Spaccanapoli and the decumani

1. Piazza del Gesu Nuovo. Start at the diamond-studded facade of the Gesu Nuovo church (free).
2. Santa Chiara, across the square. The Gothic basilica is free; the majolica cloister and museum cost €7. See Santa Chiara.
3. Along Via Benedetto Croce to Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, about 300 meters.
4. Cappella Sansevero on Via Francesco De Sanctis, just behind the square: the Veiled Christ. See Cappella Sansevero.
5. Via Nilo and Largo Corpo di Napoli, with the Roman statue of the Nile, then east along Via San Biagio dei Librai.
6. Left up Via San Gregorio Armeno, the street of nativity-scene workshops. See San Gregorio Armeno.
7. Piazza San Gaetano on Via dei Tribunali, the entrance to Napoli Sotterranea (a separate guided tour: about an hour underground plus about 20 minutes at the Roman theater).
8. East on Via dei Tribunali to Pio Monte della Misericordia at number 253: Caravaggio's Seven Works of Mercy. See Pio Monte.
9. The Duomo on Via Duomo, around the corner (free). See Naples Cathedral.
10. Back west along Via dei Tribunali, past San Gaetano, to Via San Pietro a Majella and Piazza Bellini, then down Via San Sebastiano to the start.

Distances come from OpenStreetMap foot routing: about 1.1 km from Gesu Nuovo to Piazza San Gaetano via the sights, 0.8 km from San Gaetano to Pio Monte, the Duomo and back, and 0.9 km back to the start via Piazza Bellini.

Two booking rules matter. Sansevero requires a timed ticket, released online 60 days ahead, with an extra batch two days before; do not turn up hoping. Santa Chiara sells cloister tickets only at its own desk. The Duomo's Treasure of San Gennaro museum is a separate paid visit. Under-10s enter Sansevero free.

Start at 9:30 a.m., when Santa Chiara's cloister opens, and book Sansevero for about 10:30 a.m. That puts you at Pio Monte after 11 a.m. and at the Duomo before lunch, with pizza on Via dei Tribunali at the end.

Avoid Tuesdays for Sansevero. Sunday works only in the morning: Santa Chiara's cloister closes at 2 p.m. and Pio Monte at 2:30 p.m. From mid-November to early January, San Gregorio Armeno is packed, and on December weekends it may be one-way; see Christmas in Naples. On the San Gennaro dates the Duomo is full; see the miracle of San Gennaro.

Via dei Tribunali is the old town's pizza street. For a sit-down pizza, Sorbillo and Di Matteo are both on it; Di Matteo's counter also sells frittatine and pizza fritta to eat standing. For a pastry break, Scaturchio is on Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, right on the route.

• First-time visitors: do it as written; it is the core of the Centro Storico.
• Art lovers: give Sansevero and Pio Monte an hour each, and add the Archaeological Museum, a short walk north of Piazza Bellini.
• Families: swap Pio Monte for Napoli Sotterranea; children usually prefer tunnels to altarpieces.
• Short on time: walk only the Spaccanapoli half, Gesu Nuovo to San Gregorio Armeno, in 20 minutes and see it from the street.

Naples: Naples Underground Entry Ticket and Guided Tour

€18, the same as the full price on napolisotterranea.org. Guided only; 121 steps and not wheelchair accessible. Meets at Piazza San Gaetano 62, while the association's site gives its entrance as number 69; neither page says the two sellers are the same.

1.5 to 2 hours

4.4★★★★★★★★★★(25,854 reviews)

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Naples: Downtown Tour with Veiled Christ & St Clare Tickets

Only 30 people are allowed in the chapel at once, so expect to queue. The cloister is always closed on Sunday afternoons, when the tour covers the chapel only.

2.5 hours

4.9★★★★★★★★★★(7,010 reviews)

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Naples: Veiled Christ Entrance Ticket and Guided Tour

The chapel's own ticket is €12 (closed Tuesdays), so the guide adds about €8. Every participant needs a tour ticket, whatever their age. Not wheelchair or stroller friendly.

35 minutes

4.8★★★★★★★★★★(1,445 reviews)

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