Catacombs of San Gennaro

The Catacombs of San Gennaro are the largest early Christian burial complex in southern Italy, cut into the tuff hillside on the way up to Capodimonte. They date back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and grew in importance after the remains of San Gennaro, the city's patron saint, were brought here in the 5th century. Bishops of Naples were buried in the catacombs for centuries, until the saint's relics were moved to the cathedral in the 9th century. Later looting damaged much of the site, which was reopened in 1969 and excavated from the 1970s.

The complex is laid out on two levels, with the oldest parts on the lower one. Highlights include a 5th-century fresco that is the oldest known portrait of San Gennaro, mosaics in the Crypt of the Bishops, among them a portrait of Quodvultdeus, bishop of Carthage, and frescoes of early Christian families. The underground basilica of Sant'Agrippino, carved around the tomb of Naples' first patron saint, has an altar and seat cut from the rock.

Today the catacombs are run by La Paranza, a social cooperative of young people from the Rione Sanità neighbourhood, who campaigned for the site to open to the public in 2006. Their work has turned it into one of the city's success stories, with visitor numbers rising from about 5,000 in 2006 to 130,000 in 2018. Visits are by guided tour, and the same team also opens the Catacombs of San Gaudioso in the heart of the Sanità.

Reservations are required and can be made on the official website. The catacombs are closed on Wednesdays; on other days tours run until a last admission at 17.00. Allow about an hour for the tour, and consider combining it with San Gaudioso or with a walk through the Sanità, a lively working-class district with fine baroque palaces. Wear comfortable shoes; the surfaces underground are uneven, and there are steps between levels. The atmosphere is calm rather than macabre, and children generally find it fascinating.

The entrance is beside the large church of the Madre del Buon Consiglio on Via Capodimonte, a short walk or bus ride up from Piazza Museo. The Capodimonte museum and park are further up the same road and make a natural pairing for a full day.