Naples Underground Explained by an Italian: Catacombs & More

Choosing the perfect Naples underground experience can be hard! Learn about the Naples catacombs and tunnels in this guide written by an Italian.

Naples Underground is an incredible subterranean network of tunnels, chambers, and catacombs that’s become one of the major tourist attractions in the city. These underground streets, created by digging up the soft tuff rock that was used to build Naples, cover a total of 248 miles beneath Naples and were used for many purposes over the years. 

Naples Underground is not, however, one single attraction. Don’t confuse it with Napoli Sotterranea, which is one of the locations that can be visited (and which in English translates to “Underground Naples”, hence the confusion).

Each underground location offers a different experience and layout, which can be a bit confusing for first-time visitors. That’s why I’ve written this comprehensive guide to help you understand what exactly is Naples Underground, and which are the best sites to visit! 

HOW MANY NAPLES UNDERGROUND TOURS ARE THERE?

There are 7 Naples underground tours that will introduce you to the subterranean streets of Naples. 

▶️ Napoli Sotterranea, or Underground Naples, is the most popular one, located in the historic center of the city.  

▶️ Catacombe di San Gennaro (Catacombs of San Gennaro) is one of the largest burial sites in Italy and holds great religious and historical importance. 

▶️ Galleria Borbonica (Bourbon Tunnel) is an underground tunnel built as an escape route, but which was never finished for its original purpose, serving many others over the years.  

▶️ La Neapolis Sotterrata showcases the ancient commercial area of Neapolis, and it’s an impressive archaeological complex. 

▶️ Catacombe di San Gaudioso is the second-largest underground cemetery in Naples, and it’s located in Neapolis’ former necropolis. 

▶️ Cimitero delle Fontanelle is an ancient ossuary home to the remains of those who couldn’t afford to be buried in proper cemeteries back in the day. It ended up housing over 8 million human bones! 

▶️ Ipogeo dei Cristallini is a Greek cemetery from the 4th century with very elaborate tombs. 

NAPLES UNDERGROUND TOURS & TICKETS IN A NUTSHELL

A GUIDE TO ALL THE UNDERGROUND ATTRACTIONS OF NAPLES

Napoli Sotterranea (Underground Naples)

Napoli Sotterranea, also known as Underground Naples, is probably the most important Naples subterranean attraction of all, and it’s certainly the most popular. Located in the old town, it features an incredible network of tunnels, chambers, and galleries that have been used for various purposes over the centuries.

This Naples Underground city was built by carving the soft tuff rock that was used for the construction of the overground Napoli, and it’s now part of a criss-cross of passageways of over 250 miles (400 km) that snakes through the inside of the city.

Napoli Sotterranea is an attraction that dates back to the ancient Greeks, but also has connections to the Romans, served a vital purpose during WWII, and it’s tied to incredible folklore tales. It’s one of the most interesting underground routes you can explore in Naples!

History of Napoli Sotterranea 

According to archaeologists, the first excavations that resulted in this city beneath the city took place close to 3,000 years BC. When the Greeks were established in the area, Naples’ underground was merely used as quarries to extract the rock with which the houses in the old city of Neapolis were built.

The underground world that resulted from the excavations was then used as a burial site, and after the Romans took hold of Naples they also introduced cisterns and aqueducts to supply water. When the Romans found a better location to put their cisterns in place, the tunnels were abandoned, and remained forgotten for quite a long time, until they made their reappearance during the second world war. 

Due to their hidden nature, they served as bomb shelters for civilians and also as a base for the city’s resistance, saving the lives of around 200,000 people according to experts. Today, Napoli Sotterranea is a magnificent attestation of the history of Naples.  

What You’ll Find in Napoli Sotterranea 

Underground Naples features mainly tunnels and galleries carved in the rock and lying 120 feet (40 meters) below the ground. 

Naples Underground is also home to the remains of a Neapolis Greco-Roman theater, a former pantry, cisterns and aqueducts from Roman times (some of which still have water!), catacombs, and chambers. These boast a myriad of objects left behind over the decades, with everything from defused bombs and toys from WWII to vehicles, metal beds, furniture, and graffiti drawn by those sheltering in the tunnels.  

History buffs will particularly appreciate the dressing room of Emperor Nero, which lies underground in this ancient city below the earth, adjacent to the theater. 

A greenhouse project was also put in place to experiment with growing plants using artificial light and the humidity of the cave. 

You’ll have to climb down over 100 steps to immerse yourself in the tunnels of Napoli Sotterranea, some of which are incredibly narrow and require the use of candles (or your phone’s flashlight) to come out of the darkness. This tunnel, though, is optional, and it’s the one leading to the cistern with water. 

Walking through these passageways is pretty much like taking a journey into the past, specifically around 2,500 years, back to when the first settlement in the area was being developed. 

The presence of artifacts and constructions from later centuries provide a glimpse into the evolution of society in Naples, evidenced in the changes this ancient Roman and Greek site suffered in the hands of the different civilizations that inhabited its overground city.  

Myths About Underground Naples 

As most ancient structures and landmarks in the world, Underground Naples has legends. The most known is about Munaciello, the inhabitant of Napoli Sotterranea. This spirit, whose figure represents a rather small monk, was in charge of the water wells of the city, and it’s said to have been quite naughty, especially when he wasn’t paid by his patrons.

He would then enter the homes of the lords to steal their valuable possessions and keep them for himself, sometimes gifting them to his mistresses. According to the legend, his ghost still wanders through the underground tunnels, causing mischief. If you see him during your visit, you’ve been warned! 

➤ Location on Google Maps 

Opening Hours: Daily from 10 AM to 6 PM. 

How To Visit Napoli Sotterranea

Most of the attractions can only be visited with a guide, and the Naples Underground tunnels are one of them. 

The Naples Underground ticket allows you to skip the lines and includes a 2-hour guided tour of the site either with a live guide or using an audioguide in your preferred language. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Catacombe di San Gennaro (Catacombs of San Gennaro)

The Catacombs of San Gennaro are named after Naples’ patron saint, who was buried there in the 5th century, but they date back approximately to the 2nd century AD. The paleo-Christian cemetery is one of Naples underground treasures, having been an important pilgrimage site for centuries due to its religious significance.

Nowadays, Catacombe di San Gennaro is also cherished for its archaeological and historical importance which provides visitors with a glimpse into the past. 

The attraction is located beneath the district Rione Sanità, and serves as evidence of the connection that both the Greeks and the Romans had with death, burial rituals, and the afterlife, showcasing a combination of religious and pagan faith. 

It’s believed that the catacombs were initially built as the resting place of a noble family, and it was expanded in the 4th century to accommodate the remains of other members of the community, including those of the first Naples’ patron,  Saint Aggripinus. The patron had his own basilica built underground, with a single nave and an altar, and where his tomb was located for worshippers to visit. 

What you’ll find in Catacombe di San Gennaro

Tunnels and underground burial vaults are the main attractions at Catacombe di San Gennaro, which houses two levels of tombs that would have been the final resting place of over 3 thousand individuals.

The upper catacomb is where Saint Gennaro’s remains were buried, and the destination of pilgrims from all over the country. His tomb was found inside a cubiculum, and it depicts very well-preserved colorful murals.

After his burial, the catacombs were expanded, and a second basilica of 3 naves dedicated to him was added. The saint’s remains were stolen from the catacombs in the 9th century, and it wasn’t until the 1400s that they returned to Naples. His crypt, nonetheless, has always been the main attraction at the site.  

There’s also a Crypt of the Bishops, as the catacombs were their burial site until the 11th century, where you’ll get to see impressive mosaics that date back to the 5th century, and a vestibule decorated in Pompeiian style with some of the earliest Christian paintings in Southern Italy. 

The lower catacomb was developed around Saint Aggripinus’ Basilica, and one of its main draws is a large baptism fountain from the 700s, along with the saint’s crypt and the altar. Many ancient frescoes retain their colors and shapes and can be admired to this day.  

The tombs inside this underground hidden city are a testimony of the deceased’s status and wealth. Arched tombs adorned with frescoes and mosaics were carved for the rich, while simpler tombs were dug into the walls or in the ground and feature no decorations. 

The catacombs are very spacious and boast high ceilings, making them suitable for visitors who are not particularly fond of closed spaces. It’s also fully accessible, and it offers tactile tours of Naples burial site for visually-impaired visitors. 

➤ Location on Google Maps 

Opening Hours: Daily from 10 AM to 5 PM.

How To Visit Catacombe di San Gennaro 

Catacombe di San Gennaro can only be visited with a guide. 

➤ You can book the San Gennaro Naples Catacombs Tour, which includes the entrance fee and an English-speaking guide to take you around the site. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ Alternatively, check out the Holy Mile Guided Tour, a 3-hour experience that takes you along the sacred route from St. Gennaro’s tomb to Palazzo dello Spagnolo. The tour is only in Italian. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Galleria Borbonica (Bourbon Tunnel)

Galleria Borbonica is an underground passageway that connects the Royal Palace with the military barracks. The tunnel was built in the 1850s as an escape route for Ferdinand II of Bourbon, who was worried about the rise of a rebellion. 

The Galleria was never used for its intended purpose, but instead served as a military hospital and shelter during WWII, and was later a police car pound. For this reason, you’ll find a myriad of debris, abandoned cars and motorbikes, metal beds, and even a fascist monument from the Great War. 

These Naples tunnels construction had many delays and interruptions, which you’ll hear about when you visit, and it has a very interesting history, one of the reasons why the attraction is so alluring. 

➤ Location on Google Maps 

Opening Hours: Daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. 

How To Visit Galleria Borbonica

A guided tour is the only way to visit Galleria Borbonica. 

This Bourbon Tunnel Tour includes an entry ticket to the Galleria, and a 1-hour journey through Naples’ history as you explore the attraction with a knowledgeable guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

La Neapolis Sotterrata – Complesso Monumentale San Lorenzo Maggiore

La Neapolis Sotterrata is the perfect example of how the city of Naples has evolved from the 5th century BC until the 18th century AD, as the site was right in the heart of Neapolis when it was first established by the Greeks in the late 400s. 

Neapolis Sotterrata is an underground archaeological complex located beneath the Monumental Complex of San Lorenzo Maggiore, which also dates back to the early settlement, and corresponds to the commercial area of the city. Within the complex there are the remains of a macellum (market), originally a building of two levels with many shops and an inner courtyard. 

The building is actually believed to date back to the first two centuries AD, and the excavations on Neapolis Sotterrata have revealed different layers that showcase the changes the site suffered over the centuries, both in the hands of the Greeks and the Romans. 

There’s also an impressive Chapter Hall, beautiful frescoes, and a museum with a myriad of artifacts on-site that are worth checking out. 

➤ Location on Google Maps The attraction is located within the Monumental Complex of San Lorenzo Maggiore. 

Opening Hours: Daily from 9.30 AM to 5.30 PM.   

How To Visit La Neapolis Sotterata

You can visit the attraction on your own, or join a Napoli Sotterranea guided authorized tour to learn about the site’s history and archaeology as you visit it. 

This entry ticket grants you access to the entire Complex of San Lorenzo Maggiore, including Neapolis Sotterrata, and provides you with a free audio guide that enables you to go on your own Napoli Sotterranea tour. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Catacombe di San Gaudioso (San Gaudioso Catacombs)

The Catacombs of San Gaudioso are located underneath the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità, and it’s one of the oldest underground Christian cemeteries in Naples, and the second largest. 

Situated in the district of Rione Sanità, which was a necropolis during Greek and Roman times, the catacombs are named after Saint Gaudiosus, who was buried on the site, and they date back to the paleo-Christian era, possibly to the 4th century.

This underground cemetery features several tombs, and it’s also home to impressive mosaics and frescoes from the 5th century that depict symbols from early Christianity, like grapevines, fish, and lamb. 

Even after the construction of the Basilica, the crypt continued to be used as a burial site for the noble families of Naples, which is why many elements from the 17th century can be identified alongside those from the early centuries. 

The main aisle of the catacombs is almost 100 feet long, and it features several tombs (including that of St Gaudiosus), although the exact number of chambers is unknown. This is due to the many renovations the site underwent, both after the floods that blocked some of its areas and during the construction of the church. 

Catacombe di San Gaudioso are one of nine underground complexes located in the area, of which only 4 have been excavated. 

➤ Location on Google Maps The catacombs are accessed through the crypt beneath the Basilica’s altar, so you’ll need to enter the church first.  

Opening Hours: Daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. 

How To Visit Catacombe di San Gaudioso

These catacombs can only be visited with a guided tour. The San Gaudioso Tour includes entry tickets and an English-speaking guide that will explain the burial rites and history of the cemetery. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Cimitero delle Fontanelle (The Fontanelle Cemetery)

Cimitero delle Fontanelle is an underground charnel house, first used in the 17th century to bury plague victims. It’s also where the casualties of the 19th-century cholera epidemic were laid to rest, along with homeless people, and today it holds close to 8 million human bones. 

Towards the end of the 19th century, following the orders of Father Gaetano Barbati, the skeletons were cleaned and cataloged by a group of volunteers, and the bones were placed in crypts. This was the beginning of the anime pezzentelle cult, which means the cult of poor souls.

Citizens would pay visits to the skulls to pray for the souls of those who lived and died in poverty, talking to them and even adopting the skulls to look after them in exchange for protection and favors. 

The cult lasted almost a century, and it was only stopped when a Cardinal deemed it pagan and fetishist. The place was then renovated in the early 2000s and opened to visitors, although it frequently closes for restoration works. In fact, the attraction is currently closed, so make sure to check if it has reopened before visiting. 

➤ Location on Google Maps 

Opening Hours: Daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, although hours may change when the Cemetery reopens to the public.

How To Visit Cimitero delle Fontanelle 

Fontanelle Cemetery is free to visit, and while you can go on a tour to understand the site’s past and significance, you can also visit on your own. Donations are encouraged to help with the maintenance of the attraction.    

Ipogeo dei Cristallini

Ipogeo dei Cristallini, which refers to the hypogeum (underground chambers) of Cristallini street, is part of an ancient Greek cemetery thought to date back to the 4th century BC. The site houses four tombs, all of which were sculpted directly on the rock and feature an impressive level of detail. Staircases and benches were built inside these chambers, along with multiple sarcophagi, decorations carved on the walls, and paintings. 

The tombs are accessed from the cemetery’s pathway, which would have been above the ground back in the day, and are designed with an upper and lower chamber. The latter is where the body was laid to rest, while the upper chamber was used for prayers. 

Ipogeo dei Cristallini is, besides a gateway into the ancient history of the city, a great example of Hellenic art and architecture. You will also find on-site a fascinating collection of very well-preserved objects that are over 2,000 years old.  

➤ Location on Google Maps 

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 3 PM. On Friday it reopens from 6 PM until 8 PM.

How To Visit Ipogeo dei Cristallini 

There are two ways in which you can visit Ipogeo dei Cristallini: either with a guided tour or getting an audioguide at the entrance. 

➤This 1-hour tour of the site includes skip-the-line tickets and an English-speaking guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

TIPS FOR VISITING THE CATACOMBS IN NAPLES

▶️ When visiting the Neapolitan underground attractions, make sure you wear comfortable shoes and take a sweater with you. Even in the summertime, the temperature in the catacombs doesn’t get above 68° F (20° C) and it can be quite chilly. 

▶️ The paths in Underground Naples are a suitable attraction for people of all ages, and also for overweight individuals as the chambers are quite large. Most of the tunnels, though, are not accessible for wheelchair users as there are multiple (100+) steps to get down, and no elevators. Catacombe di San Gennaro is fully accessible. 

▶️ The majority of attractions of Naples Underground can only be accessed with a tour. Tours are offered in both English and Italian (although other languages can be requested) and usually last no longer than 1 hour.  

▶️ The tunnels are dimly lit, so you might want to take a headlamp with you if you have one, and be prepared for relatively dark pictures (unless you’re a pro: in that case, go prepared!)

▶️ Underground Naples is family-friendly, and there’s no age limit for visitors. Strollers, however, cannot go beyond a certain point (lots of stairs to climb down!) so be ready to carry your baby or toddler for the duration of the tour.  

NAPLES UNDERGROUND FAQ