Naples: Bourbon Tunnel Underground Tour & WWII History

Descend 33 Yards Into Naples' Secret Wartime Underground

You descend 33 yards into a 1853 tunnel network beneath Naples, walking past vintage cars and WWII-era relics while a professional guide explains how residents sheltered here during the war. The Standard Route covers the main passages and historical sites without requiring advanced fitness or climbing skills. Entry includes the guide in your chosen language and takes roughly 90 minutes, leaving you with a direct sense of how the city survived underground.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Galleria Borbonica underground

• Arrive at Vico del Grottone 4 entrance
• Descend staircase with 8 ramps
• Tour underground Bourbon Tunnel
• Learn history from guide
• See WWII relics and vintage cars
• Exit via Via Domenico Morelli 40

The experience

A staircase spirals down through eight ramps, and suddenly the city above vanishes. You're standing in the Bourbon Tunnel, an 1853 network carved beneath Naples' Chiaia district: a place that started as a royal escape route and became something far stranger. Vintage cars sit frozen in the passages. Rusted medical equipment lines the walls. The air tastes like stone and time. Your guide walks you through what happened here: how residents sheltered during World War II, how the tunnel became a military hospital, then a judicial storage room. The space doesn't feel like a museum. It feels like a secret someone finally decided to tell.

The entrance is at Vico del Grottone 4, just 100 meters from Piazza del Plebiscito, in what used to be a veterinary laboratory. The descent takes you 33 yards down into the belly of the district: deep enough that the temperature drops and the city noise stops. A professional guide in English or Italian walks the Standard Route, pointing out the details that make the tunnel real: the way residents carved out spaces to sleep, the objects left behind, the marks of survival. If stairs feel like too much, there's a second entrance through Via Domenico Morelli 40 that's easier to navigate. Either way, you're moving through layers of Naples that most visitors never see.

The whole experience sits outside the usual tourist rhythm. No crowds, no gift shop, no polished narrative. Just the tunnel itself and someone who knows how to read it. You'll need comfortable shoes and a sweater. The stone stays cool year-round. The walk is manageable for most people, though it does involve stairs and uneven passages. Children under 10 get in free, and there are reduced rates for older visitors and teens. It's the kind of place that stays with you after you leave, not because it's dramatic, but because it's real.

What’s included

Professional guide in English or Italian, access to the Standard Route through the main entrance at Vico del Grottone 4, and entry to all passages including the vintage car section and WWII-era relics. The tour covers the history of the tunnel from its construction in 1853 through its use as a wartime shelter and military hospital.

Options for this experience

4 options

10:00 AM EntryGuide in English or Italian · 10:00Admission to Galleria Borbonica at 10:00. The guided tour runs for 1 hour.

12:00 PM EntryGuide in English or Italian · 12:00Admission to Galleria Borbonica at 12:00 PM. The guided tour runs for 1 hour.

3:00 PM EntryGuide in English or Italian · 15:00Admission to Galleria Borbonica at 3:00 PM. The guided tour runs for 1 hour.

5:00 PM EntryGuide in English or Italian · 17:00Admission to Galleria Borbonica at 5:00 PM. The guided tour runs for 1 hour.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 1h, runs Friday to Sunday, 4 start times, from € 15 per person, with a live guide in English and Italian and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesFriday to SundayDepartures at 10:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 17:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (19 to 69 years) · Senior (70 and older) · Child (6 to 18 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 50 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 24 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Galleria Borbonica

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to see a real piece of Naples' wartime history without the usual museum setup. The tunnel itself is the story, and the guide brings the details into focus so you understand what you're standing in.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 18 years); Infant (under 6): free.

How deep is the Bourbon Tunnel descent?

33 yards down through eight ramps in the staircase. The entrance is at Vico del Grottone 4, near Piazza del Plebiscito.

What's inside the tunnel?

Vintage cars, WWII medical equipment, carved-out shelter spaces, and passages that once connected the Royal Palace to military barracks. The tunnel was built in 1853 and later used as a hospital and storage facility during the war.

Is there a second entrance?

Yes, at Via Domenico Morelli 40 through a parking area. This entrance is recommended for people with walking difficulties or claustrophobia, as it avoids the long staircase.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The Standard Route is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it does involve stairs and uneven passages. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a sweater.

Are there discounts?

Children under 10 enter free. Reduced admission (€5) applies to visitors over 75 and ages 11–13.

How long does the tour take?

The Standard Route typically takes around 90 minutes, though exact duration depends on group size and pace.

What should I bring?

Comfortable walking shoes and a sweater. The tunnel stays cool year-round, and the passages are uneven in places.