The subway is an art gallery itself—a proud cultural journey for the people of Naples

Text / Compiled and reported by the Editorial Department of MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network

Located in southern Italy, Naples is the country’s third-largest municipality, brimming with historical and cultural charm and a vibrant intellectual scene. In this bustling city, where streets are teeming with life, taking the subway to commute—just like in most major metropolises—is part of daily life. But over the past decade, Naples has set an ambitious goal to create the most eye-catching subway system in all of Europe—one where passengers no longer simply pass through, but instead pause to appreciate the beauty around them.

Over the past ten years, Naples has specially planned several artistic subway lines, with each line being collaboratively designed by different contemporary artists and architects. With their unique perspectives, they have transformed the subway into a series of art galleries, connecting the most beautiful scenery along the urban commute. From the birth of the first artistic station in 2001 up to December 2013, there have been 16 stations, each with a distinctly different style.