La Reggia di Portici
Visit information may be outdated.
La Reggia di Portici is an 18th-century royal palace in Portici, at Piazza Carlo di Borbone, built between 1738 and 1742 as a summer residence for Charles of Bourbon. It is worth visiting for its royal apartments, its archaeological history, and its gardens: excavations linked to the palace uncovered material from Herculaneum and Pompeii that formed the Herculanense Museum, inaugurated in 1758, and the estate still includes historic woods and the Orto Botanico di Portici.
The palace was designed with the involvement of Giovanni Antonio Medrano and Antonio Canevari, working alongside other architects, engineers, and decorators. It was built as a summer royal residence. Excavations connected with the palace uncovered archaeological material from Herculaneum and Pompeii, which was arranged in the palace and formed the Herculanense Museum, inaugurated in 1758. Visitors can see the historic royal apartments and the Herculanense Museum, as well as the Orto Botanico di Portici. On weekends, visits also include the Chinese Room and the historical library. The wider estate keeps an upper woodland once used for hunting and a lower woodland extending toward the sea, with Mediterranean plants, cultivated areas, and plant nurseries. The site now hosts the Department of Agriculture of the University of Naples Federico II and the MUSA agricultural-sciences museum centre.
Visit notes
- Open Tuesday to Sunday. - From 16 March to 14 October, open 09:30–19:00 with last admission at 17:30; from 15 October to 15 March, open 09:30–18:00 with last admission at 16:30. - Museum admission includes the royal apartment, Herculanense Museum, and botanical garden. - Weekend access also includes the Chinese Room and historical library.
Practical information
- Type
- Palace
- Area
- Naples
- Address
- Piazza Carlo di Borbone, formerly Via Università 100, Portici
- Also known as
- Reggia di Portici, Royal Palace of Portici, Palazzo Reale di Portici