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Bourbon Gallery: Guided tour

Highlights

Discover historical artifacts from WWII inside a dedicated small museum.

Explore ancient 16th-century caves once used for extracting tuff stones.

View a restored 17th-century water cistern that doubled as a WWII bomb shelter.

Walk through the historic Bourbon Tunnel, linking the Royal Palace to military quarters.

Enjoy skip-the-line entry and expert live guiding in English or Italian.

The Galleria Borbonica is a military tunnel dug by hand under Monte Echia in the 1850s, right in the centre of Naples. A guided tour takes you past Bourbon engineering, a 17th-century aqueduct, Second World War air-raid shelters and a post-war depot where vintage cars still sit where they were found.

About Galleria Borbonica

The Galleria Borbonica, also called the Bourbon Tunnel, was ordered by King Ferdinand II in February 1853. He wanted a fast, protected military route between the Royal Palace and the barracks near Piazza Vittoria, and a safe way out for the royal family after the uprisings of 1848.

Architect Errico Alvino designed the tunnel, and workers dug it by hand with picks and wedges, finishing in May 1855. It never reached the palace. The dig stops beneath Piazza Carolina, just behind the colonnade of Piazza del Plebiscito.

Key Facts
Built: 1853 to 1855, under King Ferdinand II of Bourbon
Architect: Errico Alvino
Length: 431 metres

Why Visit Galleria Borbonica?

A Royal Escape Route

Ferdinand II wanted his soldiers to reach the palace quickly and his family to have a way out if the city rose up again.

On the tour you walk the passage his engineers cut through the tuff, including the bridges they built over old cisterns so the houses above kept their water.

Second World War Shelter

Between 1939 and 1945, somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 Neapolitans sheltered here from the bombing, many of them after losing their homes.

Objects from those years were found during excavations, and in places you can still read the names and messages people carved into the walls.

Vintage Cars Underground

After the war and until 1970, the city used the tunnel as a municipal depot for anything pulled from rubble, evictions and seizures.

Cars, motorbikes and pieces of statues ended up buried under metres of debris.

A Route for Every Visitor

The classic tour takes about an hour and works well for families.

If you want something more active, longer routes add a raft ride through a flooded tunnel or narrow aqueduct passages explored with a helmet and headlamp.

Galleria Borbonica - Highlights in Pictures

Galleria Borbonica: Opening Hours

Opening Days: Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. The classic tour starts at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

Last Tour: The last departures of the day are at 5:00 PM.

Best Time to Visit

If your dates are flexible, a Friday tour avoids the weekend rush.

Galleria Borbonica: Address and Getting There

Address
Getting There

The Galleria Borbonica has three entrances in central Naples, and your route decides which one you use:

Via Domenico Morelli 61: Inside the Morelli car park, near Piazza Vittoria

Vico del Grottone 4: About 100 metres from Piazza del Plebiscito

Via Monte di Dio 14: Inside Palazzo Serra di Cassano

Things to Know Before Visiting the Galleria Borbonica

Every visit is a guided tour, and you need to book a time slot in advance.

The classic tour lasts about an hour. The longer routes take between 75 and 90 minutes.

Each route starts from a specific entrance, so check your booking before you set off.

Wear closed shoes with good grip. The tunnels have steps and uneven, sometimes damp ground.

Children are welcome on the classic tour. Some of the longer routes have minimum ages.

Photos are allowed on most routes. Smoking is not allowed anywhere underground.

Galleria Borbonica: Facilities and Additional Information

Facilities
Souvenir Store
Special Events

All tours are led by guides who know the tunnel's history in detail, and drivers can park in the Morelli car park, where one of the entrances is.

Accessibility Facilities at Galleria Borbonica

For The Visually Impaired:

The tunnels are dimly lit in places and have steps and changes in level. Visitors with low vision will find it easier with a companion and by staying close to the guide.

For Visitors With Limited Mobility:

The Galleria Borbonica is one of the few underground sites in Naples that visitors with reduced mobility can explore. Wheelchair users can see about 60% of the classic route by entering through the step-free Morelli car park entrance. The other routes involve stairs or narrow passages and are not suitable.

For The Hearing Impaired:

The tours are spoken, so much of the history comes from the guide. Many of the highlights are visual, though, from the cisterns and bridges to the cars, statues and wartime carvings.

Frequently Asked Questions About Galleria Borbonica

What is the Galleria Borbonica?

It's a 19th-century underground military route in central Naples, built for King Ferdinand II between 1853 and 1855. Tours cover its Bourbon engineering, the older aqueduct cisterns it cuts through, and its later life as a wartime shelter and vehicle depot.

Why was the Bourbon Tunnel built?

The king wanted troops from the barracks near the sea to reach the Royal Palace quickly and safely, and he wanted an escape route for the royal family. The unrest of 1848 was still fresh in his mind.

How long is the Bourbon Tunnel?

It runs for 431 metres. The dig stopped under Piazza Carolina, behind Piazza del Plebiscito, and never reached the Royal Palace.

Who manages the Galleria Borbonica?

The Associazione Culturale Borbonica Sotterranea, a cultural association that runs the tours and continues excavation work in the tunnels.

What can visitors see inside the tunnel?

Bourbon-era bridges built over 17th-century cisterns, Second World War shelters, and cars, motorbikes and statues recovered from the post-war depot.

Is the Galleria Borbonica the same as Napoli Sotterranea?

No. Naples has several underground sites. The Galleria Borbonica is a separate site with its own entrances and tours, close to Piazza del Plebiscito.

Can I visit the tunnel without a guide?

No. All visits are guided tours with a set start time, so you need to book in advance.

Is the Galleria Borbonica suitable for children?

Yes. Children are welcome on the classic tour. The longer routes have minimum ages of 10 or 18.

Is photography allowed inside the Bourbon Tunnel?

Yes, on most routes. On the route with the raft crossing, photos are only allowed in some sections.