Anfiteatro Flavio, Campi Flegrei.

Anfiteatro Flavio

Bay of Naples

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Back in its ancient heyday, Italy's third-largest amphitheatre – desired by Nero, and completed by Vespasian from AD 69 to 79 – could hold over 20,000 spectators and was occasionally flooded for mock naval battles. Its best-preserved remains lie under the main arena. Wander among the fallen columns and get your head around the complex mechanics involved in hoisting caged wild beasts up to their waiting victims through the overhead 'skylights'.

Admission includes entry to the Museo Archeologico dei Campi Flegrei, Parco Archeologico di Baia and Scavi Archeologici di Cuma; the cumulative ticket is valid for two days.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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  • NAPLES, ITALY - JUNE 11: The Modesty of Antonio Corradini in the Sansevero Chapel during the reopening to the public on June 11, 2020 in Naples, Italy. The Sansevero Chapel Museum can be visited again after the closure imposed by the lockdown for the covid-19 emergency, exactly thirty years after the reopening to the public after the restoration works which in 1990 returned to the fruition the baroque masterpieces of the chapel commissioned by Raimondo di Sangro and the Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino sculpted in 1753, today a symbol of the Neapolitan Baroque. (Photo by Ivan Romano/Getty Images) 1249041534

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  • Scenic picture view of the city of Naples Napoli with famous Mount Vesuvius in the background from Certosa di San Martino monastery, Campania, Italy; Shutterstock ID 2105276987; purchase_order: 65050; job: poi; client: ; other: 2105276987

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Nearby Bay of Naples attractions

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5. Monte Nuovo

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