Phrase guide

see Naples and die

proverb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

proverb

Meaning 1

One can die at peace after having seen Naples, Italy, nothing else on Earth surpassing its beauty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Calque of Italian vedi Napoli e poi muori, popularized by a 3 March 1787 letter by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published in his 1816–1817 Italienische Reise. Unknown further derivation, although probably originally in reference to its relative wealth and prosperity as the capital of the Kingdom of Naples in addition to its famous scenery. Compare the various Chinese idioms beginning 生在蘇州 /苏州 (Sūzhōu)... praising the surpassing beauty of Suzhou's residents, Hangzhou's scenery, Guangzhou's cuisine, and Liuzhou's coffins and tombs.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: vidět Neapol a zemřít — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Danish: se Neapel og dø — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Finnish: nähdä Napoli ja kuolla — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • French: voir Naples et mourir — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • French: voir Naples et puis mourir — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • German: Neapel sehen und sterben — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • German: siehe Neapel und stirb — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Hebrew: לִרְאוֹת אֵת נַאפּוֹלִי וְלָמוּת (lir'ót et Nápoli v'lamút) — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Hungarian: Nápolyt látni és meghalni — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Italian: vedi Napoli e poi muori — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Japanese: ナポリを見て死ね — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Japanese: ナポリを見てから死ね (Napori o mite kara shine) — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Neapolitan: vide Napule e po' muore — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Polish: zobaczyć Neapol i umrzeć — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Portuguese: ver Nápoles e depois morrer — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Russian: уви́деть Неа́поль и умере́ть (uvídetʹ Neápolʹ i umerétʹ) — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Serbo-Croatian: види На́пуљ па умри — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Serbo-Croatian: vidi Nápulj pa umri — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Spanish: ver Nápoles y después morir — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Swedish: se Neapel och sedan dö — nothing in life tops seeing Naples
  • Vietnamese: thấy Napoli rồi chết — nothing in life tops seeing Naples