Hotels near Naples Underground

Forty metres below the city's chaotic streets, Napoli Sotterranea reveals 2,500 years of layered Naples - Greek tufa quarries from the 4th century BC, a Roman aqueduct that supplied water until the 1800s cholera epidemic, and World War II bomb shelters where 4,000 Neapolitans slept during the Allied bombings of 1942-43. The 90-minute guided tour winds through narrow passages, candle-lit chambers, and a small Roman theatre where Emperor Nero performed.

Entry is from Piazza San Gaetano in the heart of the historic centre. Tours run hourly in English between 10am and 6pm (EUR 12). Bring a light jacket - the underground stays at a constant 15 C. Claustrophobics should know that one section requires sideways shuffling through a 60-cm passage; an alternative route skips it.

Pro Tip: The 11am English tour is the quietest. Combine with Cappella Sansevero (5-min walk) and grab lunch at Tandem in Via Paladino for the city's best ragu napoletano.