When talking about Naples, it is impossible not to think of Totò, aka Antonio de Curtis, who was born and lived in the Neapolitan city for twenty-four years.

Naples and the Sanità District saw Totò from his childhood until his first steps in the art world. His fellow citizens never turned their backs on him, often taking the opportunity to remember and pay homage to him. Totò still lives on in Naples through the works dedicated to him.

We begin our walk with Totò

Exiting the subway at Cavour Square, we take a look at the magnificent structure of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples to our right and then proceed south on Via Foria.

After a few meters we need only turn around to discover a first dedication of the Neapolitans to the Prince de Curtis, it is a marble plaque placed next to the subway entrance.

Proceeding along Via Foria we reach the entrance to the Sanità District, located to our left. During the day it is difficult to notice it, but right at the entrance there is a silhouette of Totò made of many small lights. In the evening when they light up it is beautiful to observe it, it is as if Totò is opening the door of his home to us, the doors of Sanità, the neighborhood that saw him born and grow up.

We continue our walk and enter the neighborhood, surrounded by the many sounds, smells and colors that distinguish it. It feels as if we are immersing ourselves in a place detached from the rest of the city, a world unto itself.

Totò's house in Via Santa Maria Antesaecula

On Via Santa Maria Antesaecula, number 109, Totò grew up. To be precise, he was born on the third floor of number 107 on February 15, 1898, but after a few months he moved with his mother Anna and loving grandmother Teresa to number 109, until 1922. He then moved to Rome, where he lived until his death on April 15, 1967.

We immediately notice the balcony of Totò's house, with a marble plaque next to it in his memory, placed there on July 5, 1978.

A little further up the same road, we notice a niche with a bust made of clay inside dedicated to him. The work was created in 1990 by sculptor Antonio Januario By the St. Vincent Ferreri Association.

The scene of "Il Guappo" on Guido Amedeo Vitale Street.

Continuing all along Via Santa Maria Antesaecula and turning left at the end of the street, we arrive at the Church of St. Severus Outside the Walls. Next door we find the famous Ascent of the Chinese, which is named after Priest Matthew Ripa who, after serving as a missionary in China, returned to Sanità bringing some Chinese with him.

Walking up the Ascent of the Chinese, we arrive in Guido Amedeo Vitale Street. Looking at the building in front of us will immediately bring to mind the film directed in 1954 by De Sica, The gold of Naples, especially the scene from "Il Guappo" where Totò plays the "pazzariello." How to forget him, surrounded by party boys as he sings and dances!

Totò Square and the monolith

We turn back, walk down the Salita dei Cinesi again and head toward Via San Severo arriving in Sanità Square, just like Totò-pazzariello in the famous film. From here we continue to Totò Square, dedicated a few years ago to the famous Neapolitan artist.

We pass under the bridge of Santa Teresa degli Scalzi and a little further on we see in front of us a red monolith with a hollow center, carved following the silhouette of Totò complete with bowler hat. This work is perceived by many as the void left by the Neapolitan artist. The sculpture was created by master Giuseppe Desiato.

Also linked to Totò are two famous theaters in Naples, the Trianon Theater in the Forcella area, not far from Corso Umberto I and the Totò Theater Cavara Street. 

Totò performed at the Trianon Theater shortly before he moved to Rome with his family, while the Totò Theater never performed but, being located not far from the Rione Sanità, it was dedicated to him in 1996.

We conclude our walk in the company of Totò in the beautiful Church of Santa Maria del Carmine at Market Square, where his funeral was held, attended by much of the city of Naples.

Prince de Curtis rests in a family chapel at the St. Mary of Wailing Cemetery.