Castel dell'Ovo

Naples' oldest castle is built on a legend involving a magic egg, a Roman poet, and the potential destruction of an entire city. According to medieval lore, the poet Virgil — who in Neapolitan tradition was not just a writer but a powerful sorcerer — hid a magical egg in the foundations of the fortress. As long as the egg remains intact, Naples stands. If it breaks, the city falls. The castle is called Castel dell'Ovo — Castle of the Egg — and to this day, nobody has gone looking for it. Just in case.

The real history is nearly as dramatic. The rocky islet of Megaride where the castle sits was the original landing point of Greek colonists from Cumae around the 7th century BC — this is literally where Naples began. In the 1st century BC, the Roman general Lucullus built a spectacular villa here, famous for its gardens and its fish ponds. The villa was later fortified, and over the centuries the site has been a monastery, a royal residence, a treasury, and a prison. The last Norman king of Naples, Conradin, was held here before his execution in 1268.

The current structure dates mostly to Aragonese renovations in the 15th century, though the bones of much older buildings are visible everywhere. The castle ramparts offer one of the most spectacular free views in Naples — Vesuvius across the bay, Capri on the horizon, the entire curve of the lungomare stretching away to the west.

Below the castle walls, the tiny harbor of Borgo Marinari is lined with seafood restaurants where you can eat grilled octopus while staring at the same water the Greeks sailed into 2,700 years ago. Entry to the castle itself is free, which in Naples is practically a miracle.