The Galleria is located only a few block from the port and right across the street from the Palazzo Real. We accidentally stumbled into the Galleria looking for a shortcut back to the port and our cruise ship. The almost cathedral-like, cross-shaped domed glass architecture of the building (184 feet tall at its center) is truly impressive. The tile floor also has some interesting designs and mosaics but it was hard to keep your eyes off the ceiling.

Built in 1892, on a design for the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, the iron and glass construction is a rare example of “industrial architecture”. The Galleria Umberto was designed as a covered passageway connecting the San Carlo Theater to via Roma. The Galleria was named for Umberto I, King of Italy at the time of construction. If you are in the port area, it shouldn't be missed and takes only a few of minutes to stroll through.

One comes here for the edifice not the shops.

From the intricate mosaics to the headlight of the dome you will be craning the kneck to enjoy.

It is fortunate for Naples and its visitors that this edifice has been preserved in the way it has. It is a lasting piece of the city's intricate and fascinating history.

We walked from our hotel in the Decumani neighborhood to Galleria Umberto to find some shopping for my wife and daughter. The Galleria is a magnificent piece of architecture. The glass ceiling is amazing. The tile floor has some interesting designs and mosaics. I looked more at the building than I did at the shops. I did a little people watching as well, but it was hard to take my eyes off the ceiling. It is a gorgeous structure that you need to see if you are in the area.

We were walking through town on our way to the port. We probably would not have walked through the Galleria if it had not been mentioned in Rick Steves' book. The Galleria is about 100 years old and a tells me what shopping malls could have been like before Americans streamlined them. The frescoes, the open architecture, the painting - it was hard not to run into people because I was looking up all the time. Of course, don't forget to look down too to see the designs on the floor. We just walked around looking and didn't even bother to go in any shops.