Leave your umbrella at the cloakroom, climb the staircase and stop on the first floor, in front of a canvas measuring 143 by 180 centimetres. This is the Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, painted in 1610, Caravaggio's last masterpiece: since 1 August 2025 it has had a gallery of its own, with new display and lighting.
If it rains during your stay, the day can start here. **The Gallerie d'Italia are on Via Toledo 177, about 10 minutes' walk from Follaky Secret Garden, in Chiaia.** In the historic centre, the Museo Cappella Sansevero houses the Veiled Christ and can only be visited by appointment.
Gallerie d'Italia, Via Toledo 177: Caravaggio's last masterpiece
The gallery opened on 21 May 2022 in the former Banco di Napoli building, designed by Marcello Piacentini and reimagined by Michele De Lucchi: around 10,000 square metres across five floors. The staircase leading to the Martyrdom of Saint Ursula houses La Nuvola e l'ombra, an installation by Jacopo Foggini.
The painting was commissioned in Naples by the Genoese prince Marcantonio Doria. Long attributed to Mattia Preti, it was recognised as a work by Caravaggio in 1980, thanks to documentary evidence. Its return in August 2025 followed a loan to Rome for 'Caravaggio 2025'; in 2024 and 2025 the canvas went on loan more than once, so before setting out, check on the Gallerie's website that it's on display.
The cloakroom is staffed and free, and takes umbrellas, rucksacks, bulky bags and coats. On the ground floor there's the café and the Luminist bistro: the visit and lunch can both happen under one roof.
The Gallerie are open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 8pm, with last entry an hour before closing. They're closed on Mondays.
Cappella Sansevero: the Veiled Christ, by appointment only
The Museo Cappella Sansevero is on Via Francesco De Sanctis 19/21, behind Piazza San Domenico Maggiore. At the centre of the nave stands the Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino, from 1753. It was commissioned by Raimondo di Sangro after the death of Antonio Corradini, in 1752; the figure and the transparent shroud are carved from the same block of marble, as the museum's own page explains.
Here, a visit can't be improvised: booking is compulsory and daily admissions are limited. Before settling on a day, bear in mind four points from the museum:
- online tickets are released 60 days ahead, with a date and time slot; the first slot is at 9am
- a further allocation goes on sale two days before the visit
- the museum is open from 9am to 7pm, with last entry at 6:30pm, and is closed on Tuesdays
- the e-ticket is shown at the entrance; photography, filming and phone use aren't allowed inside
From Follaky the museum is about 31 minutes' walk, starting from Vico Monteroduni 16. In the rain, it's best treated as the main outing of a morning, with the time slot already booked, rather than one stop among others.
Getting back to Chiaia between outings
On rainy days, getting back matters too. During your stay you have your own keys and an independent, private entrance: after the museum you can return to the suite, dry off, change and take your time deciding how to spend the evening. When you head out again, Piazza dei Martiri is about 3 minutes' walk away.
If you take a taxi, give Vico Monteroduni 16, the vehicle entrance; Via Chiaia 149F is the pedestrian entrance, with the park's private lift. Routes and directions are in the guide to reaching us. For dinner, the restaurants page and the article Naples at the table will help you choose where to sit down.
How many nights do you need if the weather's uncertain?
Three or four nights leave room to move indoor visits to the rainy days and keep the sunny ones for the seafront, about 7 minutes' walk away, and the rest of what to see in Naples. If your stay includes a Monday or a Tuesday, give that day to whichever museum stays open. To help decide on the length, Three or four nights in Naples compares the two options.
Which suite to choose in Chiaia?
The Suite Chiaia Deluxe Garden View is the more intimate of the two: olive green, wood and maiolica tiles, with a picture window looking onto two neighbouring private gardens. The Suite Toledo Deluxe Private Patio is larger and brighter, in white and turquoise maiolica, with a private patio. Each sleeps two guests, with a 160×200 queen bed and Follaky Breakfast included.
If the trip revolves around a Caravaggio on Via Toledo and an eighteenth-century marble in the historic centre, choosing a suite comes down to the end of the day: a window onto the green of the neighbouring gardens, or more space and a patio all your own. Compare the two suites and check your dates.
