Via Toledo

The basics

Running from Piazza Dante to Piazza Trieste e Trento, this thoroughfare traces a straight line through the heart of Naples’ downtown. One of the city’s most historic streets, Via Toledo is also home to highlights like the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the Teatro Augusteo, and the soaring 19th-century Galleria Umberto I shopping arcade. No walking, Segway, or bike tour of the center is complete without a turn down this main artery, along with stops at nearby sights like Teatro di San Carlo (the oldest opera house in Italy), Piazza Plebiscito, and the Royal Palace. You can also visit Via Toledo as part of a food tour that combines sightseeing with tastings of pizza and other local street food. The Pompeii archaeological park is located just outside Naples, so Roman history buffs can opt for a tour that includes a visit to these famous ruins along with Naples’ historic center.

Things to know before you go

• Walking tours down Via Toledo are mostly outdoors; wear sunscreen and a hat in summer and choose comfortable shoes.
• Via Toledo is teeming with people into the late evening, but if you would like to browse the stores, visit during business hours.
• Stretches of the thoroughfare are closed to traffic, and the entire street is level and paved, so easy to navigate with a wheelchair.
• The quieter cross streets are thick with family-run restaurants and pizzerias, perfect for sampling Naples’ famous cuisine.

How to get there

Via Toledo runs through much of the historic center of Naples, an easy walk from both the city’s port and main train station. Naples is a major transportation and cruise ship hub, and direct trains or ferries run from most major Italian cities.

When to get there

To window shop when the temperature drops, join the Neapolitans on their evening stroll down Via Toledo after dinner. Otherwise, visit during business hours to browse the many shops and department stores along its length.

Naples’ Other Main Thoroughfare: Spaccanapoli

The city of Naples has two main arteries, the wider and more elegant Via Toledo and the narrow, historic Spaccanapoli. Named for its straight length that divides Naples’ historic center in two, the Spaccanapoli is largely pedestrian-only and home to some of the city’s most important churches and palaces, mixed in with a jumble of artisan workshops, souvenir stands, and traditional cafés.