Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea)

Tickets Napoli Sotterranea, Galleria Borbonica & La Neapolis Sotterrata

Beneath the ancient city of Naples is an extensive system of caves, passages and catacombs. Naples underground tours: Napoli Sotteranea tickets, Galleria Borbonica or Neapolis Sotterrata.

The Naples Underground Tours

Under the lively historic center of Naples is an extensive network of streets and squares that partly was built by the Romans and Greeks and carved out of the tuff. If you want you can visit with guided Naples Underground Tours the "underworld" in several places in Naples. 40 meters below street level and excellently preserved networks of hundreds of kilometers. You will see caves, tunnels and underground passages during your tour. The underground routes are very accessible and often well lit. Book a guide and let yourself be taken back in time. There is a lot to explore in these underground temples. Well-known areas and main tours of this underground network in Naples are Napoli Sotterranea, my personal favorite being the Galleria Borbonica and finally La Neapolis Sotterrata. It is important that in most places it is necessary that you have booked your tour in advance. Read more about the three tour options:

Option 1: Napoli Sotterranea

^{The entry of the Napoli Sotterranea tour}

^{Visit the underground city full of surprises}

The Napoli Sotterranea is an official route through the underground tunnels of Naples city and is the most visited of all routes. You will find a completely different world 40 meters below the streets of Naples, but with a deep connection with the upper world. The following sights can be found on the route of the Napoli Sotterranea tour:

• The Greek Roman Aqueduct: After descending 136 steps you will find the Greek Roman Aqueduct. The area you visit is initially well lit, but in some parts it is too dark. So you can continue the rest of the route with a candle or a flashlight to view the underground water basins. It is a special experience to move through the very narrow corridors of the aqueduct and not recommended for people with claustrophobia.
• The Roman Theater: Also on this Naples underground tour you will visit a typical Neapolitan house, also called "layer". The reason for this is that it is located at the street level of the city. Once inside, a hatch opens to the ancient Roman theater of Neapolis, where Emperor Nero had a private dressing room.
• Summa Cavea: Recently the Napoli Sotterranea has been expanded with a new discovery, Summa Cavea. It is another part of the Roman theater which houses a permanent exhibition of 'Scarabattoli'. Here you will see characteristic settings of beautiful handmade sculptures in glass display cases.

Optie 2: Galleria Borbonica (Bourbon Tunnel)

^{Galleria Borbonica, the underground passage of the palace}

^{The Bourbon Tunnel of Naples}

In another part of the Naples underground city you will find Galleria Borbonica, or the Bourbon Tunnel. A tunnel created in the 19th century by Ferdinand II Bourbon who was then King of Naples. The intention was to make a tunnel 12 meters wide and 12 meters high through the volcanic rock under the streets of Naples. It was the idea that the king, if necessary, could flee by carriage. It was a very turbulent period and Ferdinand II Bourbon was extremely suspicious of his people. That mistrust was justified, because three revolutions arose during his period as king. Due to political unrest and the fall of the Kingdom of Naples, the tunnel was never completed.

During the war period from 1939 to 1943, the tunnel of Galleria Borbonica served as an air raid shelter for the people. About 5,000 to 10,000 Neapolitans sought refuge in the tunnel. Many of these people lost their homes to the bombings of the Germans and were even forced to live in the air raid shelters after the war. Today, the tunnel is full of debris and serves as an exhibition space. You will find many antique cars and motorcycles, special objects and old hiding places.

Optie 3: La Neapolis Sotterrata (San Lorenzo Maggiore)

^{The Neapolis is located under the San Lorenzo Maggiore}

^{The Underground Tunnels of La Neapolis Sotterrata}

The ancient La Neapolis Sotterrata was originally founded by the Greek settlers in the year 470 BC. Within this ancient city, the monumental complex of San Lorenzo Maggiore occupies a special place. A place that previously housed the agora (vital space of the Greek city, later the Roman Forum). Various excavations have made it possible to identify superimposed layers. In this way, the visitor can see the different settlements that have succeeded each other over time. From Greek to Roman times, from the Middle Ages to modern times.

La Neapolis Sotterrata can be found in Piazza San Gaetano near the church San Lorenzo Maggiore. Here it is possible to discover this underground world on your own, but it is also possible to hire a guide. An extra tip is to take a look above the ground in the Basilica San Paolo Maggiore near Piazza San Gaetano. Here stood a temple dedicated to Castor and Pollux, the mythical sons of Greek god Zeus. Unfortunately, the temple has been destroyed, but you will find two columns of the temple.

Video: Impression of Naples Underground

Where are the underground attractions of Naples?

The map below shows the three most visited Naples underground areas (1 = Napoli Sotteranea, 2 = Galleria Borbonica, 3 = Neapolis Sotterrata)