A host of beautiful churches
San Lorenzo Maggiore catacombs
17th century Palazzo Reale – home to the Bourbon Kings
National Archaeology and Capodimonte Museums
Led by art expert, Andrew Spira
Naples was once one of the highlights of any 18th century “Grand Tour” with a catchphrase of “See Naples and Die” reflecting its unparallelled beauty. It later became a byword for poverty and crime, but is now once again a vibrant destination with its wealth of sights to explore – especially when in the company of acclaimed art historian, Andrew Spira. From historic royal palaces to stunning churches, world class museums and galleries and a vibrant, bustling atmosphere in its busy streets, Naples is a feast for the senses and wonderful destination for a short, cultural break that is overlooked by most modern tourists heading to the Amalfi Coast.
Andrew is an art historian and former curator at the V&A, with degrees from the Courtauld Institute and City University. A specialist in Russian and 18th century British art, he is the author of The Avant-Garde Icon and has led cultural tours across Europe, Russia, Armenia, and Georgia for over 20 years.
With deep insight and a thoughtful approach, Andrew brings art history vividly to life on every tour he leads.
Available Departures |
From |
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16 - March - 2026 | £ 2245.00 | Travel Info Book Now |
Provisional Timings London Heathrow Departing: 16th March 2026 at 13:55 Returning: 20th March 2026 at 19:40 |
Day 1: Fly from London Heathrow to Naples and transfer by coach on arrival to the UNA Hotel in the city centre for a four night stay. Evening welcome dinner with wine.
Day 2: The Churches of Naples
Today we explore the Spaccanapoli - the historic city centre - with many churches, including San Gregorio Armeno, San Lorenzo Maggiore, one of the oldest with its extraordinary catacombs, and Pio Monte della Misericordia. Evening welcome drink and talk at the hotel.
Day 3: 18th Century Naples and castle area, towards the sea
Andrew will conduct a wonderful tour by coach today including Castel Nuovo, a medieval Renaissance fortress by the Port of Naples, which contains frescoes by Giotto. We’ll also take in the Monastery of San Martino, Castel Sant’Elmo, and the Bourbon Palazzo Reale from the days of Spanish rule. Evening second talk from Andrew at the hotel with the rest of the evening at leisure.
Day 4: Naples’ great museums
We’ll have a coach at our disposal today as we take in two of Naples, and indeed, Italy’s finest museums to round off our time in this remarkable city, that tell of its ancient past and wonderful artistic heritage. We’ll start with the fantastic Museum of Capodimonte, set in another Bourbon palace with its superb collection of Renaissance and Baroque art. After free time for lunch (at own expense) we visit the National Archaeological Museum, which includes a wealth of Roman artifacts from the nearby Pompeii, Stabiae and Herculaneum sites. This evening we will have a farewell dinner with wine.
Day 5: Free time to explore Naples at leisure before late afternoon transfer to Naples Airport for the return flight to London Heathrow.
NB: Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion.
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 25 passengers.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
UNA Hotel, Naples
Dating back to the late 1800s, this elegant four star hotel is located close to Naples Central Station. It features a rooftop “Vesuvio” bar, restaurant and terrace, as well as comfortable bedrooms with all modern amenities including en-suite bathroom, TV, telephone, wifi, safe, air-conditioning and hairdryer.
A very good holiday, hotel and leadership, with Barbara and Andrew. One comment: last full day afternoon, not enough time in the Capodimonte gallery. Somehow more time needs to be allocated to it.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 18-March-2025
Fine hotel accommodations. Local guide Claudio outstanding for breadth of knowledge & amiability! Wish we could have heard more from Andrew as he has always presented exiting concepts. Barbara's management of the group was up to her excellent standard. Would highly recommend this tour!
Review by Stewart who travelled 18-March-2025
The tour manager was excellent, as was the expert. The local tour guide was very enthusiastic about his city's art, archaeology and culture and was keen to present as much as possible. We saw a lot of Naples and got an excellent overview of the city. His program contained more than expected, including the theatre and parts of underground Naples. The tour was undoubtedly demanding but was definitively a good foundation to revisit. The hotel was in a central location and staff very polite. The technicalities of the box for light and air con switches were sometimes failing, e.g., aircon did not respond. Overall, it was an excellent, inclusive trip with a friendly group of like-minded people.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 18-March-2025