Tourist Attractions & Monuments Naples

Timetable

As in most Mediterranean countries, Naples and Campania respect the sacrosanct hour of the siesta. After lunch, all public places seem to enter a state of lethargy, the streets empty, the rhythm of life slows down. Many monuments, museums and shops close their doors around 1pm and only reopen around 3pm, 4pm or even 5pm. However, the major national museums and some monuments have adopted a continuous schedule, they are open all day. The opening time is around 9am, closing time around 8pm. The hours also vary according to the high and low season. Most tourist sites are closed one day a week, often on Monday. Monuments in less visited places do not have well-defined opening hours.

To be booked

It is not necessary to book your visit to museums and monuments. None of the tourist sites in Campania are saturated with visitors. Only a guided tour requires a prior reservation, especially if you want it in French.

Budget & Tips

The average cost of admission for an adult is between €5 and €10. Entrance to major archaeological sites (Pompeii, Paestum) and major national museums (Naples Archaeological Museum, Capodimonte Museum) costs around €15-20. Discounts are generally available for minors under 16. Combined tickets for several buildings and packages are also available: in Naples, for example, the Artecard combines visits to museums with free use of public transport. Note that some monuments and museums are free: take advantage! In some churches, you may just be asked to pay an offering.

Main events

With such a rich historical and cultural heritage, Campania's calendar is full of festivities! Religious and folk festivals, music, temporary exhibitions, sagre (fairs) celebrating a local gastronomic product - the calendar of festivities is jam-packed.

May is the month of culture in Naples, with the Maggio dei Monumenti. Various cultural events, often free of charge, are organized: guided tours, exhibitions, shows... Some sites are only open to the public on this occasion. It's a bit like our Heritage Days.

Religious festivals dedicated to a patron saint bring the whole community together in shared fervor and joy. The most representative is certainly that of San Gennaro, patron saint and protector of the city of Naples. Three times a year, Neapolitans wait for the miracle of the liquefaction of San Gennaro's blood, contained in small vials kept in the cathedral. But he's not the only saint venerated by the Neapolitan community: on July 16, for example, the Madonna del Carmine is celebrated with great pomp in her church in Piazza Mercato, complete with fireworks display. In Campania, other religious celebrations attract large numbers of faithful. One of the most important takes place in Pompeii: on October 26, pilgrims make their way to the sanctuary of the Madonna del Rosario, and some believers cross the city barefoot.

A number of music festivals are firmly rooted in the cultural calendar, in particular the Ravello festival, which runs from June to September, and Piano City Napoli, which takes place in April or October, with piano concerts in the city's squares and monuments.

Recurring events linked to the cycle of the seasons and agricultural rhythms are also legion in the villages, as are fairs dedicated to a local specialty or typical dish: grape harvest, chestnut sagra, mushroom festival... All accompanied by tastings and folk music!

Guided tours

From the traditional city tour to a visit to a museum, from a boat trip along the coast to the discovery of an archaeological site, the offer is varied. Contact the tourist offices of the major cities (or the agencies we recommend in this guide!), which can direct you to the tour that best suits you. You can also ask for the contact information of a private guide in French for a personalized approach and an individual visit.

Smokers

In Italy, smoking is prohibited in public places. It is still allowed on the terrace and outside. Be careful with cigarette butts: throwing your butt on the ground can get you a fine (even if all Italians do it). Cigarettes can be bought in Tabacchi offices (sign with a big T). Most cigarette vending machines only work with an Italian identity card or a tessera sanitaria, Italian health card, in other words not for foreigners. For vapers, electronic cigarette stores are quite rare outside the cities and tend to charge different prices for locals and tourists.

Tourist traps

If you wish to take a guided tour, make sure that your guide is properly accredited: his or her license, hung around the neck, must be visible while performing his or her duties. The guide has obtained his accreditation after a compulsory training and a sustained examination before a commission appointed by the Province. This guarantees the reliability and quality of the information given during the visit. If a so-called guide approaches you offering his or her services without a permit, don't bother.