Sightseeing in Naples - what to see. Complete travel guide

The city is widely known as a popular holiday destination, so life doesn’t stop here day and night, and there are always so many visitors in this place at any time of a year. Many people call Naples the capital of art and architecture because of a huge number of museums and historical monuments.

The National Museum, which was founded in the 18th century, is the most famous cultural facility of the city. It exhibits a large collection of ancient art items. The first floor of the museum is entirely devoted to sculpture, and the second one features beautiful paintings and mosaics.

The central part of the city is the location of Piazza del Plebiscito Square. Here is located St. Francis Cathedral. It was founded in the honor of the fall of Napoleon and is considered one of the most important sacred places of Italy. You will also find another important architectural place of interest nearby - the Royal Palace, which construction was finished in 1600. Castel dell'Ovo Castle founded by the Romans is another notable architectural site of this city. Today the castle stores the exhibition of the Museum of Ancient History and a large collection of archaeological findings. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

When it comes to entertainments, to the service of the guests of the city are opened numerous restaurants and cafes. If you visit Naples in May, then you should certainly take part in a major culinary competition - the Festival of pizza. Nightlife lovers will certainly find much interesting in Piazza Sannazzaro, San Pasquale di Chiaia and Lungomare Mergellina districts as best nightclubs of the city are located there. Gourmet travellers simply cannot leave this city without visiting Brandi pizzeria at least once. This is the oldest pizzeria in the city. If you seek best Italian pasta, then you will find it in Da Umberto restaurant. Finally, don’t forget about Bar Mexico restaurant that serves wonderful Naples coffee. If you want to shop, go to Umberto Gallery - the largest shopping center of the city.

Naples visitors will have the opportunity to explore a unique archaeological area - the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. It was founded in the 6th century BC and existed for only 500 years. The prosperous city was completely destroyed as a result of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Its ruins were discovered in the 18th century. Under a thick layer of ash, researchers found the ruins of ancient buildings, whose age is more than 2,5 thousand years. The entire territory of the ancient city was officially declared a national park.

A unique monument of architecture is the Cappella Sansevero valuable for its unique interior decoration. The founder of this temple is John Francesco di Sangro, the duke who has miraculously recovered from a serious illness. After recovering, he decided to build a magnificent temple in gratitude to the holy Virgin. Its construction was completed in the second half of the 18th century. Today, the chapel can offer wonderful frescoes and sculptures, as well as valuable marbles used for interior decoration.

A very unusual attraction is the religious complex of Santa Chiara. Its central object is a monastery founded back in the 14th century. Today, the complex accommodates an archaeological museum and a small cemetery where representatives of the noble Anjou dynasty are buried. During the Second World War, many historical monuments were destroyed but subsequently restored in strict accordance with the original designs by 1953. Today the complex is attractive for its chic decoration. Very beautiful hand-painted tiles were used for lining buildings and decorative columns.

Tourists who prefer walks in historical places would find it interesting to visit Castel Sant'Elmo located on a hilltop. The castle was built on the site of an old destroyed church in the early Middle Ages. The last major rebuilding of the castle took place in the 16th century. Since then, the castle has remained practically unchanged. Today the castle that survived many major battles is surrounded by a large landscaped garden. While walking through the castle you can go to observation platforms offering visitors a wonderful panoramic view of the city and Mount Vesuvius.