We have one unbooked night between our stay in Positano and Rome and would like to break up the drive time and combine it with a lovely overnight and dinner. My research shows two promising options: Caserta or Tivoli. Any opinions as to one vs. the other? Or would you be able to recommend another destination? We don't need pools, beaches or4 or 5* accommodations. Would like a lovely view and a great meal. And maybe something completely different from the temo or sights of the AC and Rome.

Thanks Fodorites!

Oops. That word should be "tempo".

The Royal Palace at Caserta certainly makes an impressive visit!

Some pictures I've taken there:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/caserta

... and a piece from a recent BBC TV series...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_vu_u3Nzyw

The same day you should be able to squeeze in nearby Santa Maria Capua Vetere, for the ruins of Italy's 2nd or 3rd largest amphitheatre - built some time after Spartacus had trained as a gladiator there!

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/capua_vet

We've friends in the area, so haven't tried any of the hotels - but TA's list is here:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels-...ia-Hotels.html

Peter

Caserta is impressive <u>inside</u>, while the garden is enormous, not well kept, and very difficult to get around -- at least the day I was there. There is a shuttle bus that takes you to the cascading fall at the far end of gardens, but the waiting line to get on the bus was enormous.

Tivoli (Villa d'Este) is so so inside the building, but the <u>outside</u> garden is impressive and you don't need a shuttle bus to get around. You can combine the visit with neaby Hadrian's Villa.

Well, now I want to visit both places!

Hey, A_Brit-- Great photos, I envy your talent. I've been to the palace in Caserta many times, and been impressed. I have a question you may be able to answer--I've been told that the main staircase in the castle was built out of a single piece of marble. Do you know if that's true?

That's very kind... but mostly I point, I shoot - and hope!

And no, I don't KNOW - however it's enormous... almost too big to photo "upwards", and it's hard to imagine it being delivered from wherever?

The English version of the palace's site says, "the brilliantly illuminated stairway proceeds in a great central flight, hewn from a single block of marble"

http://www.reggiadicaserta.benicultu...ida/3110fs.htm

... and the Italian one, "lo scalone, luminosissimo, si sviluppa in una grande rampa centrale, ricavata da un sol blocco di marmo"

... and possibly those are meant more in the sense of the individual stairs having been carved from the same block in the quarry (wherever that was) - so they'd match perfectly?

Peter