Discovering the majestic Royal Palace of Caserta

Since I was a student, I have studied in art books the beauty and masterpiece of the Royal Palace of Caserta, the historic residence of King Charles of Bourbon, the largest royal residence of any of its predecessors. Last weekend I managed to organize a weekend dedicated to culture and we arrived in the city of Caserta, home to the architectural masterpiece of the architect *Luigi Vanvitelli*.

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Located a few hundred meters from the railway station, the Reggia is clearly visible in front of it, reachable after crossing a huge green meadow, a garden that anticipates what the monument holds. After standing in line to buy the entrance ticket (9 euros for the park, 14 euros for the residence as well), we immediately entered through the main entrance without waiting any longer.

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The path that takes us directly to the gardens allows us to cross the atrium of the residence, therefore without stopping to visit it at the moment due to the long wait, but it offers us an idea of how much the building is a masterpiece of art and architecture: massive marble columns delimit the central nave from the wide lateral spaces, courtyards that often welcomed the delegations that met the king every day. A wide staircase accompanied guests to the first floor of the residence, receiving a welcome from the servants.

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At the end of the long corridor, we enter the garden. From here, you have a breathtaking overview of the long and splendid route that awaits us, about 3 linear km, divided into 3 macro areas: the path, the pool, the waterfalls. On average each area has a length of about 1 km and the conjunction is final by a slope with an attached fountain. It should be noted that there are two parallel paths, one used to go up to the mother fountain and the other to go down. Once upon a time there were carriages to facilitate the journey of visitors, today there are small buses, in case you are not able to face the long walk.

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Thus we began our long and exciting walk, under a bright sun and a decidedly pleasant temperature. I often look around to admire the rich and showy vegetation, which alternates with well-kept lawns, on which, however, it is forbidden to walk. Along the way there are many marble statues, depicting female subjects playing stringed instruments or men carrying large baskets.

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But what caught our attention are the fish in the huge tanks. These are large carp, which live and breed here, and in addition to their daily food ration, they also enjoy extra food provided by visitors. My son sacrificed nearly a pack of sliced bread to feed the carp's insatiable appetite. In fact, the fish were fighting among themselves for a bite of bread and above all the word seemed to have spread among the fish in the tank which by now had concentrated near us. But seeing them so close up, just a few centimeters away, was truly a fascinating sight, with their mouths grabbing the pieces of bread as if they were vacuum cleaners.

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However, the tour was far from over. The fish stop slowed down our long journey. We also stopped to relax a bit in the secondary road, which runs parallel to the main one, sheltered by trees and equipped with stone benches. An excellent solution especially on the hottest days, sheltered from the hot sun.

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The long journey ends with the stupendous cascade of water that flows from Mount Briano and descends from a height of 80 meters to end up in the stupendous fountain of Diana and Actaeon: Actaeon flees after surprising Diana bathing but the furious Goddess punishes the young hunter transforming him into a deer, which will be torn to pieces by his own dogs.

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The journey is really long, tiring and pleasant. For those who have difficulty walking, there are mini buses that shuttle from one part of the garden to the other. At a cost of 5 euros per person, both outward and return journeys are guaranteed. A truly enchanting place, here you can breathe art even among the blades of grass in the meadows. A masterpiece of art and architecture.

Magnificent.