Villa Floridiana

Villa Floridiana is one of Naples’ great historic gardens and one of the most beloved places in Vomero. Surrounded by greenery and overlooking the landscape of the Gulf, it preserves one of the city’s most refined souls: that of Bourbon residences, art collecting and the relationship between architecture, nature and panorama.

The villa was part of the estate that Ferdinand I of Bourbon gave to his wife Lucia Migliaccio di Partanna, Duchess of Floridia, from whom the complex takes its name. The residence was built between 1817 and 1819 by architect Antonio Niccolini, a pupil of Vanvitelli, according to the neoclassical taste and through the transformation of a pre-existing building.

Today, Villa Floridiana is an ideal place for a walk through greenery, among avenues, viewpoints, monumental trees and unexpected views of the city. The park retains the charm of a romantic garden, where the landscape design accompanies visitors towards the villa and towards panoramic openings over the Gulf of Naples.

Inside the villa is the Duca di Martina Museum, established in 1926 and dedicated to decorative arts. The museum houses one of Italy’s most important collections in this field, with over six thousand works of Western and Eastern manufacture, dating from the 12th to the 19th century: ceramics, majolica, porcelain, glass, enamels, ivories, bronzes, corals and furnishings.

The collection is named after Placido de Sangro, Duke of Martina, a refined Neapolitan collector of the 19th century. After moving to Paris, the Duke began collecting applied art objects, coming into contact with leading European collectors and taking part in the great universal exhibitions. The collection was later donated to the city of Naples in 1911 by his heirs.

The museum itinerary unfolds over three levels. On the ground floor, visitors can admire paintings, ivories, enamels, corals, bronzes, majolica, glass and furnishings; on the first floor there is the collection of 18th-century European porcelain, with important manufactures such as Meissen, Doccia, Naples and Capodimonte; the lower floor houses the Oriental section, with Chinese and Japanese porcelain.

Villa Floridiana is therefore a dual place: urban park and museum, panoramic walk and journey through the history of taste. It is an ideal stop to discover Vomero from a different, quieter and more intimate perspective, where Naples can be seen from above through greenery, art and the memory of its historic residences.

ADDRESS: Via Domenico Cimarosa, 77 Napoli
PHONE NUMBER: +39 081 5788418 
WEB: https://cultura.gov.it/luogo/museo-della-ceramica-duca-di-martina-in-villa-floridiana
MAIL: drm-cam.martina@cultura.gov.it
mn-vomero@pec.cultura.gov.it

In the event of severe weather warnings due to adverse weather conditions, the site will be closed to the public.
For updates, please visit the Municipality of Naples website homepage.