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The ancient Greeks called the area Pausilypon (“respite from pain”) due to the great beauty of the place. Down through the ages, it retained its appeal through a succession of inhabitants and visitors, from religious communities in medieval times to holiday resorts for the Spanish aristocracy in the 17th century. The spartan years of the 1950s, however, finally put an end to that famous beauty in large swaths with the unregulated spread of ugly apartment buildings. Fortunately, parts of the area down by the water still retain considerable charm, mainly the 17th-century Villa Volpicelli, appearing like a floating castle at the water’s edge.

Long considered one of the most romantic spots on this evocative coastline, this little fishing village remains a popular destination, with ancient ruins and restaurants with great views. The panoramic vista of Vesuvius from here has been repeatedly celebrated, most nostalgically in that quintessential Neapolitan song “O Sole Mio”.

Occupying the summit of a large hill overlooking the sea, this park offers spectacular views on all sides. To the left, the Bay of Naples, Vesuvius and the Sorrentine Peninsula; to the right, the Bay of Pozzuoli and the Phlegrean Fields. Down below lies the little island of Nisida, formed from an ancient volcanic crater. The tomb of the epic poet Virgil is said to be here in the ruins of a columbarium (sepulchre) used by ancient Romans to house the ashes of the dead.

Called Puteoli by the Romans, this now modest seaside town was a major player 2,000 years ago. It is rife with significant ruins, including the Serapeum , thought for centuries to be a temple of the Egyptian god Serapis but now known to have been one of the empire’s largest markets. Puteoli was the main imperial port and retained its importance even after the Port of Ostia, at the mouth of the Tiber, was upgraded by Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century.

This is the third-largest Roman amphitheatre in the world, after those at Rome and Capua – again making it clear how important this area was to the empire. It had a seating capacity of 40,000 and was equipped with an array of below-floor apparatus for making the venationes (wild animal “hunts”) that took place here as theatrical as possible. Nowhere are such systems so well preserved, thanks to the lower portion of the structure having been buried until modern times.

This little town was the most sumptuous resort of the ancient world – everyone who was anyone had a seaside retreat of daunting size and opulent luxury here. Due to the seismic activity in this area, however, much of the land and the structures are now underwater, forming a unique flooded city that can be explored by dives or by boat. There’s also a 15th-century castle here, the Castello di Baia, housing an archaeological museum, while to the north is Lago d’Averno, a crater lake that the ancients believed marked the entrance to the Underworld.

Arranged in terraces, this excavated area includes an ancient spa and a Temple of Diana. The spa complex comprises baths named after Venus and Mercury, the latter a large swimming pool once covered with a dome.

The area’s archaeological museum contains a reassembled sacellum (shrine) featuring statues of several emperors. There’s also a reconstruction of a nymphaeum (fountain), the original of which still lies under 6 m (20 ft) of water. Its statues have been raised, however, and illustrate the story of how Ulysses and his men escaped from the Cyclops Polyphemus.

Cumae was founded in the 8th century BC and played a significant part in history, due to its resident seeress. The Cumaean Sibyl, priestess of Apollo and similar to her counterpart at Delphi, was an oracle who exerted great influence, and the leaders of Rome depended on her prophecies and guidance in times of crisis. A visit to the Sibyl’s Grotto, with its weird trapezoidal entrance tunnel, remains an enigmatic experience.

This 18th-century palace was built by the Bourbons. Neapolitan Baroque at its most refined, it is built around four courtyards and has 1,200 lavish rooms. Highlights include the Great Staircase and the Throne Room. The park has a number of huge fountains, decorated with statuary, culminating in the Grande Cascata, plummeting 78 m (255 ft).