Parco Archeologico del Pausilypon
Posillipo
Hidden gemHistory & archaeology
The story
The imperial villa of Vedius Pollio looking over the Gaiola: theatre and odeion among the pines, there where the Romans called this place the pause from pain.
Access
free with guided tour, closed Tuesdays
The story
The Pausilypon — from the Greek 'respite from pain' — was the sumptuous Roman imperial villa that Publius Vedius Pollio had built on the Posillipo hill, and which on his death passed to Augustus. Of it are kept the theatre, capable of about two thousand spectators, a small odeon and some rooms, in an archaeological park facing the gulf; the submerged part of the villa is today protected by the Park of the Gaiola.
What to see
The remains of the great theatre and the odeon, among the pines and the sea, with a view of the Baia di Trentaremi and the islets of the Gaiola: one of the most evocative archaeological places of Naples, where the ancient and the landscape merge. You reach it by crossing the spectacular Grotta di Seiano.
Tips
It is generally visited with a guided tour and by booking, with specific days and hours: check on the official site before going. The access is through the Grotta di Seiano, a long tunnel; wear comfortable shoes and consider the heat in summer. You are at Posillipo, at the Discesa Coroglio.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pausilypon?
A Roman imperial villa on the Posillipo hill, which belonged to Publius Vedius Pollio and then to Augustus, of which remain the theatre, an odeon and some rooms in an archaeological park by the sea.
How do you access the Pausilypon?
Through the Grotta di Seiano, a long Roman tunnel; the visit is usually guided and by booking, with days and hours to be checked on the official site.
What can you see at the Pausilypon?
The Roman theatre of about two thousand seats, the odeon and the remains of the villa, with a view of the Baia di Trentaremi and the Gaiola.
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