The Neapolitan Enlightenment

A public talk delivered by Prof John Robertson, part of the Conversations Around Naples 2026 series held at Il Corno in the Covered Market

The Conversations Around Naples feature public talks around Neapolitan history, culture, art, and literature delivered by academics across different career stages, mainly from the University of Oxford. In occasion of these talks, chairs and menus disappear, and the premises are magically turned into a little stage to accomodate speakers and audience. Throughout the talks, people can savour a glass of wine with a tarallo, a shot of limoncello or a limoncello spritz, while listening to stories about and around Naples and Neapolitan culture, from the medieval origins of the patron saint of the city, San Gennaro, to the travel accounts of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century English and French travellers to Naples, and Neapolitan neorealist cinema.

The event is free to attend but spaces are limited: we kindly ask that you book your ticket only if you actually plan on attending the event and we would be grateful if you could cancel your booking as soon as possible in case you can no longer make it.