What to do in Naples February 2026: the 6 best events

February in Naples is a month of creative energy. The city never truly slows down, even in winter, with evenings stretching late in historic theatres, concerts lighting up clubs, and exhibitions engaging in dialogue with an ancient, ever-evolving creativity.

The streets of the historic centre become natural stages, palaces hold stories that resurface through art and music, while more contemporary districts reveal a vibrant and experimental cultural scene. 

If you’re wondering what to do in Naples February 2026, this is the perfect time to tune into the city’s most authentic rhythm.

Naples doesn’t simply host events, it creates cultural experiences. Each one seems to grow organically from the fabric of the city itself, weaving together memory and the present, tradition and new forms of expression.

February 2026 in Naples reflects this irregular and fascinating energy, with events ranging from music to photography, from theatre to artistic experimentation. These are experiences designed for those who love to be surprised, for those seeking depth, and for anyone who wants to experience the city well into the evening and night.

Let’s take a closer look at a curated selection of must-see events, chosen to portray Naples as it truly is: alive, intense, and capable of leaving a lasting impression long after the curtain falls.

During Carnival season, the streets of Naples turn into open-air stages, animated by street performances, live music, and colourful costume parades that involve both adults and children. The historic centre becomes the beating heart of the celebration, with Spaccanapoli filled with colours, sounds, and masks, while iconic squares such as Piazza del Plebiscito host events designed to celebrate a tradition deeply rooted in the city’s history.

Alongside more contemporary events, strong folkloric elements come into play, starting with Pulcinella, the symbolic mask of Naples and its timeless sense of irony. Parades, allegorical floats, and performances portray a city that loves to laugh at itself, turning Carnival into a moment of collective expression where popular creativity meets more modern forms of language.

Wandering through the streets, visitors are greeted by shop windows overflowing with chiacchiere and the rich scent of sanguinaccio, traditional sweets that accompany the festivities all the way to Shrove Tuesday.

Each year also brings changing highlights, such as the famous Sottencoppa, the sonic Carnival that energises the city centre with music and live performances, confirming Carnival as one of the most engaging experiences to include among the things to do in Naples in February.

When: February 13–17, 2026
Where: Various areas of the city and historic centre

Among the most anticipated sporting events of the season, the Naples City Half Marathon brings a unique energy to the city streets, combining sport, landscape, and a strong sense of collective participation. The course is considered one of the fastest and most spectacular in the Mediterranean, blending athletic challenge with the beauty of a route where the sea accompanies runners step by step.

Running in Naples means passing through some of the city’s most evocative and historic areas, with views opening onto the blue of the Gulf and the constant presence of Mount Vesuvius, dominating the horizon like a natural backdrop. It is precisely this combination that makes the Napoli City Half Marathon one of the most fascinating half marathons in Europe, beloved by professional athletes and by those who choose to experience it as a personal journey, taking advantage of mild temperatures and the city’s welcoming atmosphere.

The Naples Half Marathon is also a competition of major sporting significance, holding both the men’s and women’s national records for the distance.

When: February 22, 2026
Where: Start and finish on Via Kennedy, near number 45, along the seafront and city centre

In February 2026, Naples hosts a retrospective dedicated to Joan Miró, designed to highlight one of the most fascinating and less immediately visible aspects of his artistic research. Featuring around 120 works, almost all lithographs from private collections, the exhibition explores the deep relationship Miró developed over time with words, graphic language, and printmaking techniques.

The exhibition unfolds across seven sections, guiding visitors through a visual universe that is instantly recognizable yet constantly evolving. Iconic images by the Catalan master engage in dialogue with carefully selected works to reveal what art truly meant to Miró: a space of continuous experimentation, free exploration, and an ongoing encounter between word and image.

Among the most significant sections are the plates accompanying volumes I and II of the catalogue raisonné of his lithographs, alongside a group of works dedicated to recurring themes in his art. The female figure, the natural world, especially birds, and the famous Personnages, hybrid and imaginary figures, shape an imagery suspended between dream and matter, connected to a primordial vision of the universe.

When: Daily. Monday–Friday 9:30 am–7:30 pm. Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays 9:30 am–8:30 pm
Where: Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore alla Pietrasanta, Piazzetta Pietrasanta 17–19

The magic of Ennio Morricone’s music meets the intense energy of Naples on February 8, 2026, in a concert that turns the Teatro PalaPartenope into a powerful emotional stage. An evening designed for cinema lovers, but above all for those who recognise music’s ability to evoke images, memories, and atmospheres without the need for words.

Taking the stage are the Lords of the Sound, protagonists of a tribute that revisits some of the most timeless film scores in cinema history. From Once Upon a Time in America to The Mission, through the great westerns that made Morricone an absolute reference point, each piece becomes a fragment of storytelling that speaks directly to the emotions.

Enhancing the immersive experience is a full symphony orchestra, enriched by solo voices and immersive projections, creating a concert that blends sound and imagery into a deeply engaging journey.

When: February 8, 2026
Where: Teatro PalaPartenope, Via Corrado Barbagallo 115

Within the monumental spaces of Castel Nuovo, Elysian Fields takes shape in February as a site-specific exhibition by American artist Jim Dine. The project is conceived as a dialogue with the history of the place, welcoming contemporary artworks inside one of Naples’ most iconic landmarks.

The exhibition unfolds across the ground-floor rooms of the castle, creating a direct confrontation between the historic architectural heritage and the language of contemporary art. The 29 installations that make up the show are distributed throughout spaces rich in memory, including the Chapel of the Souls in Purgatory, the Palatine Chapel, the Armoury, and the rooms of the archaeological area.

What makes the project even more evocative is the dialogue with seven Renaissance sculptures already part of the museum itinerary, but long kept from public view for conservation reasons. The encounter between these historic works and Jim Dine’s installations creates a silent yet powerful exchange between different eras and artistic languages.

When: Until February 10, 2026
Where: Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino)

Brick Art is an emotional journey that invites visitors to rediscover the power of imagination, where play becomes an artistic language and dreams take shape. The exhibition is built around the works of Brick Vision, led by Riccardo Zangelmi, the only Italian LEGO Certified Professional.

Brick by brick, the artist creates forms that go beyond materiality. His sculptures, installations, and mosaics become true inner architectures, capable of evoking memory, wonder, and irony.

These are not toys elevated to art, but a universal language that connects past and present, dream and reality. Hearts that seem to take flight, fantastic animals, imaginary flags, and showers of colour turn into silent narratives, born from an intuition and grown into form.

When: Until February 8, 2026
Where: Chiesa delle Crocelle ai Mannesi, Piazza Crocelle