Visiting the Botanical Garden of Naples is a cultural, scientific, and sensory experience. Entering one of the most important botanical gardens in Italy means walking in a historic and unspoiled place where you can observe herbs, trees, and shrubs from all over the world. It is a true living museum, part of the University of Naples Federico II, which should be approached with joy and respect for the immense heritage it preserves.
The Botanical Garden of Naples has a collection of about 25 thousand specimens cultivated on an area of about 12 hectares, divided into various separate gardens or collections, which can be individually consulted in this page by using the menu.
The Botanical Garden also includes architecturally relevant buildings such as the entrance staircase, the monumental greenhouse, and the Castle.
The general appearance of the Botanical Garden changes depending on the seasons, the blooms, and the times of the day. Visiting it in different moments of the year means appreciating the cycle of nature and facing different landscapes: at the beginning of winter the golden leaves of the Ginkgo biloba (the maidenhair tree), in spring the flowering magnolias, and in autumn the foliage make the visit to the Botanical Garden a new experience every time. The variety of the specimens transports the visitors into tropical or northern landscapes, allowing them to listen to the breath of the trees and to reconnect with Nature.
The Botanical Garden has ancient ceramic signs, real works of art that allow easy orientation in a self-guided tour. The most important specimens have a tag or a qr-code with a clear description next to their scientific name. Fountains and benches allow visitors to refresh, rest, and calmly admire the tree specimens.
However, it is only through a guided tour, accompanied by expert botanists and natural history experts, that one can appreciate the biodiversity of our heritage. Guided tours can be booked and can be of various types, including thematic tours in different areas or by specific cultural interests.
The Botanical Garden also includes a Museum of Paleobotany and Ethnobotany, located in the Castle, and several greenhouses, including the Monumental greenhouse.
To visit the Botanical Garden, please choose comfortable clothing, sneakers, and a hat in the hot seasons, and mosquito repellent.
The Botanical Garden of Naples is open to the public from Monday to Friday with the following schedule: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Entrance is free. On Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays, the Garden is closed (since it is a University Center, the staff follows the same schedule as all university employees). However, events are often organized that open the Garden to the public during weekends. It is therefore recommended to visit frequently the Events section on this site.
The activities above are carried out by the University with the aim of making its structures and heritage available to society and the territory. This is an important institutional activity for Universities, known among Italian insiders as “Terza missione“, i.e., “Third Mission” (in addition to research and teaching), or, more commonly, public engagement.
In this context, the Botanical Garden offers educational services with visits for Schools, which can be booked at the facility.
The school service is active from March 1st to May 31st, and visits are differentiated based on the age of the students, from primary to high schools: visiting the Garden with a specialized guide is a customizable experience with different levels of depth and is designed with strong visitor involvement.
Other guided tours can be organized for groups or associations, structuring the itineraries based on the interests of the participants. In addition, a special garden is available for visually impaired people.
Sistema Museale di Ateneo