Erika Chiappinelli tour guide

Guided tours

Other tours

OTHER TOURS

The Egyptians in Naples: Archaeological Museum and Regio Nilensis (for adults or for children)
Sansevero Chapel and the esoteric triangle
The women of Naples in poverty and nobility: Royal Palace and Spanish Quarters
From Rione Sanità to the Spanish Quarters, among alleys and little lanes
The hidden decumanus: the Anticaglia
Rione Sanità: sacred and profane with murals and the Fontanelle Cemetery
The Naples seafront, with monumental area and Chiaia
Beautiful Neapolis, from the blue hour until evening
San Gennaro, the ancient road to the hills and the village of Antignano
From the ancient center to Sanità, between sacred and profane
Naples, city of art and craftsmanship, between myth and capuzzelle
In the bowels of Naples, from the Water Museum to the skull with ears
Art and craftsmanship in Naples: silk, cameos and culinary specialties
The villages of Naples: from Arenella to Case Puntellate
Villa Floridiana and Duca di Martina Museum
The church of San Giovanni a Carbonara

The Egyptians in Naples: Archaeological Museum and Regio Nilensis

Let's discover Egyptian culture in Naples: the Egyptian Collection, the section of the Temple of Isis, and the cult of Isis lactans! After a guided tour of the sections of the Archaeological Museum related to Egyptian culture, the tour continues to the Regio Nilensis, in the historic center of Naples, an area once inhabited by Alexandrians. It was they who built what is now known as the "Body of Naples" and what has acquired a deep meaning in Neapolitan culture. It is also possible to book the tour in the "for children" mode, with crosswords and playing cards.

Sansevero Chapel and the esoteric triangle

Let's discover the esoteric triangle of Naples: from Piazza San Domenico to Piazzetta Nilo, and then, at the top, the Sansevero Chapel!

The Sansevero Chapel was founded as a family chapel in 1590, and then, during the eighteenth century, was restored by Raimondo di Sangro, thus becoming a true Masonic temple.

Inside the Chapel, in addition to the Veiled Christ, you can admire other marble sculptures of astonishing beauty, such as the Modesty and the Disillusion.

The women of Naples in poverty and nobility: Royal Palace and Spanish quarters

In the history of Naples there have been many queens, some wore the crown while others, even without royal blood, became "queens of the people." We will follow a path to discover the women who made the city of Naples great. After visiting the Royal Palace, home of the last queens, we will enter the Spanish Quarters, where, for example, "Donna Linora" lived, one of the women who led the Neapolitan Republic of 1799. In the quarters we will discover the faces of the protagonists of Naples' history through murals: Hypatia, Isis, la Tarantina, Sofia Loren, Saint Maria Francesca of the Five Wounds, the mermaid of Trallallà, and the capera. The tour ends in Piazza Carità, where, in the marvelous Palazzo Mastelloni, built by Niccolò Tagliacozzi Canale, Luisa Sanfelice lived, another icon of the Neapolitan Republic.

From the Sanità District to the Spanish Quarters, among alleys and little lanes

We will start from Porta San Gennaro, in Piazza Cavour, to reach what was once the city's necropolis, outside the walls. We will discover the alleys of the Rione Sanità, its eighteenth-century palaces, such as the Palazzo dello Spagnuolo, the Church of Santa Maria alla Sanità, and the cult of San Vincenzo Ferrer. We will also take the opportunity to admire the murals and talk about the neighborhood redevelopment project. From there, we will walk to the Spanish Quarters, the network of alleys behind the famous Via Toledo. Built in the 1530s at the behest of the viceroy Pedro da Toledo to house the Spanish troops, the quarters suffered until a few years ago from a terrible reputation as a dangerous area within the Neapolitan metropolis. Thanks to numerous interventions, most of which were "grassroots initiatives," the Spanish Quarters are now one of the focal points of the city's tourism.

We will see the Largo degli Artisti, with the famous Maradona mural and the Isis by Francisco Bosoletti, Vico Totò, the murals by Cyop&kaf, and we will talk about the chair of the sacred shrines and the "fertility chair."

The hidden decumanus: the Anticaglia

Meeting at the steps of the Church of San Giovanni a Carbonara. Do you know why the church is called that? We will walk along the hidden decumanus, the Anticaglia, which is also, of the three, the least crowded.

It was the theater district in Greco-Roman Neapolis. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the street filled with churches and convents: the Church of the Holy Apostles, the Church of San Giuseppe dei Ruffi, the Church of Donnaregina Nuova, and many others.

Sanità: sacred and profane with murals and Fontanelle cemetery

Meeting at the exit of the Materdei metro station, a work by Atelier Mendini. The first stop will be the Cimitero delle Fontanelle, the site of the "anime pezzentelle" ritual. From there, we will move towards the Church of Santa Maria della Sanità, with its splendid majolica dome, also known as the "church of San Becienzo" or "del Monacone," due to the presence of a case containing the 19th-century statuette of Saint Vincent Ferrer, in painted wood, built by the faithful in 1836 to defeat the cholera epidemic that struck the city. Along the way, you will be able to admire the murals by street artists Bosoletti, Tono Cruz, Mono Gonzalez, and many others, as well as contemporary artworks by Riccardo Dalisi and Paolo La Motta. You will discover nativity scenes and gardens in one of the most fascinating neighborhoods of Naples. On the way down towards Via Foria, we will visit Palazzo Sanfelice and Palazzo dello Spagnuolo, two noble residences from the 18th century, characterized by the "falcon wing" staircase, typical of Ferdinando Sanfelice's architecture. The tour will end on Via Foria at Porta San Gennaro.

The Naples Waterfront, with Monumental Area and Chiaia

The sea. A nice tour in the "monumental" area of Naples. Piazza del Plebiscito, Piazza Trieste e Trento, and Galleria Umberto. Then we head towards via Chiaia to reach the seafront. Do you know where the name "Chiaia" comes from? We will discover the history of Piazza dei Martiri and the monument with the lions.

From Piazza Vittoria, on the seafront, to Castel dell'Ovo, where, according to legend, the siren Parthenope laid her body and founded the city of Naples.

Beautiful Neapolis, From the Blue Hour Until Evening

From Piazza del Gesù to Via Duomo, we walk through the streets of the historic center and visit the main churches in this area. The historic center of Naples was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Built according to a Hippodamian plan by the ancient Greeks, the city still preserves the structure of ancient Neapolis. We will visit Piazza del Gesù Nuovo with its churches, Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, Piazzetta Nilo, discover myths and popular traditions, and then walk along the famous street of nativity scenes, San Gregorio Armeno, up to the Naples Cathedral.

San Gennaro, the ancient road to the hills and the village of Antignano

What is the origin of the term “Antignano”? Where did the miracle of San Gennaro happen for the first time? The village located between Arenella and Vomero, which is the subject of our visit, is the guardian of these and other stories.

Meeting in Piazza Vanvitelli (corner of Via Bernini), we will discover the three churches dedicated to the most important Neapolitan patron saint (San Gennaro al Vomero, Piccola Pompei, and San Gennaro ad Antignano). We will then visit the village of Antignano, which in the 1400s hosted the gardens of Pontano and today hosts a colorful market.

Finally, we will arrive at the Salvator Rosa line 1 metro station, where, during excavations in 2000, some Roman-era arches emerged, belonging to the ancient "via per colles," which connected Naples to Pozzuoli.

From the ancient center to Sanità, between sacred and profane

Let's start from Piazza San Gaetano, the ancient agora and later forum of Neapolis, to reach the upper decumanus, the Anticaglia.

There, in the Flavian era, were the theaters of the Roman city, and it is said that Nero, during one of his performances, forced the spectators to remain seated in their places, despite the ongoing earthquake.

We then cross Vico Limoncello (formerly Vico Spogliamorti), to reach Porta San Gennaro, and finally the Borgo dei Vergini.

The street art works of Bosoletti, Nafir and other Iranian artists, the Maradona mural and the one dedicated to Neapolitan traditions by Antonio Cotecchia, Palazzo dello Spagnuolo and Palazzo Sanfelice, and many other Neapolitan peculiarities await you on this tour. After visiting the church of Santa Maria della Sanità, better known to Neapolitans as the Church of San Becienzo, or also the church of the Monacone, in honor of San Vincenzo Ferrer, we will discover where the "house of Totò" and the alley of culture are located.

Naples, city of art and craftsmanship, between myth and capuzzelle

Let's start from the Università metro station, in Piazza Bovio. The site is part of the art stations circuit, and was created according to the design of the Egyptian Karim Rashid, who chose the theme of communication.

Let's take a look at the metro lobby and then reach the Spinacorona fountain, also called the "fountain of the zizze." Here we can admire the siren Parthenope in the iconography of classical mythology: half woman and half bird.

Then we visit the Church of San Filippo e Giacomo, also known as the Silk Church, where the working of this precious material has been documented since 1477, in the Aragonese period, and then we continue through one of the "semi-hidden" alleys of the historic center, and go to the capuzzella of Santa Luciella, the famous skull with ears, kept in the church of the same name. The church of Santa Luciella, founded by Bartolomeo Di Capua in 1327 and later a place of worship for the Corporation of Pipernieri, Builders and Tagliamonti, is now entrusted to the Respiriamo Arte association, which enabled its reopening after a long period of inaccessibility due to problems with water infiltration. The little alley leads us to the street of nativity scenes, via San Gregorio Armeno, where the tour ends.

In the bowels of Naples, from the Water Museum to the skull with ears

Let's visit the parallel Naples, the one that lies underground.

Meeting in the heart of Naples' city center, outside the Church of Pietrasanta. Let's discover why it is called this way, and what the Roman-era marbles on the bell tower depict. Then we venture into underground Naples, forty meters below ground, to discover the cisterns of the Roman aqueduct, which were reused as air-raid shelters after the war.

The route inside the Water Museum is also enriched by a collection of volcanic materials and contemporary artworks.

We will comfortably go back up by elevator, and continue towards the Church of Santa Luciella, better known as the one with the "skull with ears." Have you ever heard of the cult of the capuzzelle in Naples?

In the underground of this church, several skulls are kept, but one in particular, thanks to its "ears," was considered the most suitable for listening to Neapolitans' prayers.

Would you like to know more? Don't hesitate to book this tour, to discover the mysteries and legends of Naples.

Art and craftsmanship in Naples: silk, cameos and culinary specialties

Did you know that the silk guild existed in Naples as early as 1477, during the Aragonese period? And that the art of cameo making was born thanks to the Neapolitans?

The old town has always been the cradle of craftsmanship; in fact, the streets still bear the names of ancient trades. Starting from Piazza Bellini, where you can admire the ancient Greek walls, we will walk together along the decumani of ancient Neapolis. We will see various artisan workshops: ceramics, soaps, musical instruments.

Then we visit the Church of San Filippo e Giacomo, the cradle of Neapolitan craftsmanship, because in 1601 the silk guild was transferred there. We see the 18th-century sacristy, the result of fine Neapolitan woodwork, the crypt, burial place of the silk guild members, the frescoes, testimony to the first church from the late 1500s, and the archaeological remains found beneath the inner courtyard, the only remains of the ancient city south of the lower decumanus. After visiting the church, we go to discover the art of cameo making at the Piccolo Museo del Cammeo. Last but not least, among Neapolitan excellences there are, undoubtedly, the culinary ones. And for those, you are spoiled for choice!

The villages of Naples: from Arenella to Case Puntellate

Let's start from Piazza Muzij to discover the village of Arenella, and we arrive at the Case Puntellate. Until the early 1900s, Arenella and also Vomero were considered holiday resorts. The city plan arrived in 1926, but it was not that which disrupted the building order of the hill, rather the constructions of the post-war period. From that moment on, the hillside landscape changed completely. However, if you look closely, it is possible to spot details that belong to the past. From Arenella, to Antignano, to the Case Puntellate. Do you know why they are called that? The journey back through the memory of places from the past leads to evoking their remains, often overshadowed by reckless building frenzy.

Villa Floridiana and Duke of Martina Museum

Villa Floridiana takes its name from the Duchess of Floridia (Lucia Migliaccio), the morganatic wife of King Ferdinand I, who married her after the death of his first wife, Maria Carolina.

Let's celebrate the reopening of the villa with a lovely tour dedicated to the gardens and the Duca di Martina Museum, which is located inside the park.

A relaxing morning full of curiosities about the Bourbon dynasty awaits you!

Guided tour to discover Villa Floridiana and the Duca di Martina Museum.

The church of San Giovanni a Carbonara

The Church of San Giovanni a Carbonara, recently reopened to the public after restoration, was built by the will of the Augustinians starting in 1343, on land donated by Gualtiero Galeota. Inside the religious complex, one of the most fascinating in the city of Naples, it is possible to visit the Somma Chapel, the Caracciolo di Vico Chapel, and the Caracciolo del Sole Chapel. Among the most evocative monuments is the funerary monument of Ladislao di Durazzo, built in the first half of the fifteenth century, by the will of his sister Giovanna II.

Materdei: guided tour among churches, palaces, cinemas and street art

Let's explore an area of Naples that, although close to the center, is still outside the tourist circuits, despite being rich in history and street art. Materdei has often been chosen as a film set: for example, it is right here that the scene of the fried pizza in "The Gold of Naples" was filmed.

The redevelopment of the area finds its origins in the restoration of Piazza Scipione Ammirato, where the Materdei metro station was inaugurated in 2033, a project by the Mendini atelier and sixteenth in the list of the most beautiful metro stations in Europe.

We will start right from the metro, where I will show you the works in the square and the atrium (without passing through the turnstiles), then continue along via Materdei, where we will admire the facades of historic buildings, such as Palazzo dei Medici.

We will then arrive at the church of Sant'Agostino degli Scalzi, famous for its splendid stuccoes on the ceiling.

Going up Salita San Raffaele, we will see two murals by Francisco Bosoletti, including the beautiful Partenope, dedicated to the city of Naples.

Walking along one of the little alleys, we will arrive at the OPG, the former psychiatric hospital, now a self-managed center and hub of neighborhood activities.

The tour will end in front of the mural by Blu, right on the facade of the building.

Do you want to customize your tour?

Do you want to customize your tour? The requested destination is not among those listed? No problem, contact me at 3492949722 and request a personalized tour.

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