In Between the Sacred and the Mundane

The tour starts in front of the Santa Chiara Monumental Complex. We will visit this place of worship, which is one of the most important and loved by the Neapolitans.

Tour description

This church from the Angioinian period was built in Gothic style. Inside are the monumental tombs of Roberto il Saggio (Robert the Wise) and his family. When we leave the church of Santa Chiara, our attention will be drawn to the facade of an ancient building, the palace “Palazzo Sanseverino”, the facade of which is characterized by the typical diamond-shaped ashlars of the Renaissance marked with an engraved sign (Palazzo dei diamanti, so called Diamond Palace).

A city like Pompeii was not short of trades; the most profitable of them was the textile industry for the production of woolen fabric. The tour thus provides for such a fascinating and interesting stage, so that you can even imagine the special \”smells\” coming from the different stages of processing.

According to legend, these strange engraved signs were created by the Maestri Pipernieri (masters in working the Piperno stone). These masters had a deep knowledge of esoteric secrets. In the late 16th century, the building was sold to the Jesuits, who converted it into a church. Once inside, we will be mesmerized by the opulence of one of the city’s 3 baroque gems; the church has a Greek form with several side chapels. The relics of San Giuseppe Moscati, the sacred doctor, are kept in the church of Gesù Nuovo. Neapolitans mostly come to this church to confess and pray to the saint for an act of grace.

Our next stop includes a guided tour of the Montecalvario district in the Pignasecca area. Pignasecca is one of the most famous and evocative places in Naples: it hosts one of the oldest markets in the city, visited by thousands of people every day. It is a typical Neapolitan street where the footpaths have virtually merged with the shops as the goods are displayed in front of the shop doors. Seed and spice dealers, greengrocers, fishmongers, tripe sellers, delicatessens, grocers, shops that offer typical products… just wander around the Pignasecca district and you will find everything.

Book the “Sacred and Mundane” tour with us, immerse yourself in this tour with Napoli Local tour guides and fully experience the atmosphere of a sensational city.