Casina Vanvitelliana, Royal hunting lodge in Bacoli, Italy.
Casina Vanvitelliana is a palace on Lake Fusaro in Bacoli, Italy, with an octagonal plan and neoclassical facades. Wooden walkways connect the building to the shore and lead over the calm water to entrances on each side.
Ferdinand IV of Bourbon commissioned the construction in 1782 to rest during duck hunts on the lake. The hunting lodge was later used by the royal family as a retreat and restored after years of neglect.
The name honors architect Luigi Vanvitelli, whose design was meant to host royal hunting parties on the water. Today visitors can walk through the rooms and see how furniture and wall paintings from the 1700s show court life.
Guided tours last about one hour and give insight into the rooms and construction of the building. Access is through the wooden walkways, which can be slippery when wet, so sturdy shoes are recommended.
The light reflects differently in the water throughout the day and casts changing reflections on the white walls. On sunny days the rooms seem almost to glow through the many windows while the lake water sparkles outside.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
