Via dei Tribunali

The basics

Via dei Tribunali runs roughly from the Church of San Pietro a Maiella near Piazza Bellini about half a mile (one kilometer) west to the courthouse on Piazza Francesco Muzii. On walking tours through the historic center, you can easily see the alley-size street or explore independently. Head east from Piazza Bellini, a bar-lined square with excavated ruins at the center, and you can walk along the entire street in roughly 20 minutes.

Know before you go

Wear comfortable, close-toed shoes, even in hot weather—it’s not quite the smoothest road. It is ideal for travelers who want to walk through the most atmospheric parts of Naples’ historic center. Some of the city’s most famous pizzerias, such as Sorbillo, are on this street. Watch out for scooters. The street is small and dense, usually packed with people, and open to traffic.

How to get there

The historic center of Naples, an ancient, raucous place of warrens and old alleyways, is made for walking. To reach the east end of Via dei Tribunali, take Line 1 of the Naples Metro to Dante Station, walk through Port'Alba at the northeast end of Piazza Dante, and continue east past Piazza Bellini.

When to get there

Think twice about visiting Naples in July and August. This period during the height of summer is good for swimming in the Gulf of Naples but brings oppressive heat and humidity that can make walking along Via dei Tribunali a chore. The area is lovely almost any other time of the year; during Christmas, the shops along Via San Gregorio Armeno come alive with holiday decorations and traditional nativity scenes called presepi.

Where to get pizza on Via dei Tribunali

While it’s hard to find subpar pizza in the historic center of Naples, Via dei Tribunali is home to some of the best pizzerias in Naples, the birthplace of pizza. These unassuming eateries serve divine pizza. The Antica Pizzeria di Matteo, pretty much halfway between Piazza Bellini and the tribunale, has been a local institution since 1936, and Pizzeria Antonio Sorbillo, which Neapolitans call “Sorbillo,” serves sumptuous margherita pizzas for just €5.