Neighbourhoods
Historic Centre and Spaccanapoli
Naples · Campania
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Neighbourhoods
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Naples · Campania
- DURATION
- 2 days
ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION
The historic centre of Naples is the largest UNESCO-listed old town in Europe, a dense grid of Greek-Roman streets layered with medieval, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, and alive with the street life that defines the city. The Spaccanapoli is the straight street that splits the centre in two, the decumanus of the Greek city, now a narrow lane of churches, palazzi, workshops and cafés that is the best single walk in Naples. Along it stand the church of Santa Chiara with its cloister of majolica tiles, the Gesù Nuovo, the Duomo and the Sansevero Chapel with the Veiled Christ, one of the most astonishing sculptures in Italy. Walking the Spaccanapoli is to walk through the whole layered history of the city in a single morning.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The story behind it
Naples was founded by the Greeks in the 7th century BC as Neapolis, the “new city”, on a grid plan of three decumani crossed by cardines that still underlies the historic centre. The Romans, the Byzantines, the Normans, the Angevins, the Aragonese, the Spanish and the Bourbons each added a layer, and the Spaccanapoli — the lower decumanus — remained the spine through them all. The churches along it were built and rebuilt across those centuries: Santa Chiara in the 14th century, the Gesù Nuovo in the 16th, the Sansevero Chapel in the 18th. The historic centre was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 for the survival of its street plan and its layered architecture across 25 centuries.
WHAT TO SEE
What to see here
The Spaccanapoli — the straight Greek-Roman street that splits the centre, the best single walk in Naples.
Santa Chiara and its cloister — the 14th-century church with the majolica-tiled cloister, the most peaceful space in the centre.
The Sansevero Chapel — the 18th-century chapel with Giuseppe Sanmartino’s Veiled Christ, the most astonishing sculpture in the city.
The Duomo — the cathedral of Naples, with the Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro and the miracle of the saint’s blood.
The Gesù Nuovo — the 15th-century palace turned Baroque church, its diamond-cut façade unmistakable.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
The historic centre is the Naples that most defines the city — the dense, layered, living old town that holds its whole history in a walkable grid. It is the largest UNESCO old town in Europe, and the one where the street life of the city is most visible, because the centre is still a working neighbourhood rather than a museum. For a visitor, walking the Spaccanapoli is the single most direct way to understand what Naples is.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
MAP & LOCATION
Historic Centre and Spaccanapoli
Historic Centre and Spaccanapoli, Naples, Campania, Italy
40.8489, 14.2639
MORE ATTRACTIONS
More to see in Naples
%22%2F%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%22600%22%20cy%3D%22300%22%20r%3D%2290%22%20fill%3D%22%23c8a06a%22%20opacity%3D%220.35%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M0%20620%20L300%20420%20L520%20560%20L760%20360%20L1000%20540%20L1200%20460%20L1200%20800%20L0%20800%20Z%22%20fill%3D%22%23a97c50%22%20opacity%3D%220.22%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M0%20700%20L260%20540%20L480%20640%20L720%20500%20L980%20620%20L1200%20560%20L1200%20800%20L0%20800%20Z%22%20fill%3D%22%2320241f%22%20opacity%3D%220.14%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
THINGS TO DO
Things to do nearby
FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele — the most famous pizzeria in Naples, the birthplace of the margherita, since 1870
Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo — the celebrated pizzeria on the Via dei Tribunali, queues around the block
Trattoria da Nennella — a boisterous trattoria in the Spanish Quarter for honest Neapolitan cooking
Trattoria San Ferdinando — a refined trattoria near the Royal Palace for classic Neapolitan dishes
Pintauro — the historic fry-shop on the Via Toledo, for cuoppo and fried street food since 1750
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Grand Hotel Vesuvio — a grand seafront hotel with views of the bay and Vesuvius, since 1882
Romeo Hotel — a design hotel by the harbour, with a rooftop pool and bay views
Hotel Piazza Bellini — a boutique hotel in the historic centre, in a 16th-century building
Hotel Costantinopoli 104 — a charming garden hotel near the National Museum, good value
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
Continue the journey
INTERESTS
Explore by what you love
PART OF
Keep exploring
The atlas goes on — more attractions, destinations and stories from every corner of the world.