The Royal Palace of Caserta is the Versailles of Italy. The city of Caserta and interesting places in the Caserta region, Italy how to get there

Caserta(Caserta) is a beautiful city-capital of the province of the same name, located in, among unique natural landscapes: in the middle of the Campanian plain at an altitude of sixty meters above sea level, at the foot of Mount Tifata, in one of the most fertile areas of the region.

The huge number of tourists that this city attracts every year is due to the world fame and mesmerizing beauty of the Bourbon Royal Palace, also known as the “Italian Versailles”. This building truly leaves an indelible mark on the memory and soul of any traveler who has ever had the opportunity to visit its luxurious halls and quiet garden alleys. Reggia di Caserta has also conquered the strictest experts among the world community - the UNESCO Committee, which proclaimedthcastle World Heritage Site.

However, the Royal Palace is not the only attraction of the city of Caserta. Despite the fact that the bombing of the Second World War caused irreparable damage to the ancient part of the city, Caserta still retains many interesting tourist sites, such as the San Leucio quarter, famous for its silk factories, the medieval Borgo Casertavecchia, the Cathedral, made in Arabic style. Romanesque style, and Castello.

Caserta. Panorama. Photo by Thinkstock

How to get to Caserta?

By plane

The closest airport to Caserta is Naples Capodichino, from where there are frequent shuttles to the city.

By car

From: Highway A2 Naples-Caserta or SS 87/SS 7

From: motorway A 30 to , then motorway A3

From: A16 motorway, exit at Nola, then A30 motorway

By train

Caserta is connected to most major Italian cities by direct trains. The city is located on the Rome-Naples line.

By bus

There are buses from and to Caserta. Buses run especially frequently from Naples, from Piazza Garibaldi. By the way, both city stations - the bus station and the railway station - are located not far from the Royal Palace, the main attraction of the city.

Where to stay in Caserta?

Hotel Royal Caserta - Viale Vittorio Veneto 13, 81100 Caserta, Italy

Hotel Royal Caserta (formerly Hotel Jolly Caserta) is located opposite the Royal Palace and Gardens, in a quiet area of ​​Caserta. It offers comfortable rooms and personalized service.

Guests can relax in the American bar and sample traditional local cuisine in the restaurant. The hotel is next to the train station and just 300 meters from the royal residence.

Rooms at the Royal Caserta Hotel are air conditioned and have a TV with internet access. Wi-Fi is provided.

Villa Maria Cristina - Via Giulio Antonio Acquaviva 24, 81100 Caserta, Italy

Offering a gourmet restaurant and summer swimming pool, the modern Hotel Villa Maria Cristina is a 5-minute walk from Caserta Train Station and a 10-minute walk from the Royal Palace. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.

Modern rooms feature parquet floors, a minibar and an LCD TV.

A buffet breakfast with homemade cakes, cakes, freshly baked bread, tea and coffee is served every morning at Villa Maria Cristina. The bar serves a variety of snacks and drinks throughout the day, and the restaurant serves traditional regional cuisine daily.

Caserta city center is a few minutes' walk away, and Naples is a 30-minute drive away. Free parking is available on site.

Rocca di Caserta. Photo by Thinkstock

Grand Hotel Vanvitelli - Viale Carlo III, 81020 Caserta, Italy

Grand Hotel Vanvitelli offers elegant Baroque-style rooms, a 5-minute drive from Caserta's historic centre. It features a swimming pool and roof garden with enchanting views.

The hotel's historic building offers luxuriously decorated rooms with satellite TV, minibar and private balcony.

Vanvitelli's outdoor swimming pool is set in a charming garden with fountains. Guests can relax with a drink in the garden or in the hotel's beautiful lounges with free Wi-Fi access.

Grand Hotel Vanvitelli has 4 restaurants. Il Belvedere restaurant serves modern fusion cuisine on the top floor with panoramic views of Vesuvius.

Grand Hotel Vanvitelli is located on the main road to Caserta, ideal for trips to Naples and Pompeii, both about 30 minutes' drive away. Guests also have easy access to Naples Airport.

Royal Palace. Photo lifeinitaly.com

GaiaChiara Resort - Via Case Sparse N°24, 81022 Caserta, Italy

GaiaChiara Resort enjoys a peaceful, scenic location surrounded by olive groves. It features an outdoor swimming pool and a large garden. All rooms come with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi.

Rooms at Resort GaiaChiara feature tiled floors and colorful décor. Each room has a private bathroom with a hairdryer and slippers. Some rooms have a private balcony.

A varied buffet breakfast is served every morning. Restaurant I Caprioli, 200 meters away, serves traditional local cuisine.

There is ample free parking available. The resort is a 7-minute drive from the A14 motorway and 1.5 km from the UNESCO-protected Royal Palace of Caserta.

L" Antico Cortile - Via Tanucci 53, 81100 Caserta, Italy

Hotel Antico Cortile is located in the center of Caserta, just 200 meters from the Royal Palace Gardens and a 15-minute walk from Caserta Station. It offers classic-style rooms with air conditioning and free Wi-Fi.

Cortile Antico's rooms have a minibar and flat-screen TV. The windows overlook the courtyard or garden.

The hotel's restaurant invites you to sample local and Neapolitan cuisine. Breakfast is served every morning and includes Italian coffee, cappuccino and homemade cakes. English breakfast is available upon request.

Set in a historic building from the early 19th century, Hotel Antico Cortile offers a tranquil atmosphere, just a 10-minute drive from the A1 Caserta Nord motorway exit.

Royal Palace. Photo flickr.com

A Brief History of Caserta

Modern Caserta was born and formed next to the magnificent palace of Charles III, built in the mid-1700s.

As for ancient Caserta, called Casertavecchia, it was born in the eighth century BC, on the top of Monte Tifata, on the site of a settlement founded by the Etruscans: Capua.

Capua was the site of ongoing violent clashes between the Etruscans, Greeks and Samnites. In 424, the city was temporarily conquered by the Samnites, but a century later the Romans invaded its territory, expelling the tribes.

In 800 AD. the city came under the rule of the Lombards, who renamed it Casertavecchia, and was included in the Duchy of Benevento and the Principality of Salerno.

In 1057, the city of Casertavecchia was conquered by the Normans and in subsequent centuries, following the fate of the cities of the region, it passed from the Swabians to Anjou, and from the noble Caetani family to the Dukes of Acquaviva.

In 1734 the city was transferred to the Bourbons, who built a royal palace: New Caserta grew up around it.

The city quickly became an important agricultural center due to its geographical position: Caserta is located on the edge of a fertile plain known as the "Working Land" (once inhabited by agricultural tribes, the Leborini).

During the Napoleonic period between 1799 and 1806 Caserta briefly fell into the hands of the French, but already in 1860 the city became part of the Kingdom of Italy.

During World War II, Caserta was a military base - for this reason, the old city was seriously damaged by the bombing of the invaders.

What to see in Caserta?

Today the city of Caserta is divided into 5 quarters: Casertavecchia, which is the ancient center, the resort of San Leuccio, where the famous silk factory is located, Vaccheria, where in the distant past there were royal stables, Falciano with a 16th-century palace and Piedimonte di Casolla with an ancient Benedictine monastery Let's start our journey with the main "pearl" - the palace of the Neapolitan kings, Regia di Caserta.

Royal Palace of Caserta

Reggia di Caserta

It is, as we have already mentioned, the most important monument in the province and one of the most significant in all of Italy and Europe. A thorough tour of this unique residence will take you at least two days, there are so many magnificent halls, rooms, museum rooms and other rooms filled to the brim with valuable rarities from the era of the powerful Bourbons. Our advice to you: devote the right amount of time to the palace, because Regia di Caserta is a “pearl” that never leaves visitors disappointed. Now let's talk about everything in order.

Castle

The tour of the residence begins with the Royal Palace, a magnificent example of neoclassical architecture whose construction began in the mid-1750s and was completed only about a century later. This work of art is the brainchild of the great Italian architect Luigi Vanvitelli, who, together with this grandiose project, entered his name into the “List of the Greatest Architects of Europe”. The residence, built for Charles Bourbon, contains 1,200 rooms, each of which is luxuriously decorated in the fashionable styles of the era. The first thing that catches your eye when entering the palace is the grand staircase leading to the second floor, richly decorated and guarded by two marble lions, symbols of reason and strength, the work of Persico and Solari.

Marble lions guarding the Bourbon palace. Photo by Thinkstock

Don't miss the frescoed vault representing the four seasons and the Reggia di Apollo. Next, we recommend visiting the breathtakingly beautiful royal apartments. There are only 8 of them: one was intended exclusively for the king, one for the queen, two rooms for the royal princesses, two for the princes and one for the crown princess. These magnificent rooms are richly decorated with attention to every detail: from furniture to paintings, from the materials used for drapery to luxurious chandeliers. In the queen's apartments you can admire the huge library that was prepared for Maria Carolina, according to historical evidence, a woman of refined taste, class and culture.

The splendor of the Royal Palace of Caserta. Photo by agefotostock

The Palatine Chapel is another beautiful space that is a must-see, as royal family ceremonies took place here. This place was intended for prayers, but the chapel looks like a reception hall; its shape and structure resembles a chapel inside the Palace of Versailles.

Palatine Chapel. Photo by Thinkstock

All the above-mentioned halls are just a starting point: there are many more wonderful rooms to visit, from the horseshoe-shaped court theater to the Hall of Mars, from the Throne Room to the Chambers of Francis, from the Chamber of Murat to the art gallery hall, from the Hall of Allegories to Numbers of portraits of the king.

Royal Palace Park

The Royal Palace Park is a true masterpiece of nature, which is divided into different areas. We are not talking about a small garden located next to the palace, but about a true park of enormous size (more than 100 hectares), decorated with fountains and artificial ponds.

Leaving the palace, visitors notice that the gardens are divided into 2 parts: the first of them is a wide green meadow, which is divided by a central avenue leading to the Margaret Fountain.

Garden of the Royal Palace. Photo by Thinkstock

The next part of the park is the Italian garden, which extends from the Margherita fountain. The famous water alley, where fish splash and fountains gush, is a wonderful place for a stroll.

The water alley ends with the Diana and Actaeon Falls, an artificial cascade falling from a height of 78 meters into a bowl fountain.

To the left of the palace is the "Bosco vecchio" or old forest. In fact, this part of the park is an English garden; earlier, before the construction of the park, the leafy forest actually rustled here. In the English garden there is a miniature Castelluccia castle: here Ferdinand IV played knight and staged pleasure battles.

Garden of the Royal Palace. Photo by Thinkstock

The beautiful English garden was desired by Queen Maria Caroline; it was created for the ruler by Andrew Graefer, an English botanist well known at that time. In this part of the Royal Gardens, exotic plants are fragrant and small lakes amaze with the tranquility of their waters, and also fascinate man-made ruins and ruins, where copies of statues from the excavations of Pompeii flaunt.

Garden of the Royal Palace. Photo by Thinkstock

Local History Museum and Opera Museum

Il Museo dell'Opera e del Territorio

In the basement of the palace is the Regional Museum, which collects Vanvitelli's works and tells the story of life under the rule of the Bourbon dynasty between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Schedule and prices:

The halls of the palace can be visited: from 8:30 to 19:30, last entrance: 19:00

Temporary exhibitions in the palace: from 9:00 to 18:00

Park and garden:

Opening: 8.30

Last entrance:

November-February: 14:30

April: 17:00

May, September: 17:30

June - August 18:00

Prices (Adult ticket):

General (Historical rooms, exhibition Terrae Motus, Park and English Garden) - 6.00 euros

Halls (Only halls and exhibition Terrae Motus) - 4.20 euros

Park (only park and English Garden) - 2.00 euros

To enter the park with your own bikes - € 1.00 surcharge

Casertavecchia

Casertavecchia

While in Caserta, you cannot help but take the most picturesque panoramic road that leads from the city of Caserta to the ancient walls of Casertavecchia. The old town of Caserta is located at an altitude of 401 meters above sea level on the slopes of the Tifatini mountains, and is easily accessible from various points in the new city, for example from the Vanvitelli Palace.

Casertavecchia. Photo by Thinkstock

The alleys of old Caserta are lined with ancient stone slabs, and the windows of the buildings seem to be forever frozen in the Middle Ages. We recommend visiting the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel, a building built using different styles (Sicilian, Benedictine and Romanesque), the Church of St. Annunziata, and the castle, which preserves traces of more than a thousand years of history within its walls. The castle is surrounded by walls, behind which members of the noble Della Ratta family once hid.

Cathedral of Caserta. Photo by Thinkstock

Complex of St. Augustine

Another attraction not to be missed while in Caserta is the San Agustin complex, built in the first half of 1400, which includes the monastery, the Church of San Agustin, the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Traditions. In the 18th century, by order of King Ferdinand IV, the monastery was restored with the participation of the architect Vanvitelli. The complex is located in the very center of Caserta, on Via Mazzini.

Complex of Sant'Agostino in Caserta. Photo flickr.com

Beaches of the province of Caserta

To the north of Naples stretches the Domitian coast, which amazes the traveler with the splendor of nature and excellent beaches. The most famous and popular resorts in the province are the small municipalities of Licola and Varcaturo - they pamper tourists with beautiful equipped beach areas and an exciting and vibrant nightlife. You will find equally good beaches in the towns of Ischitella, Cellole and Castel Volturno. The coastline of Castel Volturno extends for thirty kilometers: fine and clean sand is washed by the clear waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Among the town's most famous beaches is Pineta Sea, a paradise surrounded by pine forests. Cellole is famous for two equally beautiful beaches - Baia Domizia and Baia Felice, where you can not only enjoy the hot sun and warm sea of ​​Campania, but also admire the gorgeous panoramas of the Gulf of Golfo di Geta.

Domitian coast. Photo by Thinkstock

What to try in Caserta?

Caserta, like all the cities of Campania, boasts excellent, delicious cuisine, loved by Italians and foreigners. Caserta is surrounded by fertile lands, at the foot of Mount Tifada, and its province is washed by the Tyrrhenian Sea, which is fully reflected in the ingredients of local dishes.

Of all the famous "specialitas" that we recommend trying in Caserta, without a doubt, the number one is mozzarella made from buffalo milk, and the related dish "Parmigiana" made from eggplants - "blue", baked with mozzarella, grated mozzarella and sauce. Equally good choices are cardoni (an artichoke-like vegetable) in broth, friarelli or broccoli cooked with garlic and red pepper, and pasta with legumes.

Campanian mozzarella. Photo by Thinkstock

The cuisine of Caserta is essentially that of the common people: despite the nearby palace, the local population has never had close contact with wealth and luxury. That is why it is not surprising that on the menu of traditional restaurants you will find only a few meat dishes, while there are more than enough fish dishes, and most of them are spicy and very aromatic.

Desserts in Caserta are also good: try the cassata and mela annurca apples, crunchy and flavored with aromatic spices.

Caserta is an Italian city that has gained popularity among tourists thanks to the legendary Royal Palace (Reggia di Caserta), which is also called the “Versailles of Italy”. The architectural ensemble is the largest building built in Europe in the 18th century.

The origins of Caserta remain a mystery to historians. A settlement existed here even before the arrival of the Romans. The Lombards, who conquered Caserta in the 18th century, laid the foundation for the future city. The tower in the center served as an observation point. Today the historical building is the palace of the prefecture.

In the 11th century the city was already under Norman rule. By 1268, the era of the Angevin dynasty began, and in 1734, as a result of the War of the Polish Succession (1733-1735), Caserta fell under the rule of the junior branch of the Bourbon dynasty - the Neapolitan Bourbons (Borbone di Napoli). This time is considered the peak of development of Caserta. In 1750, Charles VII of Naples decided to build a new residence. It was supposed to be located near (Naples), but away from the sea - so that the royals would not be disturbed by French ships.

Charles VII wanted the new palace to be more grandiose than any European palace. He especially wanted to surpass the French Versailles. The architect was consulted for a long time, but the final choice fell on Luigi Vanvitelli.

Dear reader, to find an answer to any question about holidays in Italy, use. I answer all questions in the comments under the relevant articles at least once a day. Your guide in Italy Artur Yakutsevich.

The master arrived in Caserta only in 1751. He worked on the drawings of the palace for more than six months. By November the project was ready. The first stone was laid in January 1752, on the birthday of Charles VII. The park began to be laid out a year later. Realizing the enormity of the project, Vanvitelli enlists the help of promising Roman architects.

Judging by the surviving documents, the following people worked on the construction:

• 458 security guards;
• Lots of locals;
• Convicts (165 people);
• 245 Turks.

In reality, the concept of "Turks" served to designate the religious affiliation of slaves, most of whom were brought from northern Africa. The construction was planned to be completed 10 years later, but in 1759 Charles VII left Italy, and all work on the construction of the palace fell on his successors. Vanvitelli died in 1779, after which the architect’s son Carlo (Carlo Vanvitelli) took over the construction.

The palace was already inhabited by 1780, but construction work continued until 1845.

• We also recommend reading about.

Structure and appearance

The palace in Caserta is represented by a rectangle, inside of which there are four spacious courtyards. The division into sectors is resolved by cross passages. The passages from one courtyard to another are the median arches in the cross walls. The length of the facade is 247 meters, the adjacent walls are 185 meters.

The Caserta Palace has 5 floors, the height of the building is 36 meters. The entire complex has about 1,200 rooms, of which only half are accessible to the public.

The main attractions of the complex are:

• Territorial Museum;
• Opera Museum;
• Art Gallery.

To the right in the central hall, visitors are greeted by a symmetrical marble staircase. The right side leads to the Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina), the left to a series of spacious halls. This part of the palace is harmoniously designed in the style of classicism. From the top of the staircase there is a view of the opposite wall, decorated with three niches.

By the end of the construction of the palace in Caserta, the fashion for baroque pomp had faded, and the imitation of the style of Versailles was completed. Therefore, the new halls were designed in the Empire style.

Park and botanical garden

Just like in France (Versailles), there is a large park at the palace. There is a cascade of fountains, shady alleys, green gardens, and terraces.

It stretches 3 km to the north. The park area spreads out with a cascade of fountains and alleys down the slope. A botanical (English) garden has also been created here. It was developed by Carlo Vanvitelli and John Greifer.

Particularly striking is the fountain of Diana and Action, dolphins, Venus and Adonis. Decorating the park with various sculptures gives it a special flavor.

• The park is divided into 2 large zones:
• In front of the palace there is a small auditorium;

Further to the north, back in the days of the Neapolitan Bourbons, a landscape park in the English style was laid out.

After the death of Luigi Vanvitelli, his son Carlo wanted to preserve his father's idea when creating the park. Its territory expanded extensively to the northwest, which significantly increased construction costs. That is why there were 6 fountains instead of 19.

A network of paths leads the visitor to the hexagonal tower. This is a small castle (Castelluccia) where the king rested after finishing the hunt. To the west of the parterre is the Old Forest (Bosco Vecchio). He was here before the castle was built. To the north of the old forest there was a swimming pool in which fish were raised.

The parterre is followed by a cascade of fountains - Margarita - made quite simply. It housed 4 swimming pools in sequence. The perspective ends with the Grand Cascade. The water coming from the aqueduct pours from a height of 82 meters. Below is a vast pool, around which a mythological scene unfolds: Diana, who is about to swim in the company of Actaeon and nymphs. If you head east, the park paths lead to the English Garden (Giardino Inglese). Plants for the garden were collected from different regions of the kingdom.

An Apiary (Aperia) was built at the northernmost point of the park.

Under the French, bees were raised here, which explains the name of the attraction.

How to get there

From Naples

• The most comfortable and reliable way to go to Caserta on your own is on a special bus from Naples; the cost of a round-trip ticket is only 15 euros, for children under 18 years old - 8 euros. Since the number of places is limited, you need to make a reservation on the website at least a couple of days in advance.
• Buses depart from Naples daily from the following stations:

Travel time was 45 minutes, free time in Caserta was about 4 hours. At approximately 15:30 you will return to Naples. You don’t need to print out your bus ticket, just show the reservation code on your phone to the driver, it’s very convenient.

If you want to save a little, then You can get to Caserta by train from Naples from Napoli Centrale station. He goes every half hour. The journey takes 46 minutes. The ticket costs 3.1 euros.

The station is located 500 meters from the palace.

From Rome

From Rome to Caserta trains depart from. The duration of the trip is 1 hour 8 minutes, and ticket prices range from 34 to 47.1 euros. If you buy tickets in advance, the price is much lower. We recommend buying any train ticket in Italy and checking the current schedule only at.

Hotels

When visiting the Royal Palace of Caserta, you can stay in one of the hotels. The price for renting a room depends on the location and type of hostel (3, 4 stars, bed + breakfast).

3 stars

Hotel Amadeus

The Centro Commerciale Campania shopping center located opposite the outlet looks so luxurious that it is ready to compete with the Royal Palace.

↘️🇮🇹 USEFUL ARTICLES AND SITES 🇮🇹↙️ SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Caserta is a small town just north of Naples, 30 km from it. A significant part of tourists arriving in Campania include a visit to Caserta as one of the main and.

For Naples, Caserta is like Versailles for Paris, Peterhof for St. Petersburg, Schönbrunn for Vienna. This is a luxurious country royal residence with a panoramic park, cascades, waterfalls, grottoes, built in the second half of the 18th century.

The decision to move the royal residence from the center of Naples away from the sea, to a more protected and deserted place, was made by King Charles VII of Bourbon. In the Caserta area, the king loved to hunt, he liked this hilly, forested area, and he bought their possessions from the local feudal lords of Acquaviva to build a palace and lay out a huge park.

An architect was called from Rome to implement the ambitious plan. Luigi Vanvitelli. In 1751, Vanvitelli arrived in Naples and began designing and building a royal country residence - Regia di Caserta.

The local residents were resettled, a grandiose aqueduct was built to supply water to the fountains, and construction began to boil.

The first residents moved into the palace in 1780, and by this time both the customer and the contractor had changed. The customer, Charles VII, exchanged the Neapolitan crown for the Spanish one in 1759, became Charles III and left for Madrid, and the performer, Luigi Vanvitelli, died in 1773. So the construction of the residence was completed by Carlo Vanvitelli, son of Luigi, and King Ferdinand, son of Charles of Bourbon, lived in it with his wife Maria Carolina and a large retinue.

Reigned in Caserta for 7 years Joachim Murat, son-in-law of Napoleon, appointed King of Naples by Napoleon. After the liberation of Campania from the French and the execution of Murat in 1815, Ferdinand returned to the throne and to his beloved Caserta. He was succeeded by his son, also Ferdinand. And all this time, something was being added to in Caserta, changing according to the fashion and tastes of the owners, so that in the end the Regia di Caserta was built over the course of almost a century: from 1752 to 1845. And, I must say, the result was impressive.

How to get to Caserta

It is convenient to get to Caserta by train. From Naples Central Station to Caserta the train takes 40 minutes, the ticket costs 3.40 euros. There are also buses from Central Station to Caserta.

From Rome to Caserta, a direct train takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. Ticket price: 35 euros.

As a rule, people come here for half a day or a day.

We decided to book a hotel in Caserta for 2 nights, so that we could spend a full day in the city: in the morning, approach the opening of the museum and calmly, without haste, see the palace, park and, possibly, some other attractions in the surrounding area. In addition, we already had 5 nights booked, we wanted to take a little break from Naples and spend a couple of nights in another place. Still, the crowds, dirt and crazy traffic in Naples are tiring, you want peace and cleanliness.

City of Caserta – first impressions

We arrived in Caserta on Sunday evening.

The Royal Palace of Regia di Caserta was already visible from the station. We deviated to the right and went through the city center.

At first glance, Caserta made a pleasant impression. A decent town, low houses of 3-4 floors, no dirt or mud on the streets. Modern Caserta is a relatively young city, it was formed around the palace.

Piazza Dante

The first square on our way is Piazza Dante- spacious and representative, oval in shape, surrounded by houses with rounded facades and high galleries along the ground floors. Two wide streets pass through the square: Trieste and Mazzini. The first leads to the royal palace. The second cuts right through the city, so that in the alignment of the street, in the distance, mountains are visible.

On Sunday evening the city was bustling. Starting from Piazza Dante, the entire center of Caserta was filled with people strolling idly. There was a festive atmosphere in the air. Everything was very calm and peaceful.

A little later we asked the owner of our apartment what kind of holiday happened in their city. “It’s just Sunday,” he replied.

B&B Ma Maison

B&B hotels, that is, “bed and breakfast”, are often an apartment in a residential building with several rooms and a shared kitchen and living room. Ma Maison, our hotel in Caserta, was no exception. The owners, it seems, owned two or three neighboring apartments in the entrance. The apartment where we were placed had two rooms, but fortunately for us, the second room was empty, so we had the entire apartment to ourselves. It was a well-renovated room with high ceilings (however, all the hotels in Campania where we stayed had high ceilings, and in Naples this space was even divided into two levels).

Our room cost 64 euros per night (February, low season), and the house itself was located literally a two-minute walk from the palace. In fact, it was quite possible to take something more economical and further away. Caserta is a small city, and getting to the palace from any point is not difficult.

Living room

For me, when choosing a hotel in favor of Ma Maison, it was the mention that guests are provided with free bicycles. But I booked four months before the trip and when we finally got to Caserta, I conveniently forgot about this bonus, and the owner did not remind me. True, there were old bikes at the entrance, but, on the other hand, you rode your bike all over the park, so then you have to go to the palace. Where should I leave my bike?

Breakfast was meager, coffee, croissants, oranges, so we bought some cheese and ham for the next breakfast.

The owner Giuseppe came in the morning, shook hands, poured us coffee, answered questions, sat at the computer in the hallway for a while, and then left.

Overall, the impression of the apartment was good.

What to see in Caserta

Regia di Caserta

Of course, the main attraction of Caserta is the countryside royal residence of the Bourbons.

Palace in the evening

A ticket to the palace and park costs 12 euros, only to the palace - 9 euros. It makes sense to use a discount card.

Day off - Tuesday.

The palace is open from 8:30 to 19:30.
The park also begins receiving visitors at 8:30 and closes depending on the season:
January, February, November, December - at 14:30,
March - at 16:00,
April - at 17:00,
summer - at 18:00,
October - at 16:30.

English garden closes an hour before the park. Therefore, they usually look at the park and the English Garden first, and then go to the palace. Without the English Garden, the impression of Regia di Caserta will be incomplete.

Only one park, without the palace, can be visited for 8 euros. In this case, the entrance is through the ticket office on Corso Giannone.

It’s better to arrive before the opening, before the bulk of tourists arrive (partly because of this, we rented an apartment next to the palace).

From the palace to the farthest fountain of Diana and Actaeon a three-kilometer alley stretches, resting on a hill.

To the right of the Diana Fountain is the entrance to the English Garden. Expect to be there at least by 11 o'clock.

The first section of the alley (700 m), the so-called parterre, is monotonous and boring, then the cascades begin. You can rent a bicycle at the entrance to the park (4 euros per hour). You can ride a horse-drawn carriage through various corners of the park and along the main alley (5 euros for a half-hour walk and 10 euros for 50 minutes). There are also tourist buses from the palace to the English Garden for 2.50 euros one way. If you wish, you can take the bus at least one way.

On the other hand, if time permits, walk. The views are wonderful and the perspective changes with every step. We walked the whole way there and back. At first we intended to take a bus on the way back, but we couldn’t deny ourselves the pleasure of taking another walk along the cascades. And on the boring lower section of the alley, as we approached the palace, we deviated to the right and passed through the so-called Old Forest, in which the summer palace pavilion of Castellucha and the large lake of Peschiera are located.

Whether to use transport – the season also matters here. We were in February, the weather was wonderful (like ours at the end of April-May), magnolias and camellias were blooming in the English Garden. In the summer, judging by the reviews, it is very hot here, and trudging 3 km in the heat is not very pleasant. It seems to me that it is better to come to Caserta in the low season: there are few people, it is not hot, everything is in bloom.

A visit to Regia di Caserta requires at least 5 hours. We spent about 7 hours there and had lunch there. The palace has a cafeteria and a self-service cafe. The food selection is small, prices are reasonable. In hot weather, do not forget to take water with you, you will have to walk for a long time.

There will be a separate story about the palace and park complex of Regia di Caserta with photographs, or rather, three stories: about, about and about.

City of Caserta

Caserta itself, as I mentioned, is a recent city, and there is practically nothing to see there. There are several palazzos of local nobles (some of them were designed by Luigi Vanvitelli’s son, Carlo). A large square in the center of Caserta is named in honor of Luigi Vanvitelli, who devoted 20 years of his life to the construction of the royal residence. There is a monument to the architect on it.

Monument to Vanvitelli in Piazza Vanvitelli

We also visited the local Duomo. It is dedicated to Michael the Archangel, built in the 19th century. To the left of it nestled a small church with a tower - the Chapel of San Giovanni, one of the oldest churches in Caserta (early 14th century).

Pay attention to the cleanliness of the streets. Only 30 km from Naples, and such a contrast. It's like other people live here.

There are some interesting houses.

In an old pharmacy

Evening Caserta

Interesting places around Caserta

Casertavecchia

Besides the royal residence, I really wanted to see Casertavecchia, a medieval hilltop town that has survived to this day virtually untouched by time. Caserta Vecchia is located 7 km from Caserta, and bus number 103 goes there from the station.

It runs rarely, about once an hour, and if you are planning to go there, check the schedule at the station immediately upon arrival in Caserta.

Just in case, I am writing the schedule current for February 2017:

5-00, 6-35, 7-20, 8-20, 9-20, 10-25, 11-20, 12-25, 13-20, 14-20, 15-20, 16-35, 17-20, 18-20, 19-20, 20-20

Buses return from Casertavecchia approximately an hour from the departure time from Caserta station.

It takes about 20 minutes by car (according to Google).

We, unfortunately, listened to our host Giuseppe, who confidently said that buses leave from Piazza Vanvitelli at the beginning of every hour. For some reason, it often happens that locals assert with great certainty something that is not at all confirmed in reality. So we waited for the bus at Vanvitelli for half an hour, and as a result we didn’t get to Casertavecchia. I was very annoyed.

Belvedere San Leucio

The village of San Leucio is located 4 kilometers from the royal palace. Under Ferdinand IV, a silk-spinning factory was founded in San Leucio.

At that time, the ideas of building a society on an equal and just basis were widespread. King Ferdinand tried to implement these progressive ideas in the village of the weaving factory of San Leucio. Workers were given free housing, and children received free secondary education. There were deductions for the infirm, sick and old. The working day was limited to 11 hours, and women had equal rights with men. The factory was equipped with modern machines, and the silk produced here was highly valued.

Now a museum is open in San Leucio. In addition to the royal chambers, you can see an exhibition dedicated to silk production. The royal hunting lodge Belvedere, painted with frescoes, has survived. The Belvedere offers a wonderful view of the surrounding area.

The Regia di Caserta ticket includes a visit to the Belvedere of San Leucio. But I think few people get there.

You can get there by bus 106, departing from the station.

Sights of Caserta on the map

Capua

5 km from Caserta is ancient Capua, an ancient city famous for the fact that it was there that the uprising of Spartacus began.

Now a modern city has grown on the site of Capua Santa Maria Capua Vetere.

From Caserta to Santa Maria Capua Vetere the train takes 7 minutes, the ticket costs 1.10 euros. It goes about once an hour. The schedule can be viewed at trenitalia.com. The destination is written as follows: S. Maria Capua Vetere.

You can also take a bus from Caserta station. The photo below shows that several routes pass through Santa Maria Capua Vetere (1, 3, 6, 8, etc.)

From Santa Maria Capua Vetere station it takes 15 minutes to walk to the historic center of the city.

Sights of Capia: amphitheater, Gladiator Museum, Archaeological Museum of Ancient Capua, mithraeum.

If you used a Campania Artecard discount card to visit the Regia di Caserta, then entry to all these museums in Capua will be free for you. According to this map, the Regia di Caserta, the Belvedere of San Leucio and the museums of Capua are considered one attraction. If you have a three-day Tutta la Region card, then travel will be free (Naples-Casarta, Caserta-Capua, Caserta-San Leucio bus).

The amphitheater in Capua is considered the second largest in Italy after the Colosseum (followed by the amphitheater in Pozzuoli).

The Gladiator Museum is located in the former gladiator barracks. There you can see the battle armor of gladiators, their ceremonial clothes and collections of weapons: daggers, spears, tridents. The film is shown in 3D format: the battle of gladiators with animals.

The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Capua displays sarcophagi, amphorae, sculptures, mosaic paintings, and decorative elements. Among other things, we can highlight the reconstruction of a burial typical for this area from the 4th century BC, the so-called Tomb of the Priest. The walls of this tomb are covered with images of people, as well as a wonderful garden into which the deceased supposedly moved after death.

Both museums are small.

Mithraeum is an ancient temple of the god Mithras. The Mithraeum of Capua was discovered by accident relatively recently. The temple has well-preserved frescoes, including the central fresco "Mithras Slaying the Bull".

As you can see, there is a lot to see in Caserta and the surrounding area. Another thing is that in the shadow of the royal residence, other attractions fade.

Train and bus tickets in Europe - and

Rental of bicycles, scooters, ATVs and motorcycles -
If you would like to receive notifications when new stories appear on the site, you can subscribe.

The city is located on the edge of the Campania Valley north of Naples. The population is about 79 thousand people.

The municipality of Caserta is composed of 23 factions, with a total area exceeding 53 square meters. km. The actual core of the commune is the new city of Caserta, which arose around the Royal Palace, built by the architect Vanvitelli. The old town, now called Casertavecchia, is located about 10 km northeast of Caserta. It is here that the old Cathedral is located, built in the Romanesque style at the beginning of the last millennium. The San Leucio fraction (5 km northwest of new Caserta) is famous for its Royal Belvedere and silk factory.

Caserta railway station is located in the new town, about 200 m south of the Royal Palace complex.

Caserta is also known as the "Versailles of Naples", thanks to the Royal Palace, built here in the 18th century at the behest of King Charles III of Bourbon. The charming palace faces a huge square with its main façade and is one of the most luxurious in Italy.

The palace has more than 1,200 rooms rich in history and luxurious decoration (these are beautiful chandeliers, frescoes, gold decorations and tapestries). In 1945, the command of the Allied forces in the Mediterranean was located here. The magnificent park stretches for 3 km. The large water cascade is decorated with a sculptural composition 75 meters high, which is clearly visible from the palace itself.

After visiting the Royal Palace, our journey continues to Monte Cassino, where the program includes a visit to the abbey, founded around 529 San. Benedetto di Norcia. During the Second World War, the abbey was completely destroyed, but then completely restored down to the smallest detail and returned to its former glory. This trip will definitely remain in your memory!

1. Caserta Park.

The campaign is represented by the famous English and Italian parks around the Caserta Palace (Reggia di Caserta), where you will find amazing fountains, the Vanvitelli aqueduct, a silkworm factory and much more.

All this turns the palace and park ensemble of Caserta into a fairy tale. UNESCO declared this park a World Heritage of Humanity.

Caserta is also known as the "Versailles of Naples", thanks to the Royal Palace, built here in the 18th century at the behest of King Charles III of Bourbon.

Main Attraction - Waterfall at the Royal Palace

Photos of the beautiful waterfalls of the palace in Caserta

Based on materials from Runet

Terra di Lavoro is the name of Caserta and its province with mountains, coast, lakes, archaeological and artistic monuments. The main attraction of Caserta is the Royal Palace, designed by the architect Luigi Vanvitelli. Everything in this palace is admirable: a huge park with magnificent fountains and sculptures, a waterfall and an English garden, exquisite lawns, luxurious halls with valuable furniture, a collection of paintings.

In the 18th century, the King of Naples, Charles III of Bourbon, decided to build a royal residence, Palazzo Reale in Caserta, that would be on par with Versailles. And now you can verify this. The Royal Palace of Caserta has beautiful interiors, baroque luxury, glitter of gold, a collection of paintings and a huge English park with magnificent fountains, sculptures and a waterfall.

The grandiose country palace of the Neapolitan kings is, apparently, the largest building erected in Europe in the 18th century. He owes this to Luigi Vanvitelli, who took as a model not so much Versailles as the royal palace in Madrid. The need to build the palace was explained not only by considerations of international prestige, but also by the fact that the royal residence in Naples was open to attacks from the sea.

From 1752 to 1780 1,200 rooms and a court theater were built in the palace, but plans for the construction of a university and library, as well as a 20-kilometer entrance avenue, were abandoned after Vanvitelli's death. The most extensive English park in Italy is laid out around the palace, among the attractions of which are numerous fountains, the colossal Vanvitelli aqueduct and a silk-spinning factory, more like a garden pavilion. By the time construction was completed, national imitations of Versailles had gone out of fashion, and the creators of the Palace of Caserta faced many accusations of the insane wastefulness and monotony of the monotonous vistas they created.

In 1997, UNESCO declared the palace and park ensemble in Caserta a World Heritage Site.

Italy Caserta attractions