Grotta di Seiano and Pausilypon
A Roman tunnel about 770 metres long dug through the Posillipo hill, which comes out onto the ruins of a villa overlooking the sea and the islet of Gaiola.
The story
The villa belonged to Publius Vedius Pollio, a wealthy Roman knight who left it to Augustus on his death. Ancient writers say he bred moray eels in his fishponds and had slaves who made mistakes thrown to them: when one of them broke a crystal cup in front of Augustus, the emperor ordered all the cups smashed and the ponds filled in. Today the villa has a theatre and an odeon with the sea as a backdrop, and beneath the water is an underwater archaeological park.
Why go
Walking through a Roman tunnel and emerging onto an ancient theatre above the gulf, a few minutes from the centre, is an experience few tourists know about.
In the itineraries
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Weather forecast
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
Getting there
- By train. The nearest station is Agnano station, 2.5 km away (about 45 minutes on foot). Alternatively: Bagnoli-Città della Scienza station, 2.6 km away.
- By sea. The nearest ferry terminal is in the harbour, 4.7 km away.
- By air. The nearest airport is Naples Capodichino Airport (NAP), about 13 km away.
- Parking. There are 9 signposted car parks within a kilometre; the nearest is 350 m away.
Stations, ports, airports and car parks from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); distances as the crow flies. Timetables and connections change: check them before you travel.
Climate month by month
The most pleasant months for weather are from April to June and from September to October, with average highs between 18 and 29 °C. From July to August it is hot: average highs exceed 30 °C. The wettest month is November (about 115 mm), the driest July.
| Month | Temperature | High / low | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | from 4 to 11 °C | 11° 4° | 70 |
| Feb | from 5 to 13 °C | 13° 5° | 54 |
| Mar | from 6 to 15 °C | 15° 6° | 55 |
| Apr | from 9 to 18 °C | 18° 9° | 37 |
| May | from 13 to 23 °C | 23° 13° | 57 |
| Jun | from 18 to 29 °C | 29° 18° | 34 |
| Jul | from 21 to 33 °C | 33° 21° | 20 |
| Aug | from 21 to 33 °C | 33° 21° | 36 |
| Sep | from 18 to 27 °C | 27° 18° | 69 |
| Oct | from 14 to 23 °C | 23° 14° | 74 |
| Nov | from 10 to 17 °C | 17° 10° | 115 |
| Dec | from 6 to 13 °C | 13° 6° | 53 |
Averages for 2015–2024, estimated for an altitude of 264 m. Air: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), corrected for the altitude of the place; rain: average monthly total. These are indicative values: the weather on any given day can be very different, so always check the forecast before you go.
On foot and on the water, nearby
- ★ Snorkelling at GaiolaWater sports · Snorkelling · Beginners, with a guide · less than 1 km
- The sunken city of BaiaWater sports · Scuba diving, Snorkelling · Beginners (snorkelling), basic certification (diving) · 9 km
Nearby
- Pozzuoli and the Rione TerraHistory and art · 6 km as the crow flies
- Sansevero ChapelHistory and art · 8 km as the crow flies
- ★ Fontanelle CemeteryHistory and art · 8 km as the crow flies
- ★ Piscina MirabilisHistory and art · 9 km as the crow flies
- NaplesTown · 9 km as the crow flies
- Baia and the underwater parkHistory and art · 10 km as the crow flies