San Carlo Opera House (Teatro di San Carlo)
Via San Carlo 98, Naples, Italy, 80132
Neapolitans boast that the historic San Carlo Opera House (Teatro di San Carlo) was opened in 1737, predating the opening of the famous La Scala in Milan. The opera house is Italy’s largest public theater and one of the oldest in the world, with an opulent interior of gold leaf, red upholstery, and frescoed ceilings. If making it to a performance is not feasible, tours taking in the exterior and exploring the interior are more than worthwhile.
The Basics
A visit to the Teatro di San Carlo is essential to understanding Naples’ wealth of cultural assets. The site is an informal starting point for many food, Segway, and walking tours that stop to admire the theater’s exterior before making their way up Via Toledo to the city’s historic center. Travelers who want to check out the dreamy interior—or the MeMus, the theater’s multimedia museum and historical archive—can book short guided tours and purchase admission tickets from the box office.
Things to Know Before You Go
The Teatro di San Carlo is a must-visit attraction for lovers of opera and Italian theaters.
Guided museum tours are offered in English and Italian six days a week.
Visitors using wheelchairs can access most of the theater and are eligible for ticket discounts.
Children under 6 years of age are not permitted to attend performances.
How to Get There
The museum is located on Via San Carlo next to Piazza Trieste e Trento, near the Royal Palace, Piazza del Plebiscito, and Galleria Umberto I. Travelers can reach Municipio Station (Metro Line 1) and walk south on Via Vittorio Emanuele III toward Via San Carlo. The E6, N1, N3, and R2 bus lines stop nearby.
When to Get There
Opera, concert, and dance season usually runs from late October through June, with some performances in summer. Guided theater tours are held year-round, from Monday through Saturday six times daily beginning at 10:30am. Morning and afternoon tours are recommended as performances and rehearsals sometimes conflict with tours in the evening. In August the booking office has fewer regular hours and the MeMus museum closes.
Other Attractions Near the San Carlo Opera House
Thanks to the theater’s location at the edge of the UNESCO–listed Historic Center of Naples, there’s a ton to see within short walking distance: prepare for a show with coffee at historic Caffé Gambrinus, tour the Royal Palace, or shop at the 19th-century Galleria Umberto I before heading up Via Toledo to the Spanish Quarters and beyond.
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