Castel Sant'Elmo

Castel Sant’Elmo is a place that stays with you long after you leave. Perched high above Naples, it offers one of the most stunning settings you could imagine — especially at sunset, when the sky turns warm and the entire city stretches out beneath you in every direction. To make the most of your visit, it’s worth arriving about 30 minutes earlier than you think you need to. This helps you skip any lines and enjoy the experience at a relaxed pace. For just €2.50, you get access to a castle full of history, wide open terraces, and a 360° panorama that feels almost magical. Walking through its ancient walls truly feels like stepping into the past, and once you reach the top, you’re rewarded with a view that captures the heart of Naples in one sweeping look. Castel Sant’Elmo is simply unforgettable — a perfect blend of history, beauty, and atmosphere.

Castel Sant’Elmo is a must-visit for anyone seeking panoramic views and a touch of history. Perched high above the city, this 14th-century fortress offers great views over the Bay of Naples, Mount Vesuvius, and the city below. The view alone is worth the 2.5€ entrance fee—it’s one of the best spots to take in the Neapolitan skyline, especially at sunset when the light casts golden hues over the bay. The castle itself is a fascinating structure, with its star-shaped design and thick stone walls. While the interior is relatively sparse, the open-air walkways and ramparts make it a perfect place for a scenic stroll. It also hosts occasional art exhibitions and cultural events.

Castel Sant’Elmo dominates Naples from the Vomero hill, offering one of the most breathtaking panoramic views in Italy. From its terraces, you can see the entire city, Mount Vesuvius, the bay, and nearby islands like Capri and Ischia. The fortress itself is austere and imposing, with a fascinating military history and rotating exhibitions inside. While the interior is less striking than the view, visiting near sunset makes the climb absolutely worthwhile and unforgettable.

The castle is amazing and the views from the top are just incredible and mind blowing. From what I was told there are only 2 castles in Napoli and if you have time I would definitely recommend to visit to get the view of the city and the coast. Simply amazing

Wonderful view of the city. The castle is well maintained. Unfortunately, the surrounding area is quite dirty. The 5 euro ticket is not justified to have a A panorama of the city that you can have from many points for free. Finally, the exhibition with Neapolitan artists of the twentieth century is not something that if you don't see it you will miss something important.

Castel Sant'Elmo is a medieval fortress built on top of Vomero Hill overlooking Naples. The site has been continuously occupied from the 13th century and the structure has served as a garrison, fortress and prison. In fact, it was still in use as a prison until 1952. The views from the ramparts of the city, the bay and of Mt. Vesuvius are to die for. I advise wearing a jacket during your visit. It’s very windy and feels cold even with the sun out. To get there, you can take funicular up or ride the subway to the Vanvitelli station and then walk. For admission, I got the Artecard Lite which allows one visit within a year to a list of Neapolitan cultural attractions. Look it up and save.

The best spot for the panoramic view of Naples city and the harbour area, it's a long climb and there is no shade at the top so it might be hard on the sun day. There is a museum on top, but it's a modern art one and wasn't really interesting for us. Apart from that, there is not much to see when it comes to the history of the fort apart from 2 cannons at the bottom.

What a stunning view of Naples! The Castel Sant’Elmo must be on your list to visit! Entrance is free and at the top there is a café with a fantastic view of the volcano!

The castle itself is located on the hill, and it takes quite a lot of stairs getting there from public transportation, and even more steps to the top of the castle. The view on each spots and on the top platform is breathtaking. You can overlook the volcano and city views from different angles.

During my Italy research, I read the Castel Sant' Elmo will give you a great view of the Bay of Naples. I pre-purchased tickets online for €5, which turned out to be unnecessary because 1. You still have to wait on the regular line to show them your ticket (but the line was only a few people deep) 2. It was pretty empty for a Saturday at 1. I have a feeling the castle isn't as popular because you can get a similar view of the bay for free right next to the castle. Although I would say the view from the castle is better because you can go higher, and there are no roads/trees blocking the view. There really isn't much to see inside the grounds so it's just more for the view itself. We ended up spending about an hour there just walking around and taking pictures. For €5, I think it's worth it. If I had to pay anything more than that, I would probably just opt for the free view.

Lots of walking, lots of cobblestones and thankfully, a cafe with beer and wine at the top. The view from the parapets is stunning and we were fortunate that it was the one clear afternoon of our four days in Napoli. There are captions throughout and it is an interesting climb with all parts of the castle to see along the way. At the top, there are restrooms but they were both pretty bad when we got there - no paper or towels at all. The cafe at the top has some basic snacks, beer and wine. And a fantastic view of the valley! And at least the cafe had a restroom with paper but it is down a steep flight of stairs. [Review 19223 overall - 373 in Italy - 193 of 2023.]

This is Naples' third castle, and the fact that it is on top of the hill can make getting here a little tiring. Fortunately that big red hop-on hop-off bus happens to have a stop here, so that is a huge bonus. The views from here are magnificent, though unfortunately I wasn't actually able to find a way into the castle, only on to the roof where you can get a great view of not only the city, but also of Vesuvius. Then again, you can pretty much see Vesuvius from all over Naples. Pretty ominous actually. Oh, there was also a lift up to the top as well, though it would have been nice to have been able to explore inside, if there is actually anything inside that is (and I believe there is because it used to be a prison).

Incredibly impressive castle! And also an awesome view over the Golf of Naples. But I expected some more info about the history of the castle itself... I am sure that there are a lot of interesting stories to tell about this place, which is why we were a little bit disappointed.

Best view of the city you will find. Not much to see once you're at the top inside the actual fortress, but it is worth the price of admission for a walk around the perimeter.

wonderful view of the city