Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The museum's home is the stately
Villa Floridiana
(Via Domenico Cimarosa 77; ad-
mission free; 8.30am-1hr before sunset; Vanvitelli)
, a not-so-modest gift from King
Ferdinand I to his second wife, the Duchess of Floridia. Its lush, manicured gardens are
worth the trip alone, with dreamy bay and city views, and a pretty little fountain sprinkled
with tortoises.
Palazzo dello Spagnuolo
( Via dei Vergini 19; Piazza Cavour, Museo)
In baroque-rich Naples, even staircases
can be an event and the masterpiece gracing the courtyard of this
palazzo
is one of its
most showstopping. Designed by Ferdinando Sanfelice and dating from 1738, its double-
ramped, five-arched flights were put to good use in film classics like Luigi Zampa's
Pro-
cesso alla cittÃ
(A City Stands Still) and Vittorio de Sica's
Giudizio universale
(Judge-
ment Day).
Believe it or not, horses once used the stairs, providing door-to-door service for lazy
cavaliers.
If Sanfelice's sweeping architectural statement leaves you stair-crazy, a quick walk
north will lead you to his debut effort inside the
Palazzo Sanfelice
Offline map
Google map
( Via della Sanità 2; Cavour)
. Upon its completion in 1726 the double-
ramped diva became the talk of the town, and from then on there was no stopping Sanfe-
lice, who perfected his dramatic staircase design in various
palazzi
across the city.
While neither of these two buildings is technically open to the public, the porter should
let you through if you ask nicely. Porters generally work office hours, so avoid the early
afternoon if you want to find someone there.
ARCHITECTURE
Museo del Tessile e dell'Abbigliamento
Elena Aldobrandini
( 081 497 61 04;
www.fondazionemondragone.it
; Piazzetta Mondragone 18,
Fondazione Mondragone Napoli ; admission free; 9.30am-6pm Mon-Fri; Centrale
to Corso Vittorio Emanuele)
Despite the lack of information accompanying the exhibi-
tions, this petite textile and fashion museum is a gem. Swoon over a beautiful selection of
mid-20th-century gowns, including creations by late Neapolitan fashion great Emilio
Schuberth, dubbed 'tailor of the stars' and mentor to Valentino. Capri's equally famous
MUSEUM
