Explore Naples

The Gulf of Naples with Mt. Vesuvius looming in the background.

Boats dock at Santa Lucia port in Naples.

The Church of San Domenico Maggiore, built between 1283 and 1324, is just one of the 448 historic churches in Naples -- the city has the largest concentration of churches in the world.

Naples is one of the most continually inhabited cities in the world and is full of historic buildings, but it is also one of the most populous in Italy. Naples may be a little grimier than other European cities, but it can also be breathtakingly beautiful.

A typical street in a Naples neighborhood.

Naples is perhaps most famous for its pizza -- pizza margherita in particular. The red sauce, sliced mozzarella and basil are said to represent the Italian flag's colors.

One of the main architectural symbols in the city, Castel Nuovo (also called Maschio Angioino) was built in 1282 for Charles I of Anjou, the King of Naples.

The statue of Ferdinando IV di Borbone in Piazza del Plebiscito, one of the largest piazzas in Naples.

The Castel dell'Ovo, built on a peninsula in the Gulf of Naples, is connected to the city by a 330-foot-long causeway.

The Immacolatella Fountain, built in 1601, was constructed by Pietro Bernini.

The Roman city of Pompeii is just a short train ride from modern Naples. When nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D., the city and its inhabitants were buried in ash and pumice, leaving the buildings perfectly preserved for 1700 years. Two-thirds of the city has now been excavated, and many artifacts are housed in the Naples National Archaeological Museum.

The fisherman's village of La Corricella in Procida, Italy, one of the small islands off the coast of Naples.

Visit the island of Capri and spend a day on a beach like this one. The island is just a short ferry ride from Naples, and is famous for the Blue Grotto, a sea cave illuminated by sunlight shining up through the water.