Three of the most fascinating archeological sites in the Campi Flegrei (Phlegrean Fields) west of Naples and Pozzuoli are the Roman Bath Spa of Baia (Baiae in Latin), the National Archeological Museum of Baiae in the Castello Aragonese, and the Piscina Mirabile (Piscina Mirabilis in Latin) in Bacoli.
Very, very few North American tourists travel here, largely for lack of time and also for lack of knowledge of the cheap public transportation available.
This posting will explain how easy and incredibly inexpensive it is to visit these three sites using the public bus from Naples.
Take EAV bus line 101 "Monte di Procida" from the Porta Nolana Circumvesuviana train station along Corso Garibaldi, 750 meters from Napoli Centrale train station. You can also board this bus at several stops along the route, within the city of Naples. For example, you can board the bus near Piazza Municipio/Molo Beverello/Stazione Marittima or further west in Piazza Vittoria. The hyperlinked schedules below provide a list of ALL the stops which the bus makes in both directions. (Look at the schedules labelled "Via Bacoli.", not the other schedules).
You will need to buy the Unico Campania ticket "NA3 Corsa Semplice Aziendale" for 3.30 Euros each way. If you plan to make a BRIEF stopover midway, consider the "NA 3 Biglietto Orario Integrato" for 4.10 Euros, which gives 140 minutes of travel. But I warn you, your stops at any one of these sites will cause you to exceed 140 minutes, considering it takes about 60 minutes just to arrive there. Better to buy separate tickets to get from one site to the other (e.g. from the Baiae Spa archeological park ("A)" to the Baiae archeological museum/Castello Aragonese ("B"), and from the Castello Aragonese to the Piscina Mirabilis ("C")). This separate ticket is the "UAC Corsa Semplice Aziendale" for 1.30 Euros. (You could also walk between these sites, although it's 1.1 kilometers uphill from A to B and 2.3 kilometers from B to C).
WHERE TO GET OFF THE BUS
For the Baiae Spa archeological park, get off at Piazza De Gasperi along Via Lucullo in Baiae. These were the spas of the Roman "rich and famous". As you alight from the bus, notice the abandoned former Cumana rail station of Baia (squat white building with four arches), which has never been rebuilt in a new location as once planned years ago. You'll still see the old single rail track and the gated tunnels on both sides. Off the sidewalk by the street, note the bar/kiosk "Monkey Bar and Ristopub". Take the red brick staircase directly behind and go up the hill to reach the entrance to the site in just a couple of minutes.
www.campiflegreionline.it
For the Baiae archeological museum in the Castello Aragonese, take the same bus due south and get off at the second stop along Via Salita Castello (first stop after passing the crest of the hill). Double back on foot to the ramp which goes to the castle entrance. The museum has recently been expanded and now contains a wealth of archeological materials from the Phlegrean Fields, especially from Cumae, Baiae and Bacoli. The views from the ramparts of the Bay of Pozzuoli and of the Capo Miseno promontory are simply breathtaking. These are the same views which Roman emperors such as Tiberius, Caligola and Nero enjoyed in the first century A.D. (although the castle was built centuries later during the Aragonese occupation). This may well be the most beautiful archeological museum location in Italy.
https://www.campiflegreionline.it/Castello_di_Baia.html
For the Piscina Mirabilis, take the same bus further south and get off at the last stop along Via Risorgimento before it turns right on Via Lungolago. This is a pleasant area. Turn LEFT on Via Lungolago and walk for 210 meters past the Carabinieri station, the Farmacia S. Anna, the bar "Chioschetto del Lago", the OVS Kids store and the Gelateria De Giovanni to the Osteria Il Garum (blue roof, visible on Google Maps). From the left side of the osteria, take the red brick steps up the hill (the footpath is called Via Campi Elisi). There is a brown signmark pointing in the direction of the Piscina Mirabilis. At the end of this footpath is the ticket office. The custodians will then ESCORT you to the actual entrance to the Piscina Mirabilis. You will immediately understand why it was given this name, because it is indeed an incredible sight to behold, and unique in the Roman World (the largest underground fresh water reservoir ever built, measuring 70 meters in length by 25.5 meters in width by 15 meters in height and capable of holding 12,000 cubic meters of water). It is like an underground gothic cathedral: it has 5 naves and 48 pilasters. It was built during the reign of Caesar Augustus to provide fresh water to the Roman fleet stationed at Miseno and commanded by Agrippa. This site will amaze you.
NOTE THE VERY LIMITED OPENING DAYS OF THE PISCINA MIRABILIS:
Open ONLY FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY at: 11:00 – 11:30 – 13:00 – 15:30 – 17:00
Entrance ticket 5 Euros
Optional guided tours (8 Euros, includes entrance fee) lasting 45 minutes at 10:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 16:00
MANDATORY RESERVATIONS AT prenotazioni@piscinamirabilisbacoli.it
You can visit all three sites in a single day as a daytrip from Naples or Pozzuoli (bus stops in Pozzuoli are noted in the hyperlinked schedules above). There is one stop near the Pozzuoli Solfatara Metro Station (Trenitalia, not Cumana line) along Via Solfatara, and another along Corso Terracciano nearly at the public entrance to the Roman Amphitheater. A one-way bus ticket from Pozzuoli to Baiae or Bacoli (called "AC1 Corsa Semplice Aziendale) costs a mere 1.50 Euros. You'll save nearly two hours of transportation time if doing this daytrip out of Pozzuoli, even though it's quite feasible from Naples itself. Allow a FULL day if traveling from Naples.
If based or stopping in Pozzuoli, don't forget to visit the amphitheater, the Temple of Serapis (Serapide) near the waterfront and (if reopened) the Rione Terra archeological site, which is the ancient Roman city of Puteoli (modern Pozzuoli), located under the ancient Greek acropolis and overlooking the port. Pozzuoli's Duomo was built on the ruins of a Roman temple, and also merits a look.
UNICO CAMPANIA BUS TICKETS CAN BE VERY HARD TO FIND. I strongly recommend stocking up on them in Naples or Pozzuoli to cover your entire trip, as it may be quite difficult to find them outside of these cities.
These three archeological sites are among the most fascinating in Italy. North American travelers need to get to know them!
Very, very few North American tourists travel here, largely for lack of time and also for lack of knowledge of the cheap public transportation available.
This posting will explain how easy and incredibly inexpensive it is to visit these three sites using the public bus from Naples.
Take EAV bus line 101 "Monte di Procida" from the Porta Nolana Circumvesuviana train station along Corso Garibaldi, 750 meters from Napoli Centrale train station. You can also board this bus at several stops along the route, within the city of Naples. For example, you can board the bus near Piazza Municipio/Molo Beverello/Stazione Marittima or further west in Piazza Vittoria. The hyperlinked schedules below provide a list of ALL the stops which the bus makes in both directions. (Look at the schedules labelled "Via Bacoli.", not the other schedules).
You will need to buy the Unico Campania ticket "NA3 Corsa Semplice Aziendale" for 3.30 Euros each way. If you plan to make a BRIEF stopover midway, consider the "NA 3 Biglietto Orario Integrato" for 4.10 Euros, which gives 140 minutes of travel. But I warn you, your stops at any one of these sites will cause you to exceed 140 minutes, considering it takes about 60 minutes just to arrive there. Better to buy separate tickets to get from one site to the other (e.g. from the Baiae Spa archeological park ("A)" to the Baiae archeological museum/Castello Aragonese ("B"), and from the Castello Aragonese to the Piscina Mirabilis ("C")). This separate ticket is the "UAC Corsa Semplice Aziendale" for 1.30 Euros. (You could also walk between these sites, although it's 1.1 kilometers uphill from A to B and 2.3 kilometers from B to C).
WHERE TO GET OFF THE BUS
For the Baiae Spa archeological park, get off at Piazza De Gasperi along Via Lucullo in Baiae. These were the spas of the Roman "rich and famous". As you alight from the bus, notice the abandoned former Cumana rail station of Baia (squat white building with four arches), which has never been rebuilt in a new location as once planned years ago. You'll still see the old single rail track and the gated tunnels on both sides. Off the sidewalk by the street, note the bar/kiosk "Monkey Bar and Ristopub". Take the red brick staircase directly behind and go up the hill to reach the entrance to the site in just a couple of minutes.
Parco archeologico di Baia o Terme Romane di Baia
Parco di Baia, Terme romane di Baia, Tempio di Mercurio, Venere, Diana, Palazzo Imperiale
www.campiflegreionline.it
For the Baiae archeological museum in the Castello Aragonese, take the same bus due south and get off at the second stop along Via Salita Castello (first stop after passing the crest of the hill). Double back on foot to the ramp which goes to the castle entrance. The museum has recently been expanded and now contains a wealth of archeological materials from the Phlegrean Fields, especially from Cumae, Baiae and Bacoli. The views from the ramparts of the Bay of Pozzuoli and of the Capo Miseno promontory are simply breathtaking. These are the same views which Roman emperors such as Tiberius, Caligola and Nero enjoyed in the first century A.D. (although the castle was built centuries later during the Aragonese occupation). This may well be the most beautiful archeological museum location in Italy.
https://www.campiflegreionline.it/Castello_di_Baia.html
For the Piscina Mirabilis, take the same bus further south and get off at the last stop along Via Risorgimento before it turns right on Via Lungolago. This is a pleasant area. Turn LEFT on Via Lungolago and walk for 210 meters past the Carabinieri station, the Farmacia S. Anna, the bar "Chioschetto del Lago", the OVS Kids store and the Gelateria De Giovanni to the Osteria Il Garum (blue roof, visible on Google Maps). From the left side of the osteria, take the red brick steps up the hill (the footpath is called Via Campi Elisi). There is a brown signmark pointing in the direction of the Piscina Mirabilis. At the end of this footpath is the ticket office. The custodians will then ESCORT you to the actual entrance to the Piscina Mirabilis. You will immediately understand why it was given this name, because it is indeed an incredible sight to behold, and unique in the Roman World (the largest underground fresh water reservoir ever built, measuring 70 meters in length by 25.5 meters in width by 15 meters in height and capable of holding 12,000 cubic meters of water). It is like an underground gothic cathedral: it has 5 naves and 48 pilasters. It was built during the reign of Caesar Augustus to provide fresh water to the Roman fleet stationed at Miseno and commanded by Agrippa. This site will amaze you.
NOTE THE VERY LIMITED OPENING DAYS OF THE PISCINA MIRABILIS:
Open ONLY FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY at: 11:00 – 11:30 – 13:00 – 15:30 – 17:00
Entrance ticket 5 Euros
Optional guided tours (8 Euros, includes entrance fee) lasting 45 minutes at 10:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 16:00
MANDATORY RESERVATIONS AT prenotazioni@piscinamirabilisbacoli.it
You can visit all three sites in a single day as a daytrip from Naples or Pozzuoli (bus stops in Pozzuoli are noted in the hyperlinked schedules above). There is one stop near the Pozzuoli Solfatara Metro Station (Trenitalia, not Cumana line) along Via Solfatara, and another along Corso Terracciano nearly at the public entrance to the Roman Amphitheater. A one-way bus ticket from Pozzuoli to Baiae or Bacoli (called "AC1 Corsa Semplice Aziendale) costs a mere 1.50 Euros. You'll save nearly two hours of transportation time if doing this daytrip out of Pozzuoli, even though it's quite feasible from Naples itself. Allow a FULL day if traveling from Naples.
If based or stopping in Pozzuoli, don't forget to visit the amphitheater, the Temple of Serapis (Serapide) near the waterfront and (if reopened) the Rione Terra archeological site, which is the ancient Roman city of Puteoli (modern Pozzuoli), located under the ancient Greek acropolis and overlooking the port. Pozzuoli's Duomo was built on the ruins of a Roman temple, and also merits a look.
UNICO CAMPANIA BUS TICKETS CAN BE VERY HARD TO FIND. I strongly recommend stocking up on them in Naples or Pozzuoli to cover your entire trip, as it may be quite difficult to find them outside of these cities.
These three archeological sites are among the most fascinating in Italy. North American travelers need to get to know them!