podtour
Spanish Naples
From Castel Nuovo's towers to the Spanish Quarters, follow two centuries of Spanish power and the Neapolitans' response.
The Square of Kings: audio walk in Naples
The monumental heart of Naples, told from the street: the theatre built in seven months, the café a prefect shut down, the queen's pizza and its suspicious letter, the square Murat wanted for himself and a vote cast in front of everyone.
See the walkFree route
What this walk is about
You start at the entrance to the Galleria Umberto I, whose glass dome stands where a tangle of alleys once stood, alleys that cholera exposed. Opposite is the Teatro di San Carlo: it was built for Charles of Bourbon in seven months, and its builder's story doesn't end in applause. On the corner, a French writer loses the tails of his coat at the reopening after the fire. Then coffee and pizza: the Gambrinus, which a prefect closed down, and the pizzeria that claims to have invented the Margherita for a queen. In Piazza del Plebiscito you find out why there's a Pantheon facing the palace, who one of the bronze horses was really meant for, and how people voted in 1860 with no booth and no envelope. You finish looking out to sea beside the Royal Palace, with the king who left to become Charles III of Spain.
- Start
- The Belly of Naples Beneath a Dome
- Finish
- The King Who Left Without the Ring
- Who it is for
- A good starting point for your first visit. A walk for anyone curious about kings and capitals and opera and cafés.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. The route notes mention stairs or steps on the walk or its approaches.
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
The Belly of Naples Beneath a Dome
- 2
Seven Months and Three Hours
- 3
A Cell in Sant'Elmo and a Tailcoat Without Tails
- 4
The Café a Prefect Closed
- 5
The Queen, the Pizza and the Letter
- 6
A Forum for Murat, a Church for Ferdinand
- 7
A Horse for Napoleon
- 8
Blindfolded Between the Horses
- 9
Voting in Full View
- 10
A Palace for a King of Spain
- 11
The King Who Left Without the Ring
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
Santa Lucia and the Egg Castle
The Naples waterfront has its songs, fishing families and legends. Walk from Santa Lucia to the Egg Castle to meet the people behind the view.
Naples: Saints, Skulls and Mysteries
Naples tells extraordinary stories about princes, skulls and saints. Walk through the centre to hear those beliefs and discover what lies behind them.
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.