Naples is the largest and most important city in Southern Italy, with a remarkable history spanning almost 3000 years. A palimpsest of various civilisations, from the Ancient Greeks to the Romans, the Normans to the Spanish Empire, the city has developed a distinct personality and a wealth of uniquely Neapolitan cultural traditions. Its vast Centro Storico is best explored on foot, and our comprehensive full-day tour is a great way to peel back the layers of the city. Making your way through its narrow streets with the help of your local expert guide, you’ll learn the stories behind its many churches, its beautiful baroque buildings and its lively piazzas, getting a feel for what makes the city special.
On your private tour, you will:
- Meet your local guide in the heart of the historic centre of Naples, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site;
- Soak up the atmosphere of the Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, and visit the church it is named after, a site deeply tied to Neapolitan culture and history;
- Pass by the colourful church of Santa Chiara and learn how it has evolved from the 14th Century to the present day;
- Make your way along the famous Via Spaccanapoli, a long, narrow street that divides the city into two;
- Discover the majestic Piazza San Domenico Maggiore and see the Basilica di San Domenico, a masterpiece of Gothic and Baroque architecture;
- Step inside the spectacular Sansevero chapel and admire its intricate rococo artwork, including the statue of the Veiled Christ, by Giuseppe Sanmartino;
- Explore Piazza San Gaetano, the city’s oldest square, and hear how it started as a Greek Agora and later a Roman Forum;
- Visit Naples Cathedral and hear about San Gennaro, the city’s beloved patron saint;
- Take in the vast Piazza del Plebiscito and the ornate Royal Palace and hear about the influence of the Bourbon Kings and how Naples was once the capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies;
- Stop at the legendary Gran Caffè Gambrinus, a historic coffee house that has hosted illustrious guests including Oscar Wilde, Hemingway, and Sartre;
- Conclude your tour outside the Castel Nuovo, an impressive medieval fortress that was the political and military heart of Naples for centuries.
Set off on a full-day private walking tour that reveals Naples through the eyes of a local expert who understands its history, its quirks, and the deep-rooted cultural traditions that shape everyday life. Your journey begins in Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, the gateway to the city’s UNESCO-listed historic centre. Here, your guide introduces you to the striking Gesù Nuovo Church, whose unusual façade and intriguing past offer the perfect introduction to Naples’ complex identity. From there, you continue to Santa Chiara, a landmark whose evolution from a 14th-century religious complex to its current form, the result of an extensive restoration after the bombings of WWII, reflects the city’s ability to continually reinvent itself. Stepping onto the famed Via Spaccanapoli, the long, narrow street that quite literally splits the old city in two, you’ll feel the layered history of Naples at every turn. You’ll make your way to Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, framed by elegant palaces and crowned by the basilica where the Gothic and Baroque styles beautifully intertwine. Nearby, the Church of Sant’Angelo a Nilo adds yet another thread to the city’s richly woven past.
A visit to the Sansevero Chapel offers one of the day’s most unforgettable moments. Inside, you’ll have the option to admire its extraordinary Rococo decoration and the renowned Veiled Christ, a breathtaking sculpture that seems to defy the limits of marble. Continuing through the heart of the historic centre, arrive at Piazza San Gaetano, the city’s oldest square, whose roots reach back to the era of ancient Greek settlers and the later Roman Forum. Your route then leads to Naples Cathedral, where your guide shares the story of San Gennaro, the city’s revered patron saint, whose legacy continues to shape Neapolitan traditions.
After a pause for lunch, when your guide will gladly suggest authentic local spots suited to your taste (lunch not included), you make your way toward the grander, more monumental side of Naples. You’ll discover the immense Piazza del Plebisicito flanked by colonnades and the ornate Royal Palace, reminders of the Bourbon rulers and the city’s role as the capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. You'll delve further into Naples’ cultural life with a stop outside the legendary Gran Caffè Gambrinus, where artists, writers, and intellectuals once gathered over espresso and enriching conversation. The day concludes down by the port at the impressive Castel Nuovo, the medieval fortress that has witnessed centuries of political intrigue, royal processions, and military campaigns.
By the end of this immersive walking tour, you’ll have peeled back the many layers of Naples, its architecture, its faith, its legends, and its unmistakable character, guided by a passionate local who brings the city’s past and present to life at every step.
