Reggia di Caserta: Grandeur, Gardens and Good Timing – By Andy

From Siena, we travelled 550 km to Naples, but more on that in the upcoming blogs. First, we’re covering one of our day trips, escaping the hustle and bustle of Naples, a trip to Caserta to see the Royal Palace.

Timing is everything. And as we left Naples behind that morning—Zoe sheltered beneath her rain hood, me dodging puddles and scooters—I wasn’t sure if our half-day dash to Caserta Palace would be a royal success or a damp disaster.

The train to Caserta, 35 km north of Naples, rattled through grey skies and sleepy suburbs, the kind of journey that feels like the world is just waking up… or trying to decide whether to bother at all.

First Impressions of a Baroque Giant

Fortunately, before reaching Caserta, the rain stopped and the clouds shifted. As we exited the station, there it was—Reggia di Caserta, rising like a Baroque dream that had somehow landed in commuter-town Campania.

Built in the 18th century for the Bourbon kings of Naples, Caserta was meant to rival Versailles in both size and splendour—and it doesn’t hold back. Designed by the architect Luigi Vanvitelli, the palace has over 1,200 rooms, a grand staircase fit for film (literally—it’s appeared in Star Wars and Mission Impossible), and a garden that seems to stretch all the way to the horizon.

It was intended as a display of power, elegance, and perfect symmetry, just far enough from Naples to be a royal retreat but close enough to keep an eye on things.

But on this visit, we gave the grand interiors a miss. Time was short and our sights were firmly set on the gardens. However, as you pass through the palace to get to the gardens you get some sense of the grandeur that lies within, the courtyards, the archways, a glimpse of a grand staircase… exploring those 1,200 rooms and their 1.5 million square foot will have to wait for another day.

Not a Bad Back Yard: Exploring the Royal Park

As you reach the back of the palace, a wide gravel avenue stretches endlessly ahead, framed by fountains, sculptures, and swan-dotted water features so symmetrical it’s almost suspicious.

As the sun broke through, the palace grounds transformed. The stone glistened, the hedges perked up, and even the few tourists seemed suddenly lighter. We walked slowly, unhurried but conscious of the ticking clock to catch our train back to Naples in time for a food tour.

A Promenade of Fountains and Fish

The Royal Park is a masterpiece of theatrical landscaping: a 3-kilometre-long promenade of fountains, pools, and sculptures that looks like it was dreamt up by a bored but inspired god. The central water features draw your eye straight up the hill to the Fontana di Diana e Atteone, a dramatic marble explosion of nymphs, stags, and splashing drama.

Each fountain along the route has its own story and style. The Fountain of the Dolphins, modest and graceful, leads into the more elaborate Fountain of Aeolus, which is all wind gods and stormy sea vibes. Then there’s the Fountain of Ceres, goddess of grain, surrounded by sculpted abundance, and finally the show-stopper: the Fountain of Diana and Actaeon, where a myth plays out in stone and spray. You half expect the statues to start moving.

As you walk the 3km promenade, you make your way gradually uphill, each fountain a step in your ascent. Each fountain housed koi carp, so progress was slow—Zoe stopping at every one to attempt the perfect carp kiss shot. Not a literal kiss, but they do show interest when you’re by the water.

By the time you reach the end of the promenade and turn to look back at the palace, you’re virtually above the tree line, level with the palace’s roof. From the end of the promenade, the palace appears much closer than it really is—a clever trick of perspective that only adds to the theatrical effect.

Giardino Inglese: Frogs, Foliage and Forgotten Grandeur

Tucked away like a little horticultural secret, Giardino Inglese is lush, and a little wilder than its more manicured royal neighbour.

As we climbed through the garden slipping on the moss covered paths, we heard croaking. Through a short tunnel entrance a semi-circular building appeared with an overgrown garden or courtyard. This appears to now be the home of multiple toads or frogs, but was originally L’Aperia.

Built in 1791, the structure was originally conceived as a cistern for water supply, but in French times it was used to house the hives for breeding bees, hence its name. Later it was transformed into a garden-theater, a function it still maintains today, much to our surprise considering the abandoned state we found it in.

Tiny streams trickle through the English garden, moss crept everywhere it could with dramatic flair, and the garden had the kind of hush that makes you whisper, even in solitude.

Perfect Timing: Shuttle and Showers

The English Garden is the sort of place you could stop for hours if only you had the time, which, unfortunately, we did not.

Timing really is everything. As we were wrapping up our visit one of the shuttle buses that whisks the weary, the wise, and the less able to and from the end of the promenade, appeared ahead of us. We decided the small fare would be worth the time saved and maybe even leave time for a pre-train espresso.

As we made our way to the shuttle bus, the skies gave us a parting gift: another brief shower. Just a gentle sprinkle—Caserta’s way of reminding us who’s really in charge of the atmosphere.

We realised later how lucky our timing was, the shuttles only began operating for the season the day before our visit. Timing is everything.

Back to Naples for Food and Final Thoughts

We made it safely back to Naples in time for the food tour, cheeks a little pink from sun, wind, and wonder.

The Palace of Caserta astonishes not just in scale, but in serenity. Grandeur on the outside, and peace within. It didn’t need to show us its halls—it gave us all we needed in scent, scene, and sky-shifting splendour.

(Whether this would be quite the same at the height of tourist season, we’re not sure—but definitely worth a visit if you’re in the Naples area.)

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