Underground Naples: the review
The verdict. The highest number of reviews and the lowest rating of the six tours: 4.4 out of 5 from 25,315 ratings. This isn’t a bad review—it’s a portrait of a site with massive visitor numbers and very narrow passages. And it’s important to say this upfront: this is not a catacomb. It’s the Greco-Roman aqueduct beneath Via dei Tribunali in the historic centre, something entirely different from the Catacombs of San Gennaro.
What you will see
The Greco-Roman aqueduct that supplied the city, the remains of the Roman theatre, and the Summa Cavea, incorporated into the buildings of the historic centre. The tour lasts between an hour and a half and two hours and is guided in Italian and English, with app support in other languages. The difference from the underground of Capodimonte isn’t about preference—it’s about nature: here, you walk inside a hydraulic structure; there, inside a Christian cemetery. The full picture is in the underground Naples.
Why 4.4 with twenty-five thousand reviews?
Three reasons, and none is a hidden flaw. The first is volume: with that many visitors, even off days, queues, and large groups are factored into the average, which statistically stand out less in a site with a thousand reviews. The second is the tunnels: in some sections, you have to walk sideways, and those who didn’t expect it mention it. Alternative routes exist, but not for all areas. The third is the guide: the experiences described vary greatly depending on who leads the group, and this is the factor that most influences the final rating.
A 4.4 out of twenty-five thousand ratings is still a good score. It just needs to be read for what it is: the average of a site that welcomes everyone, not the average of a site that only welcomes those who chose it carefully.
What works well
- The Greco-Roman aqueduct and the Roman theatre in the same tour
- In the heart of the historic centre, beneath Via dei Tribunali
- Guided in Italian and English, with app support in other languages
- The highest number of reviews: you know exactly what to expect
Things to know before
- Very narrow passages: in some tunnels you have to walk sideways
- Alternative routes do not cover all areas
- Very busy, so large groups
- This is not a catacomb: those looking for them should go elsewhere
Who should skip it
For those who suffer from claustrophobia, without hesitation: the narrow sections are the characteristic part of the visit, not an exception. For those who have mobility difficulties, as alternatives do not reach everywhere. For those who came to Naples for the Christian catacombs and have only one morning: in that case, this is not the right visit, and I explain the choice among the four underground sites in which catacombs to visit and in which underground Naples to choose.
Frequently asked questions
Is Underground Naples a catacomb?
No. It is the Greco-Roman aqueduct in the historic center, beneath Via dei Tribunali, with the remains of the Roman theater. The Christian catacombs are in Capodimonte and beneath Rione Sanità, and they are a completely different type of place. The comparison is in which catacombs to visit.
How narrow are the passages?
In some tunnels you have to walk sideways. Alternative routes exist, but not for all areas: those with claustrophobia or mobility difficulties should consider this before booking. Regarding the conditions of the other routes, there is Accessibility.
Why does it have the lowest rating of the six visits?
4.4 out of 5 from 25,315 reviews: the huge volume, narrow passages, and variability between guides explain the difference compared to the 4.6 and 4.7 ratings of the catacombs. With that number of visitors, even all the off days are averaged in.
How long does the visit last?
Between an hour and a half and two hours, so more than double a catacomb visit. If you are fitting multiple underground sites into the same day, take this into account: I compare the timings of the other visits in all reviews.