If you know anything about me then you will be certain that on a trip to just about anywhere, I will plan at least one trip to a castle. Castles have a certain allure to me, a relic of a bygone age and a portal to trigger my imagination, to see what life must have been like for the former occupants all those years ago - the wars they saw and the bastions of safety they provided. Naturally, when exploring around Naples we were sure to pick a castle or two to visit, while we did make our way around the port to check out the likes of Ovo Castle and Castel Nuovo, there is an absolute gem of a castle that is visible from all around the city and arguably surpasses both of them in its ability to impress. Castel Sant'Elmo sits high atop the hill overlooking all of Naples, in the bustling hilltop district of Vomero, we dedicated a morning to exploring the castle and came away with one simple conclusion: if you take one trip while in Naples, then checking out Castel Sant'Elmo should be your number one priority! It is a more modern castle than the medieval kind I am traditionally used to, but if anything that made it even more unique in my eyes!
Making your way up to Castel Sant'Elmo may seem daunting, especially when you're staring up at it from Spaccanapoli and areas of the city beyond, but you have a few options to reach the top that should suit every taste. The first, and perhaps most rewarding option, is to walk your way up - following Spaccanapoli towards the castle takes you almost as far as you need to go, with the end closest to the castle gradually getting steeper and steeper, but nothing insurmountable. The road will cut right as you reach the church on the hill, and snake around and zig-zag until you reach the wider main road, cross over and join the stairs here - this begins your ascent to the castle away from the roads, which I will touch on more later. If walking uphill for most of your morning isn't your thing then you have a few options to get to the castle, there is limited parking in the castle should you opt to drive, but public transport is going to be your best bet for convenience and ease. I've sung the praises of the metro in Naples before, but unfortunately, none of the stations are particularly close by. Luckily Naples has you covered with the funicular, the inclined railway, which drops just around the corner from the castle entrance. From the Stazione Di Montesanto stop at the bottom of the hill, you can ride up to the Morghen stop and walk the last bit, which is much flatter than taking the stairs.
If you opted to walk all the way to the castle from Naples centre, as we did, then Castel Sant'Elmo is still a little ways away. Beginning at the winding stairs mentioned above you will wind between the buildings, as the ever-growing views out over Naples continuously take your breath away (or maybe that is the stairs). If the weather is nice and the sun is shining, ideally with a little breeze coming in off of the coast, it really is a special experience - a true example of the journey being as exciting as the destination! Before long you will reach the top, a large open square at San Martino, with some places to eat and a generally wonderful vibe - we were there with musicians playing and got to soak in the views from the top with the beautiful ambience they provided. Finally, to ascend to the castle entrance you will need to make your way up the comparatively much gentler hill road of Via Tito Angelini below the castle and the entrance gate will be on the left.
As you enter Castel Sant'Elmo you will be guided through to a ticket office first where you can pay admission, although, when I attempted to my money was refused - I believe this to be because we happened to visit on the first Sunday of the month, the Naples Ministry of Culture provides free admission every first Sunday of the month to a bunch of museums and sites around the city! A truly great thing for the city to provide and something I hope the locals make the most of, if any of my local castles were free once a month I'd end up being a frequent flyer!
Once inside, the first thing to hit you is just how big it is! Castel Sant'Elmo sits atop an impressive rock, that combined with the staggering walls means the castle really does loom overhead! We've seen a hell of a lot of castles in our time, but standing at the foot of the walls of Castel Sant'Elmo was something else entirely... We had a quick walk around the lower section of the castle, before following the flow of people gently downhill before linking up with the castle ramp that takes you up and across a bridge, before spiralling around once up to the main entrance of the castle - the defensive priorities apparent with this spiral funnel forcing attackers into a narrow space and limiting their ability to move. Luckily, the crowds were reasonably light and moved comfortably in on our visit, where you enter the remarkable passages up through the castle. These light and airy walkways are cool and refreshing on a warm day, follow the paths upwards until you reach the top...
The upper floor of Castel Sant'Elmo seriously drives home just how big this castle is, something akin to a large town square sitting atop the castle, with a museum in the centre and elevated walkways all around the outside. Take one of the sets of stairs or ramps and be prepared for amazement - the views in each direction are staggering, this is simply one of the best vocal points to enjoy Naples from. Whether it be out towards Naples port, along the coast towards Posillipo, across the sea and out to Capri or towards the incredible Mount Vesuvius, not a single direction will disappoint! That is simply all there is to it, the castle was amazing but the views alone made the trip worthwhile, and as they say: a picture is worth 1000 words...
My love of castles always comes with a bit of history, so naturally, we need a quick overview of Castel Sant'Elmo. While the star fort as it currently stands is a fairly modern structure, relative to some of the medieval structures we visit on Love Our Adventures, fortifications in this spot date back as far as the 13th century. Believed originally to be a fortified residence surrounded by walls, it received various enlargements throughout the 14th century until it was classified as a castrum or castle. The building of the time was known as Castrum Sancti Erasmi, linked to the chapel on-site dedicated to Saint Erasmus, or Sant Elmo. It would be under the rule of the Aragonese, who conquered southern Italy from their Spanish origins in the mid-15th century, that the fort got its modern star design as well as various defensive improvements making it a truly formidable structure. The castle would act as a military outpost which would hold control over the surrounding area. By 1538, the commemorative inscription was placed above the entrance gate, with Charles V's coat of arms and the Imperial eagle. Perhaps the most notable part of the castle's history was in 1587 when the castle's munitions depot was struck by lightning, destroying the church, chaplain's house and officer's quarters were destroyed which would be rebuilt in the original design over the next few years. It was also notable as a prison, imprisoning notable Italian revolutionaries over time. Distinct to the area is the construction material, the castle is constructed in Volcanic Tuff, a type of rock formed from volcanic ash ejected during eruptions - a fitting material considering the proximity to Vesuvius.
The simple positioning of Castel Sant'Elmo guaranteed that there would be some impressive views on offer, but the sheer amount of stunning photos you can snap from the top of the castle in all directions beggars belief. The castle itself is an unquestionably impressive structure, towering atop all of Naples, it is easy to imagine that it would have made an incredible defensive structure, but there can be no doubt that the views seriously stole the show for us! Castel Sant'Elmo is a perfect half-day adventure, but all those steps (especially if you walk up the hill and back again) might just take their toll! Consider pairing it with something a little slower-paced and, should the weather be in your favour, out of the sun to allow you to recover; the castle would be perfect to combine with an afternoon around a museum and Naples has no shortage of those! But to summarise my feelings in one simple line: If you're in Naples and want to see something incredible, this is my pick. Climb to the top and bask in the beauty of Naples and beyond.
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