Naples Underground’s entry fee is €10 per adult as of 2025, with reduced tickets available for younger visitors. Children aged 5 to 10 pay around €8, and students or youth up to 24 years old (with ID) can enter for about €10, while little ones under 5 years old are admitted free. You can buy tickets on-site at the entrance in Piazza San Gaetano, or book an official guided tour in advance if you’d like to skip the queue.
The site is open daily, with guided tours running from morning through early evening – the first tour starts at 10 am and the last one begins around 6 pm. Tours are offered in multiple languages (English tours are typically at 10:00, 12:00, 2:00, 4:00 and 6:00, while Italian tours run even more frequently throughout the day). No reservations are needed for small groups; you can simply show up and join the next available tour. We visited on 29 August 2025, and all the details were valid as of that day.
About the Naples Underground
Stepping into Naples Underground (locally known as Napoli Sotterranea) felt like walking into a time capsule beneath the city. We descended 136 steps – surprisingly broad and easy to manage – to reach about 40 meters below street level. Who would guess that beneath Naples’ bustling alleys lies a hidden world carved out over 2,400 years of history? The journey took us through a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that chronicle the city’s past from ancient Greek times right up to the 20th century.
Entrance to Napoli Sotterranea, Via dei Tribunali
The story begins in the 4th century BC, when the Greeks quarried tuff stone here to build the old city of Neapolis, leaving behind vast cavities. The Romans later expanded this subterranean network into an aqueduct system, channeling water through these passages to supply the city above. As we walked through the dimly lit corridors, we could see channels and cisterns that once held Naples’ lifeblood – water – still lingering quietly in the darkness. Fast forward to the 1940s: during World War II, these same underground caverns became bomb shelters. In fact, more than 200.000 Neapolitans took refuge down here from air raids. It was poignant and a bit eerie to stand in those very shelter areas, imagining families huddled together in the candlelight as bombs fell overhead. The tour guide pointed out soot marks and scratchings on the walls left by refugees of the war, making the history feel incredibly real. After the war, the tunnels fell into neglect – filled with rubble and forgotten – until about the late 20th century when efforts began to clear them out. Thanks to those restoration efforts (starting roughly in the 1980s and 1990s), today Naples Underground is one of the city’s most unique attractions. We definitely felt the weight of history all around us as we ventured further in.
Tufa corridors of Naples Underground
Are you gonna feel claustrophobic in these tunnels? We wondered about that ourselves, but were relieved to find that most of the underground spaces are quite spacious and well-ventilated. The rooms and passageways we walked through were generally large and illuminated, so even visitors who might fear tight spaces were at ease in our group. In fact, one section of the route was originally a huge water cistern – it’s an open cavern that gave us a moment to appreciate just how vast some areas are.
There is one narrow tunnel segment, about 10 meters long, that’s intentionally left only candle-lit to give a taste of the more confined parts of the aqueduct. Navigating that passage was optional and some people chose to skip it (there’s a bench where that tunnel begins, so you can wait a minute while others explore and then rejoin the group). We decided to give it a try, each of us given a little candle. Bending slightly and inching forward by flickering candlelight was thrilling and atmospheric – a bit of an adventure within the tour – but it’s good to know you can easily opt out if it’s not your cup of tea. Aside from that brief crawlspace, everything else along the path felt comfortable to walk through.
The air underground is cool (a welcome break from Naples’ summer heat!) and a touch humid. We’d recommend bringing a light jacket or sweater if you get cold easily, and we suggest wearing comfortable closed-toe shoes because the ground can be uneven in places. Also, photography is allowed inside, so have your camera or phone ready – you’ll want to capture some of the eerie, beautiful scenes like the cavernous cisterns and the play of light and shadow in the tunnels.
One tip: if you can, try to take one of the morning tours.We chose the 10 am English tour, and it wasn’t overly crowded. By the time we resurfaced around midday, we noticed the queue for the next tour had grown much longer, so going early helped us avoid a long wait and made the experience more intimate.
Optional candle-lit passage through narrow tunnel
What truly amazed us during the tour was how alive this underground world is, not just historically but also in terms of ongoing projects. Early on our guide showed us a small scientific station tucked in a side chamber – it’s actually a seismic monitoring station, quietly tracking tremors from Mount Vesuvius and the earth beneath Naples.
Knowing that modern scientists regularly descend into these depths to study geology and keep Naples safe added an extra layer of intrigue. And believe it or not, there’s even an underground garden experiment down there. In one cavern, we saw rows of plants growing under special lamps, part of a research project called the Hypogeum Gardens. It’s an initiative where botanists test how plants grow without sunlight, in a protected environment free from pollution. Seeing green lettuce and small vines thriving deep below ground under artificial light was surreal – a futuristic touch in an ancient setting. This mix of past and present makes Naples Underground feel very special. It isn’t just a static display of ruins; it’s a living environment where history, science, and legend intersect. At one moment you’re contemplating ancient Greek carvings in the rock, and the next you’re hearing about how NASA has even shown interest in the underground gardening research here (imagining if lessons from Naples might one day help astronauts grow food in space!). We were definately impressed by how multifaceted this place is.
Midway through our subterranean journey, we arrived at a significant open area that served as an underground War Museum. This section holds relics from World War II – things like period newspapers, photographs, rusty metal helmets, and even small personal items left behind by those who sheltered here. It’s a humble exhibit, but standing there, it hit us how this isn’t just a natural cave or an archaeological site; it was once a home and haven for ordinary people in extraordinary times.
We paused to read a letter on display (translated for visitors) written by a young Neapolitan mother while she was hiding underground during a bombing raid. It was a sobering reminder of the human stories tied to these tunnels. We found ourselves quiet for a moment, imagining the fear and hope that must have filled this dim space during the 1940s. That emotional connection is something we didn’t expect to experience on a simple “tourist attraction” – it made the visit so much more meaningful.
WWII-era artifacts in Naples Underground shelters
Just when we thought we had seen all the highlights of Naples Underground, the tour saved one of the best surprises for last. After winding our way through the aqueduct passages and war shelters, we were led out of the caves and back towards the surface through a side exit – but we didn’t simply climb up the same stairs we came down. Instead, we emerged into what looked like a normal old building in the city above. In fact, we stepped right into the ground floor of a typical Neapolitan house (known as a “basso” – a one-room home at street level). This house is directly built over the remains of an ancient theatre!
Our guide casually moved aside a bed in the corner of this room to reveal a stone trapdoor in the floor. One by one, we climbed through the hatch and descended a short ladder into a concealed chamber of the Greco-Roman Theater of Neapolis. It felt like we were unearthing a secret. Standing in what once was the backstage area of an ancient theater, we learned that the Emperor Nero himself performed in Naples and likely used that very spot as his dressing room when he sang on the Neapolitan stage. We looked around in awe at the old brick and stone walls – you could clearly see the curvature of what was once the theater’s seating area and stage wings. It’s incredible to realize that these ancient ruins had been literally built into later houses and lay hidden for centuries. The family living above had no idea until excavations revealed the theater fragments below their home. We were particularly struck by how seamlessly the everyday and the historical intersect here: one minute we were walking through someone’s modern living room, the next we were in a 1st-century performance hall! This part of the tour lasted only about 15-20 minutes, but it was the highlight for us. It’s one of those only-in-Naples moments where you see firsthand how history is layered under every inch of the city. After clambering back up into the house and out to the street, our tour officially ended – fittingly, with us stepping out into the sun right beside the church of San Paolo Maggiore, which itself sits atop what used to be the ancient Roman temple of the Dioscuri. In Naples, the past is everywhere around you, but here on this tour you literally get to walk through it beneath your feet.
Arch of the Roman Theatre beneath Via Anticaglia
Overall, the guided visit lasted about an hour and half (90 minutes or so), not counting the time we spent afterward browsing in the little museum area and gift shop. The pace of the tour was comfortable and unrushed. Our guide was enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable, peppering the historical facts with local legends and even a few jokes, which kept things engaging. We really appreciated how he switched seamlessly between Italian and English for the mixed group, ensuring everyone understood the important points. (If English isn’t your first language, don’t worry – they also provide a free multilingual audio app and a pamphlet in several languages at the start of the tour, so visitors from all over the world can follow along.)
By the end of our trek under Naples, we felt we had gained not only knowledge, but also a sense of connection with the city. We climbed those 136 steps back up to street level feeling as if we had just traveled through time. From ancient Greek builders to Roman engineers, from medieval caretakers to WWII survivors, so many footsteps echoed in those tunnels alongside our own. We were particularly impressed by how Naples Underground condenses two millennia of history into one accessible adventure. It left us with a deeper appreciation for Naples’s resilience – this city has literally rebuilt itself layer upon layer, and you can see and touch those layers underground. In our opinion, this experience is absolutely worth the descent. In fact, we’d call it a must-do in Naples, especially if you enjoy history or want to do something a little different than the usual museum visit. There’s a special kind of atmosphere down there that you can’t find anywhere else. We walked away from the tour both educated and in awe, marveling at how much of Naples’ story lies hidden just below the surface.
Nearby Attractions
After your underground adventure, be sure to take advantage of all the other treasures in the surrounding historic center of Naples. The exit of the Naples Underground tour leaves you right in the middle of the old city, so there’s plenty to see within a short walking distance. In fact, we recommend not heading off immediately – instead, spend some time exploring the neighborhood around Piazza San Gaetano.
Just steps from the underground tour entrance is the beautiful San Lorenzo Maggiore church. We almost missed it, but we’re glad we didn’t: beneath this church there’s another fascinating archaeological site, the ancient Roman market (Macellum) of Neapolis. Visiting San Lorenzo’s underground ruins (called Neapolis Sotterrata) is a perfect complement to the Naples Underground tour you just did – it shows a different slice of ancient life, in this case the remains of an old marketplace with streets and shop foundations. It’s like discovering another piece of the puzzle of how people lived in this city two thousand years ago. Above ground, the church itself is also worth a look for its mix of Gothic and Baroque architecture. Right next door you’ll also find the Basilica of San Paolo Maggiore, which sits on top of what was once a Roman temple. We took a peek inside to admire its ornate ceiling frescoes and cool marble interior – a nice, quiet respite after the dark, crowded tunnels.
Neapolis Sotterrata ruins under San Lorenzo Maggiore
Another spot you shouldn’t miss while you’re in this area is the Naples Cathedral (Duomo di San Gennaro), located just a five-minute walk away from Piazza San Gaetano. We wandered over to the Duomo after our underground tour and it was a fantastic way to round out the historical journey. This grand cathedral is famous as the home of Saint Januarius’ relics – including vials of the saint’s blood that miraculously liquefy twice a year, one of Naples’ most beloved traditions. The Duomo’s interior absolutely wowed us: from the gilded ceiling and colossal columns to the lavish Chapel of San Gennaro filled with silver and jewels, it’s the kind of place where you just stand with your mouth open for a moment taking in all the art and devotion around you.Admission to the cathedral is free, so it’s easy to pop in. We happened to catch a glimpse of a small ceremony happening at a side altar, which gave us a feel for the local religious culture. Even if you’re not usually a “church tourist”, the Duomo’s history (parts of it date back to the 4th century, built over ancient basilicas) and its artistic treasures make it very much worth a visit. Plus, after spending time in the underground of Naples, it felt refreshing to be in such an airy, light-filled space, almost like coming full circle from the depths to the heights of Neapolitan heritage.
Duomo di San Gennaro, nave and chapel
Of course, touring and walking will likely work up an appetite – and you’re in luck because this district is famous for its street food and eateries. Via dei Tribunali, the lively street that runs right by the Naples Underground entrance, is essentially Pizza Alley! There are several historic pizzerias and trattorias here, all vying for the title of the best pizza in Naples. We couldn’t resist and stopped for lunch at Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo, which is just a couple minutes’ walk from Piazza San Gaetano. Sorbillo is a local institution (and even internationally known – it often ranks among the top pizzerias in the world). Despite its fame and the line out front, we found it worth the wait. The pizza was everything a Neapolitan pizza should be: a thin, soft crust with charred leopard spots from the wood-fired oven, topped with sweet San Marzano tomato sauce, creamy buffalo mozzarella, and fresh basil.
After a morning exploring ancient tunnels, sitting down in a bustling pizzeria and biting into a hot, perfectly chewy Margherita pizza felt like heaven. We washed it down with cold local beer and toasted to a day well spent. If Sorbillo is too busy when you arrive, don’t worry – there are other excellent options on the same street, like Pizzeria Di Matteo (which also has amazing fried snacks like arancini and fritters to grab on the go) or Pizzeria Dal Presidente (named after the fact that a former US President once ate there). Honestly, you can’t go wrong with pizza in this area; the competition is fierce, which means quality stays high. And for a quick sweet bite afterward, keep an eye out for the many gelato shops and pastry shops dotted around. We strolled along Via San Biagio dei Librai (part of the famous “Spaccanapoli” road that slices through Naples) with cones of creamy hazelnut gelato in hand, enjoying the vibrant street life and feeling refreshed.
While you’re exploring above ground, we highly recommend wandering down Via San Gregorio Armeno, which is an easy two-minute walk from the underground tour exit. This narrow, historic street is world-famous for its artisan workshops that produce Nativity scene figurines and other handcrafted souvenirs. Even outside of the Christmas season, the shops on San Gregorio Armeno are open and buzzing, showcasing everything from intricate miniature Bethlehem stables to whimsical figures of modern celebrities crafted in the style of traditional Neapolitan presepe (Nativity displays). We loved ducking into the tiny stores; they are absolutely packed floor-to-ceiling with colorful statuettes, tiny fruits and animals for model scenes, and all sorts of curiosities. It’s a delightful place to pick up a unique souvenir of Naples. Even if you’re not in the market to buy, the atmosphere on that street is a must-see – it feels like a little alley frozen in time, dedicated entirely to an old Neapolitan craft. We ended up buying a small handmade Pulcinella figurine (the classic character from Neapolitan folklore) as a keepsake. The vendors were friendly and eager to chat, and we even got a demonstration from one artisan on how he paints the delicate faces on the little terracotta figures. Walking through this street was the perfect way to ease back into the lively Neapolitan atmosphere after being underground; it’s fun, quirky, and full of life.
Nativity figurines on Via San Gregorio Armeno
By late afternoon, after touring the underground and strolling the surrounding lanes, you might find yourself needing a break. Fortunately, there are a few small piazzas (squares) nearby where you can sit and relax. We found a cozy spot on a bench in Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, about a 5-minute walk from San Gaetano, and indulged in a famous Neapolitan sfogliatella pastry (flaky layers filled with sweet ricotta cream) that we had picked up from a local bakery. As we sat there nibbling our pastry and watching the everyday buzz of Naples unfold around us – vespas zipping by, locals chatting loudly with typical Neapolitan gesturing, and the sun casting a golden hue on the baroque obelisk in the center of the piazza – we took a moment to absorb everything we had experienced that day. From the depths of Naples Underground to the splendid churches and tasty street food above, it was a day full of contrasts and rich impressions.
Piazza San Domenico Maggiore and its obelisk
There’s truly a lot to see and do within a stone’s throw of the Naples Underground starting point, so plan a bit of extra time in the area if you can. Whether you’re interested in more historical sites (like the ones we mentioned) or you just want to soak up the vibrant street culture of Naples, you’ll have options.
We found that the underground tour was a perfect springboard into exploring the Centro Storico – it gave us context and a sense of awe, which we carried with us as we continued to wander the old streets. Ultimately, visiting Naples Underground gave us a deeper connection to the city, making every other site we saw that day feel more meaningful. It’s an experience we’d recommend to anyone curious about what lies beneath the surface of Naples (quite literally!). By the time we wrapped up our explorations and sat down for a relaxing early evening espresso, we felt we had truly earned a rest – and we couldn’t stop talking about how incredible that journey underground was. It’s not every day that you get to walk through a hidden world and then come back up and immediately enjoy some of the best pizza and culture on the planet. In our view, Naples Underground is more than just a tour – it’s a memorable adventure that brings history to life. And after experiencing the city from below and above, we’re convinced that Naples is a place that every traveler should dive deep into, literally and figuratively. We left with unforgettable memories and a newfound respect for the layers of history that make this city so extraordinary.