Catacombs of San Gaudioso guided tour, under the Sanità basilica

What you’ll do

You meet at the catacombs’ ticket office, in the Rione Sanità, a quarter of an hour before your slot. The visit also includes the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità above: you see the church first and then go down. The guide tells the story of the place: Gaudiosus’s burial between 451 and 453, his tomb, and the 5th- and 6th-century frescoes and mosaics with early Christian symbols.

Then you move into the 17th-century corridor, from the time when the catacombs were used again to bury the aristocracy: skulls set into the walls, with decorated tombs around them. The frescoes are by Giovanni Balducci, who gave up his fee in exchange for being buried there among the city’s aristocrats. The guide explains the burial rites, the early Christians and 17th-century customs. 45 minutes in all, then you go back up into the basilica.

Who it’s for

For lovers of history and underground Naples who want something more intimate than the Catacombs of San Gennaro, including older kids who won’t be spooked by a skull. Good if you’re short on time, as it’s done in three quarters of an hour. Less suited to the casually punctual: if you arrive after your slot has started, you won’t get in and won’t be refunded.

What’s included

Guide + entry (also valid for San Gennaro).

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