Rione Sanità is a dense, lively neighbourhood in Naples, just north of the historic centre and beneath the hill of Capodimonte. Its streets are filled with market stalls, workshops, corner bars and washing lines, offering a glimpse of daily life away from the city’s better-trodden routes.
The area’s history reaches deep underground. Used for burials in Greek and Roman times, its soft tufa rock was later carved into early Christian catacombs. The Catacombs of San Gennaro contain frescoes and burial chambers, while the Cimitero delle Fontanelle ossuary is associated with the Neapolitan tradition of tending to anonymous skulls. Above ground, Baroque churches and palaces such as Palazzo dello Spagnolo, famed for its open-air staircase, reveal another layer of the neighbourhood’s past. Sanità is also the birthplace of Totò, Naples’ much-loved comic actor.
Local cooperatives have played an important role in the district’s cultural revival, managing heritage sites and training guides. Come to explore those sites, but leave time to wander Via Sanità, try a fried pizza and notice the murals and small shrines tucked among the busy streets. The neighbourhood’s appeal lies as much in its community life as in its monuments.
Visit in the morning or early afternoon, when shops and market stalls are busiest. Museo on metro Line 1 and Piazza Cavour on Line 2 are both within walking distance. Book catacomb tours ahead at busy times, and check current access to the Fontanelle ossuary before setting out.