Napoli Sotterranea
A network of Greek and Roman cisterns and tunnels 40 meters underground, used as air-raid shelters during World War II. Follow a guide through narrow passages lit by candles.
Beneath Naples lies an underground network that stretches for hundreds of kilometers. It includes quarries the Greeks dug for tuff to build the city, Roman aqueducts and cisterns, and, in World War II, air-raid shelters. The “Napoli Sotterranea” tour starts at the entrance on Piazza San Gaetano and descends 40 meters underground to see the ancient cisterns and air-raid shelter remains. One section is so narrow you must pass through sideways, and you proceed by candlelight. The tour also visits Roman theater ruins hidden beneath private homes. Tours must be joined with a guide and last about 1.5 hours. English-language sessions are available, and admission is about €15. Visitors who are claustrophobic may skip the narrow passages. Other underground routes, such as Galleria Borbonica, are also available.
Opening hours
Daily 10:00 am–6:00 pm; guided tours on the hour
Nearby sights
- Via San Gregorio Armeno
- Sansevero Chapel
- Naples Cathedral
- Santa Chiara Monastery
- Naples National Archaeological Museum
- Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino)
- Galleria Umberto I
- Quartieri Spagnoli