The Capodimonte Museum is one of Naples’ great art museums, set in a vast Bourbon palace on a wooded hill above the city. Charles VII began the palace in 1738, partly to house the Farnese collection he had inherited from his mother, Elisabetta Farnese. Its grand rooms and parkland offer a striking contrast to the crowded streets of central Naples.
The collection ranges across centuries of Italian painting, with works by Titian, Raphael and Botticelli alongside artists of the Neapolitan Baroque. Don’t miss Caravaggio’s The Flagellation of Christ, a powerful work from his time in Naples, or Titian’s Danaë and portrait of Pope Paul III. The museum also has royal apartments, porcelain and contemporary art, including Andy Warhol’s Vesuvius.
Allow at least three hours for the galleries, and leave time for a walk through the Real Bosco di Capodimonte, the former royal hunting estate surrounding the palace. A taxi or bus is easier than the steep walk from the centre. Check the museum’s official website before visiting for current opening hours and room closures, especially if you have a particular work in mind.