podtour
The Square of Kings
Between the San Carlo Theatre and the Royal Palace, Naples brings together kings, coffee and pizza. Discover the stories behind its grand square.
Naples: Saints, Skulls and Mysteries: audio walk in Naples
Naples' most-told legends, with their dates and their truth: a façade some say is a musical score, a crime from 1590, a palace that collapsed and that many took for a punishment, the prince Naples turned into Faust, skulls that people adopt, the sprite of Via dei Tribunali, and the contract the city signed before a notary with its saint.
What this walk is about
You start in front of a façade of diamond-pointed stones covered in marks that some read as masons' signatures and others as music. In Piazza San Domenico, a prince who composed and a night in 1590 that the viceroy preferred to shelve; next door, the palace that collapsed three centuries later and that many saw as a punishment. Outside the Sansevero Chapel you'll hear everything that was said about its prince, then what his papers say and, finally, who he really was. You climb to Via dei Tribunali: a church with a second storey underground, where local people adopted nameless skulls, a bride called Lucia and a ban that didn't do much good. Then the sprite Naples has blamed for its broken plates for nearly four centuries. You finish at the cathedral, where the city signed a contract with San Gennaro and where his blood is still an open question.
- Start
- Diamond Points and a Musical Score
- Finish
- The Blood of San Gennaro
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about mystery and legends and popular devotion.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. There are cobbles or uneven surfaces.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
Diamond Points and a Musical Score
- 2
The Madrigal Composer and the Night of 1590
- 3
The Palace That Sank
- 4
The Faust of Naples
- 5
A Receipt from 1752
- 6
Who Was the Prince, Really?
- 7
Skulls with Names
- 8
Lucia the Bride and the Ban
- 9
The Sprite of the Tribunali
- 10
A Contract with a Saint
- 11
The Blood of San Gennaro
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Naples, before you go
Walk Naples with attention and an appetite. Narrow streets, slopes and the sea change the pace; leave room to look and to step aside for a moment.
More walks nearby
The Historic Centre, Layer by Layer
In central Naples, one age keeps appearing beneath another. Walk Spaccanapoli and the Tribunali among churches, philosophers and the streets of Neapolis.
Spanish Naples
From Castel Nuovo's towers to the Spanish Quarters, follow two centuries of Spanish power and the Neapolitans' response.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
iOSAndroidComing soon
A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.