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Small companies gravitate here, alternating with cabaret shows. Everything from Shakespeare to Existentialism.

Typical of this much-loved Florentine artist (1444–1510) is his Madonna with Child and Two Angels in the Capodimonte Museum. Although it is an early work, all of the hallmarks of the painter at his height are here: the delicacy of the veils; the refinement of features; and the soulful eyes, evoking sublimity.

This lovely theatre dates from 1874 and features its own company, often performing works in Neapolitan dialect.

Few spaces are decorated with such unity as this family chapel. The credit goes to its designer, the eccentric 18th-century prince Raimondo di Sangro. Full of allegorical symbolism, the statuary are among Naples’ most famous, particularly the “veiled” figures of Christ and Modesty.

The façade of this structure, rebuilt after World War II, is like a huge cliff of buff-coloured tufa, relieved only by its portico and giant rose window. Only the base of its 14th-century bell-tower is original. Inside the decor has been returned to its Gothic origins, since all the Baroque embellishment was destroyed in wartime bombings. The tomb of Robert of Anjou is the largest funerary monument of medieval Italy, and behind this is the delightful tiled cloister.

The original church on this site is believed to have been built in the 5th century over a Roman temple to Mercury. It was rebuilt in the 17th century, with decoration added over the next 100 years. As such it provides a complete treasury of 17th- and 18th-century art, not just by Neapolitan artists but by some the greatest masters of the day. Most famous is the fresco cycle by Lanfranco, with a marvellous trompe-l’oeil architectural setting by Codazzi. Other highlights are the altar designed by Borromini and paintings by Giordano in the transept.

These two characters, products of the poverty the city has historically suffered, are street urchins and ruffians. Both have been heavily romanticized by outsiders, yet their sly wisdom and wit are traits all Neapolitans seem to aspire to.

Although some experts believe that this magnificent structure served a military purpose in Roman times, others hold with a mythological origin. Walking along the unusual wedge-shaped walls, pierced at intervals with shafts of light, creates a decidedly hypnotic effect on most visitors, as if in preparation for an encounter with the great oracle herself in her grotto (see Cumae).

With the removal of the capital to the mainland, Sicilian resentment came to a head on Easter Monday 1282. A riot, known as the Sicilian Vespers, left 2,000 Frenchmen dead and initiated a 20-year war. Finally, Sicily was lost and the Angevin kings focused their entire attention on Naples, leading to a period of ever greater prosperity.

An indefatigable love goddess since her star began to rise in 1954 in L’Oro di Napoli (The Gold of Naples) , “La Loren” went on to become a Hollywood star.