Galleria Borbonica - Ingresso Vico Grottone

At Vico del Grottone in Naples, the Galleria Borbonica takes you below the city into a tunnel commissioned by Bourbon king Ferdinand II in the 1850s. A guided visit connects its original purpose as a royal escape route with later use as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War. Along the way, you can see sections of an older aqueduct, wartime traces and vintage cars and motorcycles stored underground. The passages are dark and the floor can be uneven, so wear comfortable shoes and stay with your guide.

A royal passage beneath Naples

The tunnel began as a project of Ferdinand II of Bourbon in the 1850s. Architect Enrico Alvino designed it to connect the Royal Palace with military barracks and the sea. The plan was never completed, and the passage did not become the finished escape route its royal commission envisioned.

The tunnel’s story is tied to older infrastructure below the city. Its route intersects the Carmignano Aqueduct, a system that includes Renaissance-era sections and still older cisterns. On a guided visit, these layers of construction help explain why the underground spaces extend beyond a single passage.

Shelter, storage and a museum

During the Second World War, parts of the tunnel network served as air-raid shelters for Naples residents. Wartime traces remain among the spaces visitors pass through, giving the site a civilian perspective on the conflict. The underground route was also used to store vehicles confiscated after the war; vintage cars and motorcycles are among the objects now on view.

The tunnel was rediscovered and restored in the 2000s. It now operates as a museum focused on the site’s own history, with rooms, pools and passages opening onto different parts of the underground complex. Some tours enter darker sections, and routes vary in length and difficulty. Ask about the route when choosing a tour if you have a preference.