art, decorated by the most important artists of the time: Massimo Stanzione, Battistello Caracciolo, Jusepe de Ribera, Giovanni Lanfranco, Cosimo Fanzago and Giuseppe Sanmartino, to name but the most important. Take a walk in the ancient cloisters of the monastic complex built starting in 1325 and, above all, visit the Museum which houses finds of all kinds. There is everything: historical cribs, elegant and ancient carriages, the royal vessels of the Bourbons and Savoy and precious coats of arms. And then a roundup of paintings, sculptures and works of minor arts that illustrate the events of Neapolitan history through the centuries. We also remind you that from San Martino you can enjoy a wonderful view that embraces the entire gulf of Naples.

Then it's the turn of the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte (Museum and Real Bosco of Capodimonte), one of the most important museums in the world. The colossal structure built at the behest of the Bourbons houses thousands of works of art: from the paintings of the Farnese Collection, which includes works by Carracci, Lanfranco, Parmigianino and El Greco, to the collection of Neapolitan art that covers 5 centuries of Neapolitan history with masterpieces by Simone Martini, Caravaggio, Luca Giordano, Francesco Solimena and Mattia Preti. Finally, the prestigious Collection of Contemporary Art and the section dedicated to 19th century painting make your visit to the Capodimonte Museum even more comprehensive and satisfying. 

The last stop on your ideal tour of Naples is the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (National Archaeological Museum of Naples) - MANN- which, with its imposing building, rises majestically along Via Foria, near Piazza Cavour. At the MANN are preserved many masterpieces of ancient sculpture such as the Doriforo of Policleto, the Hercules Farnese, the Tyrannicides, and numerous paintings from the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum. And then a rich collection of Egyptian Art, a collection of precious coins and many other treasures that will allow you to make a real journey into antiquity. 

In short, if you are in Vico Equense, it is really worth to travel the 38 kilometers that separate it from Naples to enjoy all the wonders we have listed.

But how to reach Naples from Vico Equense?

By car, leave Vico Equense and head towards Castellammare di Stabia to take the A3 highway and exit at NAPOLI - S. Giovanni a Teduccio or NAPOLI - Porto - Via Marina.

By train take the Circumvesuviana, Naples-Sorrento line, direction Naples, in the stations of Vico Equense, Scrajo or Sejano and get off at the station of Napoli Centrale (Piazza Garibaldi).