Festivities
Naples and its holidays
The Feast of San Gennaro
The Feast of San Gennaro (St Januarius), the protector and patron saint of Naples, is celebrated on 19 September. For the occasion the faithful and the saint’s devotees throng the cathedral and await the miracle of the liquefaction of the saint’s blood. Collected after his beheading and preserved in two phials, the martyr’s dried blood turns to liquid when it is exhibited to the worshippers and the event is greeted with applause and prayers of thanks. Punctual liquefaction is viewed by believers as a good sign for the city and its inhabitants, while failure or delay of the miracle is interpreted negatively.
May of monuments
In May, not only flowers bloom in Naples: monuments blossom as well. To them and to the rediscovery of palaces that saw the pomp of the Bourbons, churches abounding with gold and stuccowork, secret courtyards and gardens, the capital of Campania dedicates a month of intense, impassioned culture. The cornerstone of the event, which enables visits to museums and residences with a single advantageous card, are the eight kilometres of routes winding through the old heart of the city. An itinerary interspersed with 200 churches, archaeological sites and no fewer than 3,000 works of art. Guided tour programmes, audio guides in six languages, informative panels and multimedia services.