Designer houses, future construction sites, historic palaces and Roman theatres hidden in courtyards: for one weekend, Naples showed itself like never before. From 2 to 4 October 2026, Open House Napoli returned with 160 experiences, about 70 new openings and 603 volunteers. And this year we were part of it too: InStazione was an official partner of the eighth edition of the festival.
1. What is Open House Napoli
Open House Napoli started in 2019. It lets residents and visitors discover the city’s past, present and future architecture through free guided visits. It is part of Open House Worldwide, the global architecture festival that began in London in 1992. In Italy, only four cities are in the network: Rome, Milan, Turin and, since 2019, Naples.
What was new in the 8th edition 2026
“Sconfinamenti” (Crossing Borders): this year the festival went beyond the city limits. It was a real “festival within the festival” dedicated to the Metropolitan City, starting with the Campi Flegrei, where nature, archaeology and architecture meet. Visitors could explore the Capo Miseno Lighthouse, the paths of Nisida, and the ancient, volcanic town of Pozzuoli.
Openings not to be missed. One of the highlights of the programme was the palace that Ferdinando Sanfelice built for himself and his family. It is one of the most recognisable buildings of 18th-century Naples. Among the new entries were also Restart Scampia and Villa Ferri.
OHN Kids. For families, there was the OHN Kids Village at “La Santissima – Community Hub”, in the spaces of the former Military Hospital, which were restored after decades of neglect. Here visitors could also see the exhibition Napoli in Mattoncini, with the city’s most famous monuments rebuilt with thousands of Lego© bricks.
2. Why were we a partner of Open House Napoli?
For us at InStazione, places are not just to look at: they are to walk through, feel and understand. This is the same idea behind Open House Napoli, and this is why being an official partner of the 8th edition made us especially proud.
The festival opens the doors of the city’s architecture and gives everyone access to places that are usually closed. We try to do the same with the area around Naples: to make it open, easy to understand and within everyone’s reach, so that visitors can discover Campania with respect and awareness.
Open House Napoli and InStazione: a shared vision of the territory
Some cities are visited and some cities are lived. Naples belongs to the second kind, and Open House Napoli shows it every year by opening doors, courtyards and homes that usually stay closed. Our partnership with the festival comes from this idea: to go inside places instead of just looking at them.
Our story began in January 2020, led by the founders Chiara Gargiulo and Katia Cupo and the founder Alfonso Onda. Since then we have grown as a travel agency and tour operator with a clear identity: we create experiences that start from the train. Our welcome points are in the main hubs of Italian transport: the stations of Napoli Centrale, Pompei and Roma Termini, and the Bari Centrale bus terminal. There we meet travellers at the exact moment they arrive, full of the curiosity of the first look, and we take them straight to discover the area, in a responsible and eco-friendly way.
We are proud of this journey, also because it tells a story of female leadership. In these years, the team’s work has received important awards, such as the Tutto Hotel Award 2024 and Tiqets’ Best Activity award in 2025.
3. The festival at a glance
When: Friday 2, Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2026.
Cost: All visits were free.
How it worked: Some visits needed a booking on the official website, openhousenapoli.org. Others were free entry, on a first-come, first-served basis. The most popular openings filled up fast.
Tip for train travellers
Planning to visit the Campi Flegrei? Leave your car at home: from the Campi Flegrei to Naples, all the stops are easy to reach by train.
Metro Line 2: Campi Flegrei – Pozzuoli Solfatara
Or the Cumana train: from Montesanto to Torregaveta (to go towards Baia and Capo Miseno)
or the other way round:
Metro Line 2: Campi Flegrei – Napoli Centrale
Or the Cumana train: from Torregaveta to Montesanto (to go towards the Caracciolo seafront and the historic centre)
Your trip to Naples starts with us
Are you planning a stay in Naples? Come and see us! Our office is on level -1 of Napoli Centrale station, next to the Line 2 exit. We are open every day from 7:00 to 19:00. Come and discover our travel itineraries to enjoy Naples and Campania with fresh eyes.
