San Gregorio Armeno

The Neapolitan presepe reached its peak of craftsmanship in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the workshops still follow that model. Workshops sell everything for building a scene at home: terracotta and hand-dressed figures, miniature food, lamps, working fountains, whole grottoes and village streets with moving parts. Figures range from thumb-sized shepherds to large clothed pieces sold as art.

The street's modern twist is the topical figure. As the Italian heritage trust FAI notes, workshops make figures of television and film personalities and of Neapolitan cultural heroes such as Totò, Pino Daniele, Eduardo De Filippo and Massimo Troisi. Every year new ones appear based on the year's news. For the city's devotion to one footballer in particular, see our page on Largo Maradona.

Prices are set shop by shop and we have not surveyed them, so we will not quote a range. Two honest tips: small hand-painted terracotta pieces travel well in hand luggage, and the cheapest resin figures are the same in every shop, so if something is mass-produced, do not pay a craft price for it.

Behind a plain facade is one of the richest interiors in Naples. The convent dates back to the 8th century, when Basilian nuns fleeing Byzantium are said to have settled here with relics of Saint Gregory of Armenia. The present church was begun in 1574 after the Council of Trent imposed enclosure on the nuns, who were Benedictines from the 11th century and came from the city's noblest families.

Look for:

• Luca Giordano's frescoes. The painter covered the nave and dome; on the entrance wall, dated 1684, three scenes tell the arrival of the Armenian nuns in Naples with the saint's body.
• The carved and gilded ceiling, with painted panels on the life of Saint Gregory by the Flemish painter Teodoro d'Errico.
• The high altar by Dionisio Lazzari, 1682.
• The relics of Santa Patrizia, in the fifth chapel on the right. They came here in 1864, and a rite of the liquefaction of the saint's blood is held in the church, similar to that of San Gennaro at the Duomo. Locals often call the church Santa Patrizia.

Touring Club Italiano lists the church open Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to noon and Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The church publishes no timetable online, so treat the mornings as the only reliable window.

The nuns' cloister, laid out around 1580, is entered separately, a short way further along the street. At its center is a marble fountain with dolphins and sea creatures, and statues of Christ and the Samaritan woman by Matteo Bottiglieri. Around it stand the convent buildings.

We could not verify an official 2026 timetable or admission fee for the cloister, and we will not repeat unconfirmed figures. If it is open when you pass, go in. Do not build a day around it.

From November into early January the street is the center of Naples' nativity trade. Expect to move slowly, especially on weekend afternoons and on the December 8 holiday. Practical points:

• Go early. Mornings on weekdays are the least crowded time to look closely.
• Watch your bag. A packed lane is a pickpocket's lane. Keep valuables in a front pocket.
• See a great presepe too. The monumental 18th-century Cuciniello scene at the Certosa di San Martino and the presepe room of the Santa Chiara cloister show what the tradition looks like at its height.

Our Christmas in Naples page covers the season as a whole, from the presepi to the food of Christmas Eve.

At the top, Piazza San Gaetano on Via dei Tribunali is the entrance to Napoli Sotterranea, about 190 m from the church. At the bottom, where the street meets Via San Biagio dei Librai, is the small church of San Gennaro all'Olmo; opposite, a plaque placed in 1949 marks the traditional birthplace of San Gennaro.

The street is a set piece on our Spaccanapoli and decumani walk, which climbs it from Spaccanapoli and returns along Via dei Tribunali. The Cappella Sansevero is five minutes away.

Naples Walking Tour: Old Town and Spaccanapoli

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