With a history that stretches back to the Bronze Age, Naples is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth.
The city boasts the largest Old Town district in Europe and has more historic churches than any other city in the world. There are plenty of cultural tourist attractions in Naples, often hidden behind the dirt, noise and chaos of everyday life in Italy’s third largest city.
From impromptu arias in cafés to domestic squabbles in the streets, Neapolitans aren’t shy about expressing their feelings.
Built around the beautiful Bay of Naples, the city sits under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, which perhaps explains why residents embrace life with such unpretentious and uninhibited attitudes. While it’s not as polished as other tourist destinations, Naples offers every visitor a rich and authentically Italian travel experience.
Teatro di San Carlo
The Real Teatro di San Carlo (Royal Theatre of Saint Charles), its original name under the Bourbon monarchy but known today as simply the Teatro di San Carlo, is an opera house in Naples, Italy. It is located adjacent to the central Piazza del Plebiscito, and connected to the Royal Palace.
The Real Teatro di San Carlo in Naples holds the title as the oldest continuously active opera house in Europe. Built by King Charles of Bourbon, the red-and-gold theater is connected to the Royal Palace. Completed in 1737, the opera house established a standard that subsequent architects would strive to follow. Six tiers of box seating surround the horseshoe-shaped orchestra seats, with an extravagantly decorated royal box jutting out in the rear of the house. A multi-million dollar renovation of the theater was completed in 2010.