More about: Top 5 Underground Tours in Naples
Naples has an entire city hidden beneath the ground. A tour of its cisterns, tunnels and wells makes this a truly unique attraction in the city. If you’re wondering what to do in Naples, I recommend including a tour of its underground world and embarking on this journey through 2,400 years of history.
1. Tour of the Bourbon Galleries in Naples: a fascinating underground tunnel
Whilst there are many tours and excursions in Naples, some travellers are more curious and want to explore the city from end to end. This tour is ideal for such travellers, as they will be able to explorethe Bourbon Galleries.
This tunnel was built in 1853 by Francis II of Bourbon, who was deeply concerned about an impending rebellion and decided to order the construction of an escape route from the Royal Palace to the Barracks on what was then Via della Pace.
You can explore this tunnel, steeped in history and atmosphere, which was never completed but which, throughout history, has been used by different people for different purposes. It served as a military hospital, a World War II shelter and even a judicial detention centre.
This tour is captivating and, at times, heart-wrenching, as you can still see inscriptions with handwritten messages of hope and despair left by all those who have lived there.
In the tunnels, you will also find statues from the Fascist period and a unique exhibition of cars and motorcycles that were abandoned during the war years.
This tour takes place in groups of up to 20 people and costs from €14. Don’t miss the chance to experience the history of Naples in a way you never imagined, but which you’re sure to enjoy.
Points of interest
- Price: from €14
- Duration: 3½ hours
- Advantages of this option: it’s a unique activity in Naples and great value for money
2. Walking tour of the city of Naples and a tour of its underground ruins
This tour of Naples is perfect for those who want to take a walking tour of the city but are also interested in exploring its underground world.
On this 5-hour tour of Naples, you’ll start by exploring the famous historic centre.
Naples is a particularly picturesque city, and one of the best things to do is simply to lose yourself amongst its craft shops, go on a tour (if you can) to sample its street food, and marvel at the age and state of preservation of its churches.
This type of walking tour usually covers the main tourist attractions, such as Piazza del Municipio, the Galleria Umberto I and Piazza del Plebiscito.
They also usually visit other major monuments, such as Castel Nuovo and the Royal Palace.
After a stroll along Spaccanapoli, the main avenue, and the popular Via San Gregorio Armeno, the tour of the buried ruins of ancient Naples begins.
A major advantage of this tour is that your guide is a professional art historian, from whom you can learn all the interesting facts and trivia about this unique itinerary.
Furthermore, group sizes are limited to a maximum of 25 people so that you can enjoy this tour in the most comfortable way possible. You will also be provided with headphones so that you can hear the guide clearly throughout the walk.
Points of interest
- Price: from €40.
- Duration: 5 hours
- Benefits of this option: this tour includes both a tour of the historic centre and the underground city
3. Tour of the Catacombs of San Gennaro
Visiting the Catacombs of San Gennaro is the third most popular tourist activity in Naples for travellers keen to explore the city’s underground. This is where a large number of Neapolitans were buried during the Early Middle Ages.
What makes this visit unique is that you’ll be able to identify different types of burial sites, ranging from small chapels for bishops and important figures of the time to the graves of anonymous people buried directly in the ground.
You’ll also learn much more about Naples’ patron saint, Saint Januarius, who is so dearly loved by all the city’s inhabitants.
This tour of Naples will give you the chance to discover stunning 9th-century Byzantine frescoes and paintings preserved in this underground city. These works of art are believed to represent the birth of the Pompeian style and are the earliest Christian paintings in southern Italy.
Bishop Paul II also took refuge in these catacombs in the 8th century during the iconoclastic struggles. It is truly incredible to explore these sites, which tell a story in every corner.
Points of interest
- Price: from €9
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Advantages of this option: the tour is for a group of up to 6 people
4. Tour of the Sacred Route of Underground Naples
The Sacred Route of Naples is a tour of religious and historical significance, running from the tomb of San Gennaro to its treasury. On this tour, you’ll discover underground basilicas, important frescoes and mosaics, and explore one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods: Rione Sanità.
This tour lasts 3 hours, during which you can immerse yourself in the history and evolution of an area of the city influenced by many powerful cultures over the centuries.
Walking through Naples is an experience in itself, but in the Rione Sanità neighbourhood you can enjoy the diversity of sounds, colours and faces.
The tour stops include a visit to the Catacombs of San Gennaro, the Basilica of San Gennaro extra Moenia, the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità and the Basilica of San Severo, monuments of great importance to the city.
Points of interest
- Price: from €15
- Duration: 3 hours
- Benefits of this option: you’ll enjoy a tour of the underground areas, but you’ll also get to see some of the city’s most iconic monuments.
5. Tour of the history of underground Naples and the Roman Theatre
This tour includes entry to this underground world and a live guided tour. If you want to explore this fantastic setting 40 metres below ground, this option is for you.
Your guide will take you through history, passing through different stages of the city’s development, from the air-raid shelters of the Second World War to the dressing room of the controversial Emperor Nero. It’s fascinating to imagine yourself beneath the depths of a city with streets as bustling as Naples.
This tour will allow you to enjoy ancient relics, including the Hypogeum Gardens, which date back to the 4th century and are priceless ancient works.
You can also take a stroll through the cistern system and imagine what the city’s water distribution and supply was like for nearly 23 centuries.
The visit is rounded off with a short tour of the remains of the ancient Roman Theatre of Neapolis, where you can even clearly identify where Nero had a private dressing room for when performances were held. It is surprising how many of the things we take for granted today have their origins so many years ago.
This tour lasts 1½ hours and prices start from €14, which includes the guide who will accompany you on this wonderful adventure.
Points of interest
- Price: from €14
- Duration: 1 hour and a half
- Advantages of this option: it is a very well-preserved route where you can enjoy different attractions in a single tour.
Tips for a tour of underground Naples
- It is recommended that you bring a jacket as it can get cold in the tunnels.
- If you suffer from claustrophobia or dislike enclosed or narrow spaces, this may not be the best activity for you. However, you can explore all the wider galleries and avoid the sections where you have to squeeze through narrower passages, if you prefer.
- For your safety, I recommend wearing comfortable footwear. The ground is not always firm underfoot, and there is a lot of dampness due to Naples’ climate and the depth of the tunnels.
- If you’re travelling with children, this is a family-friendly activity. You just need to consider whether they’ll be comfortable with certain conditions. Some sections of the tunnels are quite dark, and the route includes stairs in several places. But apart from these details, they’ll enjoy it just as much as the adults.
- I recommend booking the tour of your choice in advance, as places are limited and these tours are very popular with tourists. Tours are available in different languages, so remember to check beforehand whether they are available in the language and at the time you want.
Why is it worth taking a tour of underground Naples?
Taking a tour of underground Naples will allow you to discover a completely different environment and immerse yourself in the city’s history. Visiting on your own will only let you walk through the tunnels, but doing so with a guide will allow you to relive history as you make your way through them.
Whilst there are many other activities to enjoy in the city, visiting its underground section is a truly unique experience, one you cannot have in other cities in Europe or anywhere else in the world. The ruins are also perfectly preserved. And a restoration project is currently underway to make them even better.
Depending on the tour, prices are quite similar to other types of activities, but this visit offers cultural and historical value. Moreover, the experience of being so many metres underground is something you must experience for yourself.
Can you do these tours on your own?
No, the reality is that the ruins are part of a conservation project where access is only permitted via guided tours, in order to limit visitor numbers and control tourists’ routes and itineraries.
There are tours on different themes and in different locations, as we’ve detailed in these sections, but it’s not possible to explore them on your own.