Naples historic centre and Spaccanapoli
The street that cuts the Greek city in two, among churches and workshops
The historic centre of Naples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the largest in Europe and still follows the grid of the Greek city of Neapolis, founded in the fifth century BC. Its three main streets, the ancient decumani, run parallel from east to west. The lower one is Spaccanapoli, so called because from the hill of San Martino it seems to "split Naples" in two with a straight line.
Walking along Spaccanapoli and Via dei Tribunali means passing an extraordinary sequence of churches: Gesù Nuovo with its diamond-point façade, the Gothic Santa Chiara with its majolica cloister, San Domenico Maggiore, San Lorenzo Maggiore with the excavations of the Roman market beneath it, and the cathedral of San Gennaro. Between them, tiny shops, pastry shops, street shrines, washing hung between balconies and the noise of scooters make up the most vivid street life in Italy.
Tip: try a sfogliatella or a pizza fritta while you walk; visit the cloister of Santa Chiara in the morning, when the light shows off the colours of the tiles.
Where it is
More things to see in Campania
Where to stay near Naples
Tours and activities nearby
Offers from GetYourGuide. Some links are affiliate links: if you book we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.