Fontanelle Cemetery (Cimitero delle Fontanelle) Tours

Nestled between Vomero Hill and lower Naples, the Fontanelle Cemetery is home to catacombs dating back centuries—but visiting independently means missing out on the site’s hidden secrets. On this small-group tour, limited to 14 people, delve into the ancient tunnels as your guide shares insight on their sinister past. Discover the ancient skulls and bones of Neapolitans from lost generations, and hear sides of Naples’ history many people miss.

The Mater Dei district houses one of the city's jewels of the city, the Fontanelle Cemetery, which was carved out of a natural tufa cave just outside the walls of the Greco-Roman city. The cave was used as a cemetery when in 1656 a severe plague raged in the city making numerous victims, and the bodies continued to be stored during other epidemics during the following centuries. During the last century the bones preserved here have been the subject of a widespread rite among the Neapolitan people, that of the "pezzentelle souls" (poor souls). People adopted a skull of which they did not know the story and took care of it, hoping that this could help him with graces and intercessions and that, in a dream, reveal his story to him. The guide will tell you in detail this tradition and why the Neapolitan people is so fond of this place, as well as the legends that hide behind some of the skulls preserved here. The Sanità district offers much more with its baroque churches and buildings.

Not far from the historic center of Naples is one of the most fascinating places in the city, it is the Fontanelle Cemetery. The cemetery was built inside an ancient tuff quarry when in 1656, because of the Plague, the bones of a large part of the Neapolitan population were thrown away, which could not resist the serious epidemic. Over the years many others were added, leading to the birth of the cult of "pezzentelle souls", to whom the people turned to obtain graces and interecessions. To accompany you there will be a guide who will tell you the legends that hover around the characters guarded in the cave. After this mystical experience you can take a walk to the Sanità district, whose name derives from the ancient belief that the area was rich in natural and supernatural "salubritas". You will walk through the crowded alleys of the neighborhood and staying in contact with the Neapolitan people, going to the discovery of one of the most beautiful and hidden corners of the city.

Go off the beaten track and visit one of the most peculiar neighbourhoods of Naples with a local guide. You will be introduced to one of the most famous districts of the city – eternalized in The Gold of Naples, the movie that made Sofia Loren a star. Your guide will bring you through the streets of Mater Dei, to show you one of the monuments to the religious and superstitious character of the eternal city – the Cimitero delle Fontanelle – to continue the tour into the narrow streets of one of the most controversial neighbourhoods of Naples, the Rione Sanita’, into the Stella district. You will surely love this tour!

The tour will begin from the Fontanelle Cemetery, built in an ancient tuff quarry and in which, still today it is possible to learn more about the relationship between Neapolitan people and death. In this place sacred and profane coexsist, creating the cult of the” pezzentelle” souls of Purgatory. It contains over 40,000 remains of people, mostly skulls, victims of the plague and cholera epidemics of the mid-seventeenth century. At the end of 19th century it became a cult place; some believers decided to rearrange the thousands of anonymous bones, adopting a skull of an abandoned soul in return for protection. The guided visit will continue in the Rione Sanità where you will have the opportunity to admire two masterpieces of the Neapolitan Baroque: Palazzo San Felice and Palazzo dello Spagnolo. Before ending our tour at Porta San Gennaro, we will taste the famous sweet “fiocco di neve” in one of the most important pastry shops in Naples.

A tour to discover the Vergini-Sanità district and its cultural heritage that ranges between art, history and beliefs rooted in the territory. We will visit the evocative Fontanelle Cemetery, which houses around 40,000 remains of people, victims of the plague epidemic of 1656 and cholera of 1836. We will enter the heart of Health to visit the baroque Basilica of San Vincenzo Ferrer, to whose inside there are paintings by Luca Giordano, Azzolino and other Neapolitan painters of the 1600s. We will see the exterior of Totò's house, to conclude the visit between Palazzo Sanfelice and Palazzo dello Spagnolo.

Many Naples tours concentrate on magnificent historic and architectural landmarks, but this city’s unique culture is what sets it apart. Get to know the authentic side of Naples with this guided tour that dives deep into the lively residential and student quarters of the historic center, touching on its vibrant street art scene, coffee culture, designers and artisans, legends and lore, and even its most atmospheric cemetery.

Discover the hidden mysteries of Naples on a private full-day walking tour of the city’s most intriguing churches, cemeteries and crypts. Listen to age-old legends from your art historian guide as you tour mystical sites such as the Church of Gesù Nuovo, Sansevero Chapel and Cemetery delle Fontanelle — an underground burial chamber piled high with bones. Savor a lunch of authentic Neapolitan pizza midday, and enjoy the personalized attention of a private tour.

Our journey will start from the Metro Materdei stop,one of the so-called "MetroArte" stations. We will start from the Cemetery of the Fontanelle. The large amount of human remains and skulls will leave you surprised: this place was born as mass grave and was then one of the places where the worship of the souls of Purgatory . We will continue towards the Basilica of Santa Maria alla Sanità: the pulpit with its double ramp on one side surrounds the crypt and on the other leads to the upper presbytery: it is truly a unicum in European architecture. We'll move to its most famous mansions: Sanfelice Palace and Spagnuolo Palace, jewels of late Baroque architecture, and I will show you the birthing house of an illustrious Neapolitan citizen, namely Prince Antonio de Curtis... Aka Toto! Crossing the Borgo Vergini, where you can meet a typical Neapolitan market, we will conclude our tour in Porta San Gennaro: it is one of the oldest accesses of the city, dedicated to its most famous Patron.

Because of these characteristics, the centuries-old relationship between man and death is still strong and tangible, as evidenced by places of unique charm such as the Fontanelle Cemetery. Walking through the Rione Sanità, one cannot help but be overwhelmed by its sounds and the voices of the market, the scents of ancient patisseries like Poppella and its artistic and architectural beauties such as the Spagnuolo palace, also chosen by the director Jhon Turturro for a scene from his film "Passione", as well as a place dedicated to a museum dedicated to the prince of laughter, Totò.

A walk inside one of the most colorful and folkloristic districts of the city: the Rione Sanità, where the famous actor loved all over the world was born, Antonio De Curtis in art Totò. Starting from the Fontanelle Cemetery, where the cult of "pezzentelle souls" is still practiced by the Neapolitans, we will reach the Basilica of Santa Maria alla Sanità, known to the Neapolitans as the church of San Vincenzo or Munacone, which represents the entrance to the ancient catacombs of San Gaudioso. Crossing the Borgo dei Vergini you will admire the splendid noble palaces located along the road and then conclude at Porta San Gennaro where the fresco made as an ex-voto for the end of the plague of 1656 stands out

In the historical district of Napoli, this 2 day experience is the perfect blend of local flavor, unique sightseeing, and historical phenomenons. DiVita Tours takes you on a deep and dark spiritual adventure of the underground of Naples that leads to some of your own soul searching. From the ancient cemeteries, to the Gothic Churches, and authentic flavors; you experience the real and raw Napoli and come to understand why it is referred to the HEART.

See a different side of Naples, off the typical tourist path, on this walking tour with a knowledgeable guide. Discover the city’s mythological side as you hear about legends of ghosts, the occult and secrets behind cathedrals and other historical landmarks. The itinerary can be customized to suit any specific interests you have.

Follow us on an easy ride on our e-bikes through the narrow alleyways into the heart of Naples. Explore its roots, cultural beliefs, dark stories and local atmosphere on an off the beaten track and uncensored tour. Discover the intriguing district of Sanità and Spanish Quarter, and taste the delicious street food of the city of the sun!

If you are in Naples you can not avoid visiting one of the only sites in the world, the Fontanelle Cemetery, in the Mater Dei district. You will have a local guide who will accompany you on this visit telling you stories, anecdotes and curiosities that hide behind the bones of the dead. The tour will continue through the narrow streets of one of Naples' most discussed neighborhoods, the Rione Sanità.