Naples

Any visit to Naples should start in its historical centre, which is built around three important streets from the Greek era: the Upper Decumanus, the Greater Decumanus and the Lower Decumanus, also called 'Spaccanapoli' because it divides the city in two. Here you will find a large number of historical palaces, magnificent places of worship (such as the city's cathedral, the Santa Chiara Monumental Complex and the Gesù Nuovo Church), the splendid Bellini Theatre, lively squares but also craft shops, cafés and small shops selling different kinds of food. Joining Spaccanapoli with the Decumano Maggiore is the famous Via San Gregorio Armeno, the 'street of nativity scenes'.

Two other unmissable stops in this area are the Sansevero Chapel, home to the extraordinary 'Veiled Christ', and underground Naples, a complex network of tunnels and cavities carved into the tuff and rich in history and mystery.

Naples has more than 200 ancient stepped footpaths that connect its hills with the historic centre and seafront. The most famous are the Pedamentina, starting from the belvedere near the Castel Sant'Elmo and the Certosa di San Martino, and the salita del Petraio, a long flight of steps flanking colourful buildings.

Museum lovers will particularly appreciate the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, one of the most important archaeological museums in the world, and the picture gallery of the Reggia di Capodimonte.

The Vomero and Chiaia districts are the most elegant in the city and are ideal for shopping and enjoying the Neapolitan movida.

Among the attractions of Naples are its beautiful parks and gardens, which offer green spaces for relaxing walks and bike rides, jogging and family picnics. The most important are:

• Reale Bosco di Capodimonte: a former hunting reserve of the Bourbons, today this natural area is a splendid city park covering 124 hectares. Inside are the Porcelain Factory and the Capuchin Hermitage.
• Villa Floridiana: the park of the villa, home to the Duca di Martina Ceramics Museum, offers a large lawn and some groves where one can cool off on hot days, as well as mock ruins, an open-air theatre and a circular temple of Ionic order.
• Virgiliano Park: located on a hill in the Posillipo district, it is named after Virgil. The view from here is breathtaking.
• Camaldoli Park: even larger than the Capodimonte forest, the Camaldoli park has dozens of chestnut trees and hosts numerous events throughout the year.

Neapolitans and Campania people in general have a strong connection with superstitions and faith. It is therefore not surprising that Naples has many mysterious places linked to the cult of death. One such place is the complex of the catacombs of San Gennaro, an ancient underground cemetery decorated with frescoes, mosaics and sculptures that testify to the faith and devotion of the Neapolitans. Another eerie place is the Cimitero delle Fontanelle, a natural cavern where the skulls and bones of some 40,000 people are preserved. Here, but also in other places in Naples, the cult of the 'anime pezzentelle' was practised, the souls of people without family or identity who sought salvation through the intercession of the living. Finally, there is the Naples Underground, a labyrinth of tunnels, cisterns, underground passages and cavities that stretch for kilometres beneath the historic centre.