Naples is a city to be discovered above ground, amongst narrow streets, historic buildings and sea views, but above all in its surprising underground world. Beneath the historic centre lies a veritable parallel city: a labyrinth of tuff quarries, Greco-Roman cisterns, early Christian catacombs, wartime shelters and ancient passageways that tell the story of over two thousand years of history.
Naples’ underground is not merely an archaeological curiosity: it is one of the elements that make the city unique and one of the most fascinating experiences for those wishing to discover its authentic soul. Much of this underground network stems from the city’s unique geological formation, built upon volcanic tuff, a soft stone that is easily excavated. From the Greek era onwards, when Neapolis was founded in the 5th century BC, the extraction of tuff used to build houses, walls and temples created immense cavities beneath the ground.
During the Roman period, these spaces were transformed into cisterns and aqueducts, creating a sophisticated water system that supplied fountains, thermal baths and private homes. In the centuries that followed, the cavities were reused as shelters during wars and bombings, places of popular worship, storage areas and secret passages. Even today, visiting underground Naples means traversing different eras and understanding just how the city has continually reinvented its spaces.
For those staying at Casetta Correra, many of the main underground attractions are within easy walking distance, allowing you to explore a less touristy and more authentic Naples.
The main underground routes in Naples near Casetta Correra
This is one of the city’s most famous and popular attractions. Just a few hundred metres from Casetta Correra, it allows you to explore ancient cisterns, tunnels and the remains of the Greco-Roman aqueduct. The tour also includes a visit to the Roman Theatre where, according to tradition, Emperor Nero performed.
Located near Underground Naples, this tour allows you to walk through the structures of the ancient Roman market and the medieval city buried underground. A lesser-known but extremely evocative place for those who love urban archaeology.
Just a few minutes from Casetta Correra, it offers an immersive journey through Greco-Roman cisterns, multimedia installations and the evocative Submerged Decumanus, situated at a depth of around 40 metres. Lights, water features and evocative settings recount the city’s millennia-old history.
Commissioned by Ferdinand II of Bourbon in the 19th century, it is one of Naples’ most spectacular underground routes. Featuring flooded cisterns, vintage vehicles and Second World War shelters, the tour also includes picturesque sections that can be explored by raft. Accessible on foot from Casetta Correra, it also offers the chance to visit the elegant Chiaia district.
In the heart of the Rione Sanità district, it houses thousands of anonymous remains linked to the famous cult of the ‘anime pezzentelle’. It is one of the most intense and symbolic places in Naples, where popular piety, anthropology and collective memory intertwine in a unique way.
Located in the Rione Sanità, they preserve frescoes, mosaics and early Christian tombs dating back to the first centuries of Christianity. A visit offers an insight into a lesser-known part of Naples’ religious history and the chance to discover one of the city’s most authentic neighbourhoods.
Recently opened to the public, this site offers an extraordinary insight into Hellenistic art in Naples. The decorated burial chambers and the collection of archaeological finds make this one of the most fascinating cultural discoveries of recent years.
Visiting underground Naples therefore means delving into the city’s deepest memories. It is an experience that combines archaeology, history, anthropology and a sense of wonder, allowing you to discover a Naples different from the one on postcards: older, more mysterious and incredibly vibrant.
