Castles in Naples Italy: 5 sights to visit

Naples is a place full of charm and traditions. It has a thousand-year old and stratified history and many forts scattered in several places of the old city. If you’re in town to work or on holiday or if you want to get there soon, among the must see sights to visit, I suggest you a tour to the castles in Naples.

Reading this post, you will discover the 5 most beautiful and famous castles in Naples (Italy) that will capture your attention for their magnificence, charm, mystery and artistic and cultural value. And with a luxury car rental with driver service in Naples, everything becomes simpler.

Castel Sant’Elmo Naples, castle with panoramic view

The most scenic, legendary and fascinating castle of Naples is Belforte Castle or Castel Sant’Elmo. With the monumental complex of Certosa di San Martino at its side, this Neapolitan castle offers you a 360 degree view of Naples, with the famous street Spaccanapoli, which cannot be admired from other sites in the city.

What you cannot miss in Castel Sant’Elmo are its scenic corridors on the six-pointed star-shaped terrace. But also the Arms Square, the Castellano Tower and the Eremita Grotto. Cultural and musical events take place in Castel Sant’Elmo every summer. If you want to experience all the charm of art together with ancient and spectacular architectural scenery, Castel Sant’Elmo is a sight you cannot miss.

Ovo Castle, a castle by the sea

Nestled on the islet of Megaride, on the seafront of Naples, and lying with all its grandeur in the Gulf of Naples, the Ovo Castle is the oldest castle of Naples. It dates actually to 1st century BC, although the fortification work dates to 1150 and is due to the Normans.

The name Castel dell’Ovo (that is in English “Egg Castle”) depends on a local legend. It is said actually that the poet Virgil had hidden an egg in the dungeon of the castle, which had to support the whole fortress. The breaking of the egg would not only cause the fall of Castel dell’Ovo, but also a series of catastrophic events in Naples.

Because of its stunning location on the sea, Castel dell’Ovo is a perfect place for those who want to admire Mount Vesuvius, the Gulf of Naples, Posillipo Hill and Capri isle in a single stroke. Its tuff terraces, its embrasures and the seaside village that surrounds it, make the Ovo Castle a compelling destination for anyone wishes to seize the true beauty of Naples.

Castle of Nisida at Phlegrean Fields

To admire the Castle of Nisida you should move from the center of Naples and reach Bagnoli, in the Phlegrean Fields area. Here is a beautiful islet where in the Angevin Period (1300 AD) a residence of sovereigns was built. Later, it became a prison, in 1700.

Today, the Castle of Nisida hosts a juvenile detention center, a re-education center for children who have committed criminal acts. What you have to see absolutely in Nisida is the Literary Park.

It is opened periodically and offers the possibility to admire all the splendid beauty of an uncontaminated vegetation, walking through the literary passages that Homer, Cicero, Virgil, Boccaccio, Benedetto Croce, Berlioz and many other important writers dedicated to Nisida.

If you are in Naples and you want to enjoy the dazzling charm of this island from above, we recommend you to stop at the panoramic viewpoint on Posillipo Hill at sunset. From above this hill, the magic of Nisida, between sea and sky, will enchant you.

Maschio Angioino Naples or Castel Nuovo

Castel Nuovo, better known as Maschio Angioino Castle, is one of the symbols of the tourist iconography of Naples. If you arrive in the city from the sea, you can see the majesty of this ancient Medieval fortress, later reshaped in the Renaissance period, already from the ship.

Located between the harbor and the town, the castle overlooks the view with its five cylindrical towers, splendid examples of war architecture. If you decide to visit it, you could admire, in its surroundings, the inestimable archaeological excavations that brought to light three caravels of the 2nd century AD.

Castel Nuovo Naples, what to see there? Certainly the Palatine Chapel (with the remains of some frescoes by Giotto), the Hall of Barons, the jails in the underground and the Civic Museum, with sculptures and paintings of Neapolitan Baroque, Renaissance and the nineteenth century.

Maschio Angioino Castle, then, is a stone’s throw from Via Roma, the Neapolitan shopping street. A tour of the fortress can therefore be a prelude to a relaxing walk among the city’s most popular shops.

Castel Capuano Naples, the old courthouse

Ancient residence of Norman kings, Castel Capuano offers you an amazing experience if you are looking for 18th century frescoes, medieval architectures mixed with art of the sixteenth century.

Set in the city center, you can find it the end of via Tribunali, the street where a lot of pizzerias are located. Headquarters of the Neapolitan judicial power since sixteenth century, Castel Capuano is perfect to lose yourself in the liveliest part of Naples.

A visit to the ancient headquarters of the town is a must, especially if you love to stroll through alleyways, dry cloths and kitchen aromas that come from the low balconies.

Read more: Things to do in Amalfi Coast, one day trip

Castles in Naples Italy with a luxury car

Would you like to spend some time in Naples visiting these 5 castles, independently and avoiding the chaos of the Neapolitan roadway? Above all, would you like to enjoy an exclusive tour to these Neapolitan fortresses, with the comfort of a luxury car with private driver?

If you really want to enjoy a tailored tour of the castles in Naples, turn to a high quality transfer service. You will be free to decide the day and the time you prefer for your tour among the castles in Naples: a private driver will pick you wherever you want, will accompany you wherever you desire and will bring you back wherever you decide. Everything will assure you of a truly unforgettable Neapolitan experience.