Naples' grandest square, flanked by the neoclassical Palazzo Reale and the colonnade of the Basilica di San Francesco di Paola — modelled on the Pantheon in Rome. The ceremonial heart of the Bourbon city, it remains Naples' most impressive public space. Best seen in the early morning before the street vendors arrive, or at dusk when the light on the facade is extraordinary.
The square is car-free since the 1990s. Palazzo Reale is worth entering for the state apartments and the historic library; Gran Caffè Gambrinus on the corner is the correct cafe for espresso.