This street is 6 meters wide and runs for 2km from Piazza Gesu Nuovo where it is called Via Benedetto Croce, changes name to Via S. Biagio dei Librai and continues across Via Duomo becoming Via Vicaria Vecchia going out of the old town. It is the main stretch for tourists which splits the center of the historic old town (centro storico) in half. The street was one of three Greco-Roman parallel main streets originally called Decumanus inferior. The street is not only an attraction in itself but is conveniently close to many of the city’s top attractions like Santa Chiara, Santa Maria, San Biagio Maggiore and several of the well known city squares. It is a straight narrow cobbled street running through a vibrant, colorful, noisy and exciting neighborhood also referred to as Spaccanapoli. The street will take you passed palaces, churches, shrines, stores, bars, restaurants and artists’ workshops. Start exploring the street from Piazza San Domenico Maggiore. Spaccanapoli is a foodies heaven, there are many authentic restaurants as well as excellent pastry stores like Scaturchio known for its sfogliatelle and babba.

This church holds several valuable works of art. Its most famous piece is The Seven Works of Mercy by Caravaggio which hangs above the high altar. The church is also home to work by Carlo Sellitto, Luca Giordano, Battistello Caracciolo and Fabrizio Santafede. The church belonged to the Pious Mount of Mercy brotherhood of charitable noblemen established in 1601 to provide interest-free loans to the poor. The brotherhood still exists today and continued its charitable work. They commissioned the construction of a church designed by Gian Giacomo di Conforto and soon received official recognition from the Pope. From 1658 to 1678 the church underwent renovations and was expanded by annexation of neighboring properties. The improved octagonal-shaped church and facilities were designed by Francesco Antonio Picchiati and include a palace and church within the complex.

On the first floor above the church you can visit the Picture Gallery or Quadreria. It holds 31 restored canvases and a collection of 16^th to 19^th century art including pieces by Giordano, Vaccaro, Francesco de Mura, Giuseppe Ribera, Massimo Stanzione and Caracciolo. Visitors can see the church and Picture Gallery using an audio guide. 

The Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta or Duomo di San Gennaro is a medieval cathedral established in the 4th century but the baptistery is the only surviving part of the original structure. The present building is in the Gothic-style and was completed in 1323. Antonio Baboccio redesigned the west façade in 1407 following damage from an earthquake. Again in 1877-1905 the façade was renovated by Enrico Alvino. The portal has survived from the medieval structure.

The church has a large nave with over 100 granite columns brought from the Africa and the Far East. Most of the interior décor is in the baroque-style. There are portraits of saints by Luca Giordano and the beautiful ceiling mural is by Fabrizio Santafede (1621). The Basilica di Santa Restituta or Capella di Santa Restituta is the site of the original church and is off to the left side of the nave; it is the oldest church in Naples. You can see part of an Early Christian mosaic floor; columns from an earlier Greek temple and a Roman floor mosaic in the excavations in the crypt. In the Reale Cappella del Tesoro di San Gennaro you can see lavish decoration, frescoes by Domenichino and Giovanni Lanfranco, altar pieces by Domenichino, Massimo Stanzione, Jusepe Ribera and Francesco Solimena and Cosimo Fanzago bronze work.

The cathedral holds a vial of Saint Januarius (Saint Gennaro) blood. Gennaro was a former Bishop of Naples and is now the city’s patron saint. On the saint’s day (September 19), December 16 and the first Sunday in May each year the miracle of the blood is said to occur here when the blood liquefies. Gennaro lived during a period of Christian persecution at the hands of Emperor Diocletian. Gennaro was instrumental in saving many Christians from the authorities. In 304AD he was arrested and thrown to the lions which bowed down to him. The authorities then had him beheaded. The cathedral holds the relics of Gennaro including his head. In addition the cathedral holds ancient Roman excavations in the crypt. 

The Girolamini Church was established in the late 16^th century and early 17^th century. It was named for the followers of San Filippo Neri who bought a former palace which stood on this site and had it demolished and a church built in its place. The complex was originally in the Florentine Renaissance style but was enlarged in the 18^th century and valuable art was added.  In the 19^th century there was a revolutionary change in the law concerning church property and so in 1866 the church became a National Monument. The complex consists of a library (Biblioteca Girolamini), picture gallery and the famous church. There are two cloisters, the chiostro maiolicato decorated with Majolica tiles and a larger cloister which is a continuation of the first and takes visitors into the Quadreria where the art collection is on display. Architects involved in the creation of the complex included Florentini Giovan Antonio Dosio, Dionisio Nencioni di Bartolomeo, Giovane Dioniso Lazzari and Antonio Talpa.

Every surface of the beautiful Monumental Church interior is covered with frescoes. It is a rich baroque confectionary. There is a gilt ceiling, altar pieces by Gaetano Pandolfi, a  statue of Madonna della Neve by Polidoro di Caravaggio and art work on the walls by many well known artists. The church has two facades, one facing Piazza dei Girolamini on Via dei Tribunali. Ferdinando Fuga was responsible for the reconstruction of the façade in 1780 and the statues on the façade are by Giuseppe Sammartino. The picture gallery has a rich collection of Tuscan art. In the Sacristy there are paintings by Guido Reni and Giordano; in the next room there is a ceiling fresco by Beinaschi.

Travel back 2400 years to the heart of where Naples began. The historic site is situated underground beneath the Naples old town. The underground world shows marks and signs from many eras in the history of Naples. The subterranean world tells the story of Naples’ history and is full of legends and myths. Running beneath the city are geothermal zones originating at Mt. Vesuvius. The geothermal pressure caused volcanic sandstone, tufa, which is easy to work with and used to build the city. The mining shafts left large cavities in the ground which were later used for different purposes in each successive eras including the Angevin, Argonese and Bourbon.

The underground world is a complex labyrinth of chambers, tunnels, cisterns and cavities. The Ancient Greeks used the subterranean aqueducts to bring water to the city; they were used as sewers; a theatre; places of worship; burial chambers and modern road tunnels. The underground world can only be visited with a tour. The tour includes Greek-Roman aqueduct, medieval tunnels, Bourbon tunnels and  large water cisterns. During WWII spiral stairways were added to the cisterns so that they could be used as bomb shelters. Visitors can also see the underground Ipogei gardens where a special species of basil is grown - underground. You can also visit the remains of a Roman amphitheatre reached through a trapdoor. One of the tunnels is narrow and some people might want to wait for 10 minutes while the rest of the tour goes in. 

Not to be confused with the church San Gregorio Armeno which gives this street its name. This narrow cobbled alley between Via dei Tribunali and Via San Biagio dei Librai is also known as Christmas Alley. On both sides of the alley are artists ‘workshops and stores producing and selling nativity scenes or presepi. Naples is famed for its presepi scenes and individual figurines and “accessories.” People come to buy the nativity scenes on Via San Gregorio Armeno because the stores here are open year round – it is Christmas here 365 days a year. Of course December is the busiest time of year but whenever you visit Naples you’ll be able to stock up on Christmas paraphernalia.

The artists’ workshops and stores spill out onto the sidewalk making a very colorful and merry scene. You can get the bits and pieces to make your own nativity scene including cribs, figurines, Christmas lights, animated characters, mangers, stars, angels and the three wise men. The quality and price vary from store to store including fine works of art in terracotta, wood, ceramics, fabric and metal. The vendors have let their imaginations run wild and you can get much more than the traditional Naples nativities scenes.

This chapel is also called Chapel of Santa Maria della Pieta or Pietatella. It is located in the historic area of Naples and is best known for the many precious works of art by 18^th century masters. The chapel is shrouded in legend. In about 1590 a wrongly convicted man was led to prison passed the garden of the di Sangro Palace. He witnessed part of the wall cave in and an image of the Virgin Mary appear. He vowed to offer a silver lamp and dedication if his innocence was recognized. The man was released and kept his vow. The site where he saw the image of the Madonna became sacred. Not long after than Giovan Francesco di Sangro, Duke of Torremaggiore fell ill and preyed at the sacred site. He was cured and erected a modest chapel at the site in thanks. His son Alessandro di Sangro later built a more elaborate chapel in the 17^th century. Only some features of the 17^th century structure remains including the polychrome decorated apse. It became the family tomb in 1613 and was later renovated to its present appearance by Prince Raimondo di Sangro. He added several features including Masonic symbols. A secret passage way led to the Sansevero Palace until 1888.

This museum is housed in a 17^th century house and holds a rich collection of Roman artifacts from Pompeii, Stabiae and Herculaneum as well as an Egyptian collection. The ancient art includes works produced in the Roman era, Greek era and Renaissance era. It is considered one of the most important museums in the city and one of the most important in the world. The core of the collection includes engraved gems like the Farnese Cup, a 2^nd century cup; Ptolemaic Bowl and the Treasure of the Magnificent. The Herculaneum Papyri is one of the museum highlights. It was carbonized by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Much of the collection comes from the Farnese Marbles. The collection includes Roman copies of classic Greek statues. Among the highlights there is the Farnese Hercules, Farnese Atlas, Farnese Bull and the Venus Kallipygos. There are works in bronze and a mosaic collection, frescoes from Pompeii as well as an Egyptian collection. There is the Secret Cabinet collection of sex-related erotica from ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum. The collection has an interesting history and can be viewed by those over 14  and by those under 14 years if accompanied by an adult. There are also collections of medals, glassware, coins and silver and a model of what Pompeii looked like before the volcanic eruption destroyed it. The works are displayed according to their origin and in 26 thematic categories.