Music Festival at the National Museums of Vomero
On June 21st, the Naples hillside transforms into an open-air stage across Castel Sant'Elmo, the Certosa di San Martino, and Villa Floridiana
About Vomero Music Festival
A day of music on the Vomero hill
On June 21st, the summer solstice, all of Italy celebrates the Music Festival. In Naples, the most enchanting setting is the Vomero hill, where the three National Museums of Vomero—Castel Sant'Elmo with its Museo del Novecento, the Certosa e Museo di San Martino, and Villa Floridiana with the Museo Duca di Martina—open their halls, cloisters, gardens, and terraces to live concerts and performances. It is one of the most distinctive highlights of the cultural summer in Naples and the entire Campania region: high-quality music in venues that are worth the climb alone, with the gulf, Mount Vesuvius, and the city rooftops providing a breathtaking backdrop.
Three extraordinary venues, one shared program
- Castel Sant'Elmo - the star-shaped fortress overlooking Naples, with the Piazza d'Armi serving as an evening stage and the Museo del Novecento as a daytime concert hall.
- Certosa e Museo di San Martino - the monumental Carthusian complex, where music drifts through the visitor route, between the halls, the cloister, and the belvederes.
- Villa Floridiana - the historic park housing the Museo Duca di Martina, featuring two dedicated spaces: the museum's Auditorium and the romantic open-air Teatrino di Verzura.
The partnership with the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory
The formula for this Vomero Music Festival stems from a collaboration between the National Museums of Vomero and the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory in Naples, one of the oldest musical institutions in Europe. The concept is simple yet generous: bring young talents—wind players, guitarists, jazz ensembles, and choirs—to perform in prestigious museum settings before a wide, diverse audience. For visitors, it means discovering live music simply by wandering through the museum halls; for students, it is a genuine stage experience in unforgettable locations.
What to expect
The program changes every year, but the structure remains consistent: the morning is dedicated to roving performances along the visitor routes, with small chamber groups alternating between rooms; at noon, Villa Floridiana hosts more structured concerts, often focusing on Neapolitan song and historical repertoires; in the evening, Castel Sant'Elmo opens for a special sunset concert, recently featuring jazz. The result is a day that spans various genres—classical, jazz, Neapolitan tradition, and guitar repertoires—without ever losing the essence of the host venue.
An experience for everyone
The Vomero Music Festival is designed for a broad audience: families with children, passing tourists, locals rediscovering a neighborhood museum, and music lovers following young performers. Concerts are generally included in the museum admission fee, which remains very affordable in the Campania region, and some events—such as those at the Teatrino di Verzura in Villa Floridiana—are free of charge. Booking is recommended when required, as the capacity of historic halls is limited.
Why the climb to Vomero is worth it
Vomero is more than just a residential neighborhood: it is the balcony of Naples. Taking the funicular, listening to a saxophone quartet in a 20th-century hall, stepping out onto the terrace of Castel Sant'Elmo as the sun sets behind Posillipo, and then letting yourself be guided by the sound of a guitar in the park of Villa Floridiana is a unique and memorable way to experience the capital of Campania on the longest day of the year.
Vomero Music Festival — edition 2026
2026 Music Festival at Vomero: "The Voice of Places"
On Sunday, June 21, 2026, the three National Museums of Vomero in Naples celebrated the Music Festival with a program built around the theme The Voice of Places, under the artistic direction of maestro Giulio Martino and in collaboration with the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory. The event was part of the Le Voci di Sopra - Sounds and Visions of the Vomero Museums festival, which transformed the hill into a grand open-air stage from June 19th to 21st.
The day began at the Certosa e Museo di San Martino, from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM, with roving performances along the visitor route, among halls, cloisters, and terraces: the Marco Gaudino Trio, the Jass Duo, and the Riccardo Mauriello Trio took the stage. At Villa Floridiana, at 11:00 AM, the Auditorium of the Museo Duca di Martina hosted the PERiNCANTO choir with "Passa ammore, ride e va…", a twenty-two-voice tribute to the poetic and musical art of Ernesto Murolo and Ernesto Tagliaferri, while the Teatrino di Verzura welcomed Le Chitarre di Neaphonis, with the Piccola Orchestra Neaphonis conducted by Sergio Naddei. In the evening, Castel Sant'Elmo opened exceptionally from 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM for the 8:30 PM concert at the Piazza d'Armi, performed by the SPAM Jazz Ensemble with the Gulf of Naples in the background.
Programme Vomero Music Festival 2026
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Certosa e Museo di San Martino - from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM
- Roving performances along the visitor route, among halls, cloisters, and terraces
- Marco Gaudino Trio
- Jass Duo
- Riccardo Mauriello Trio
- Students from the Jazz Department of the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory
Villa Floridiana - Museo Duca di Martina Auditorium - 11:00 AM
- "Passa ammore, ride e va…" - PERiNCANTO choir (22 members), tribute to Ernesto Murolo and Ernesto Tagliaferri
Villa Floridiana - Teatrino di Verzura - 11:00 AM
- "Le Chitarre di Neaphonis" - Piccola Orchestra Neaphonis conducted by Sergio Naddei, guitar repertoire
Castel Sant'Elmo - special opening 7:30 PM-11:30 PM, concert at 8:30 PM
- SPAM Jazz Ensemble in Piazza d'Armi: Riccardo Mauriello (guitar), Gaetano Mazzaro (bass), Rosario Vitiello (drums)
- Vocals: Giorgia Auricchio, Aurora Sofia Luongo, Chiara Esposito, Lucia Petito
- Artistic direction by maestro Giulio Martino
Highlights Vomero Music Festival 2026
- Edition theme: "The Voice of Places"
- Sunset jazz concert at the Piazza d'Armi in Castel Sant'Elmo, with special evening opening until 11:30 PM
- Roving performances among the cloisters and terraces of the Certosa di San Martino
- Choral tribute to the Neapolitan songs of Murolo and Tagliaferri at the Floridiana Auditorium
- Free concert at the Teatrino di Verzura in Villa Floridiana
- Event included in the "Le Voci di Sopra" festival (June 19-21, 2026)
Prices Vomero Music Festival 2026
Practical information — Vomero Music Festival
How to get there
Vomero is connected to the center of Naples by three funiculars (Centrale, Chiaia, Montesanto) and Metro Line 1, stopping at Vanvitelli and Cilea. From Vanvitelli, you can reach both Castel Sant'Elmo and the Certosa di San Martino (Via Tito Angelini) or the entrance to Villa Floridiana (Via Domenico Cimarosa 77) on foot in 10-15 minutes. Driving is not recommended: the neighborhood has heavy traffic and limited parking.
Tickets
Concerts take place inside the museums and are usually included in the museum entrance ticket; some events offer free admission. Rates and bookings are available on the official channels of the National Museums of Vomero.
Tips
- Wear comfortable shoes: museum routes are long and partially outdoors.
- Arrive early for evening concerts at Castel Sant'Elmo, as they are very popular.
- The sunset from the Piazza d'Armi is part of the show: don't miss it.
Information
Castel Sant'Elmo, Via Tito Angelini 20/A, 80129 Naples - tel. +39 081 2294421 - [email protected] - museicampania.cultura.gov.it
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Where does it take place — Vomero Music Festival
Castel Sant'Elmo, Certosa e Museo di San Martino, Villa Floridiana - Museo Duca di Martina
Via Tito Angelini 20/A, 80129 Napoli