Museo Ferroviario di Pietrarsa
Portici (NA)
Hidden gemMuseums
The story
In the old Bourbon workshop where Italy's first railway was born, historic locomotives rest by the sea, with the Vesuvius closing the horizon.
The story
The National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa, on the sea between Portici and San Giovanni a Teduccio, is housed in the Royal Works willed by Ferdinand II of Bourbon in 1840: the first locomotive factory of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, arisen not far from where in 1839 ran the first Italian railway, the Naples-Portici. It is the most important railway museum in Italy.
What to see
Historic steam, electric and diesel locomotives lined up in the great nineteenth-century sheds, the royal train of 1929 and the cast-iron statue of Ferdinand II cast here: a journey into the history of the railways, with the tracks reaching down to the sea and a magnificent view over the gulf and Vesuvius.
How to get there
- Circumvesuviana
- Metro
Tips
The museum is visited with its own ticket and hours: check days and hours on the official site. It is suited to families and enthusiasts, handy by the Circumvesuviana or the metro. The platform by the sea is one of the most beautiful views.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Museum of Pietrarsa?
The most important railway museum in Italy, on the sea between Portici and San Giovanni a Teduccio, in the former Royal Works of 1840, the first locomotive factory of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
What can you see at Pietrarsa?
Historic steam, electric and diesel locomotives, the royal train of 1929 and the statue of Ferdinand II, with the tracks facing the gulf and Vesuvius.
How do you visit Pietrarsa?
With its own entrance and hours, to be checked on the official site; it is handy by the Circumvesuviana or the metro.
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