All tours of the Catacombs of San Gennaro and Naples underground
How to choose, based on the time you have
The six visits I compare below are not variations of the same thing. They differ in location, duration, and type of underground. I list the options in the order they are requested at the ticket counter.
Just under an hour. Catacombs of San Gennaro, Via Capodimonte 13: two levels carved into tuff, wide galleries almost entirely flat, half a kilometre of route. The guided tour lasts 45–50 minutes. This is the visit most people book and the one from which everything else starts: the ticket also includes the second catacomb. If you want to know exactly what it includes, I explained it in how much the visit costs.
One hour, but on the other side of the neighbourhood. Catacombs of San Gaudioso, Via della Sanità 123, beneath the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità: 5th–6th century frescoes and mosaics, 17th-century noble burials with walled-in skulls, works by Giovanni Balducci. Here too, the ticket is valid for twelve months and includes San Gennaro, in the other direction. Rating 4.7 out of 1,222 reviews, smaller groups.
Three hours on foot. The Sacred Mile starts from the catacombs and descends into the Rione Sanità: basilica, Palazzo San Felice, Via Vergini, Piazzetta Crociferi, ending at Piazza Cavour. It has the highest rating of the six, 4.9 out of 758 reviews, and is also the longest commitment.
Small groups. The Ipogeo dei Cristallini descends twelve metres below street level, four Greek burial chambers from the 4th century BC, maximum ten people. The underground walk in the Rione Sanità combines Palazzo dello Spagnuolo, Cristallini and San Gaudioso in two hours. I compare them in small-group tours.
Historic centre, not catacombs. The Naples Underground of Via dei Tribunali is a Greco-Roman aqueduct with remains of the Roman theatre. Narrow tunnels, completely different from Capodimonte: I discuss it in Naples Underground.
The visit almost everyone books
Catacombs of San Gennaro, ticket and guided tour: 4.6 out of 8,718 reviews. The tour starts at a fixed time, the ticket office opens at 9:30 and it’s best to arrive fifteen minutes early. The ticket is valid only for the date and time you choose, and those arriving after the departure time will not be admitted to the next tour. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The six tours
Ratings and number of reviews are those published on GetYourGuide. Two of these still have few reviews, and I mention it where necessary: the Ipogeo dei Cristallini has nineteen reviews, and the walk in the Rione Sanità has none yet.
Most bookedCatacombs of San Gennaro: ticket and guided tour
The second catacombCatacombs of San Gaudioso: guided tour
Highest ratingThe Sacred Mile: 3-hour guided tour
Maximum 10 peopleIpogeo dei Cristallini: guided tour
Three sites in oneRione Sanità: underground walk
The classic in the city centreUnderground Naples: ticket and guided tour
San Gaudioso, San Gennaro, Miglio Sacro: which one to choose
Three different formats with the same starting point, the neighbourhood. The middle column is the one I recommend for those visiting Naples for the first time.
| Catacombs of San Gaudioso: guided tour | Recommended choiceCatacombs of San Gennaro: ticket and guided tour | The Sacred Mile: 3-hour guided tour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 45 min | 45–50 min | 3 hours |
| What you'll see | Noble burials and Basilica della Sanità | Two levels, Bishops' Crypt, Sant’Agrippino | Catacombs, basilica and buildings of the district |
| Group | Booked | High during peak times | Medium, on foot |
| Languages | Italian and English | Italian and English | Italian and English |
| Rating | 4,7 · 1.222 | 4,6 · 8.718 | 4,9 · 758 |
| Who it's for | Those who have already seen San Gennaro | First visit, short time | Those who want to understand the district |
| View → | Book this → | View → |
Book the first morning slot or the last afternoon slot. During central hours, groups take longer, and this is the most frequent criticism in reviews of the San Gennaro visit.
Before booking
Three things I’m always asked over the phone. The site is closed on Wednesdays, all day. You cannot enter alone: the visit is only with a guide, and booking is mandatory, as I explain in guided tours. No photography is allowed inside the site, as it is a protected heritage.
If you want to read how these slots actually work before choosing, I’ve written a review for each one: starting from all reviews.
Dates not working for you?
Check the other available tours of the Catacombs of San Gennaro and find the slot you need — instant confirmation and free cancellation.
Frequently asked questions
How many different tours are there in the underground of the Rione Sanità district?
I compare six: Catacombs of San Gennaro, Catacombs of San Gaudioso, Miglio Sacro, Ipogeo dei Cristallini, walking tour of the underground in Rione Sanità, and Naples Underground in the historic centre. The first four are in the district; the last one is not, and I explain it in this page.
Which tour should I book if I only have one morning?
The Catacombs of San Gennaro: 45–50 minutes of guided tour, level galleries, fixed departure times starting from 10:00. The ticket also includes San Gaudioso for twelve months, so the second catacomb remains available. Find out what is included in how much the visit costs.
Can I show up without booking?
No. Entry is only with a guide, departures are scheduled, and the slot must be booked. Also, it’s closed on Wednesdays, which is why it’s the most common wasted afternoon in the Sanità district. The entry rules are in guided tours.
Is the ticket really valid for two catacombs?
Yes, and it works both ways: those who book San Gennaro can then enter San Gaudioso, and those who book San Gaudioso can enter San Gennaro. The validity is twelve months, so you don’t have to visit them on the same day. What the ticket exactly includes is in how much the visit costs.