# Capodimonte Museum, Naples > Capodimonte is the Bourbon royal palace on a hill above Naples and today one of Italy's finest picture galleries, with Titian, Raphael, Parmigianino, Bruegel and Caravaggio. Around it spreads the Royal Wood, a huge park that's free to enter. The museum is rarely crowded and the terrace looks out over the whole bay. The museum is ticketed; allow 2 to 3 hours with a walk in the park. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/capodimonte - City: [Naples](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples), Italy - YesGo score: 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Museum paid; park free - Opening hours: By day, closed Wednesdays - Highlights: Titian, Raphael, Bruegel, the porcelain room - Park: The Royal Wood, about 134 ha - Time needed: 2–3 hours with the park - Location: Capodimonte hill, north of the centre - Coordinates: 40.86699, 14.25035 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1738** — building began for Charles of Bourbon (source: English Wikipedia) - **Farnese** — the family's collection founded the gallery (source: English Wikipedia) - **1957** — the national museum opened in the palace (source: English Wikipedia) - **c. 134 ha** — area of the Royal Wood around the palace (source: English Wikipedia) - **Porcelain** — the royal porcelain factory stood here (source: English Wikipedia) ## History of Capodimonte King **Charles of Bourbon** inherited his mother's vast **Farnese** picture collection and decided to build a palace for it. In **1738** work began on the hill of Capodimonte, 'top of the mountain', on a building that doubled as a hunting lodge, with a royal wood laid out around it for hunting and walks. Nearby the king founded a **porcelain factory**, and 'Capodimonte' still means fine Neapolitan porcelain. Since **1957** the palace has housed a national museum, showing Neapolitan painting, the royal apartments and contemporary art alongside the Farnese collection. ## The key paintings The first floor holds the Farnese collection: **Titian**'s portraits of Pope Paul III and his Danaë, works by **Raphael**, and **Parmigianino**'s enigmatic Antea, a portrait of a young woman that has become the museum's emblem. Here too are **Pieter Bruegel the Elder**'s Parable of the Blind and **Masaccio**'s Crucifixion. The second floor covers Neapolitan painting, from **Simone Martini**'s Gothic St Louis of Toulouse to a large canvas **Caravaggio** painted in Naples and the masters of Neapolitan Baroque. The rooms are bright and spacious, the crowds thin, and you can look at the paintings in peace. ## What to see at Capodimonte - **Parmigianino's Antea** — the museum's emblem. - **Titian** — Danaë and the Paul III portraits. - **Bruegel's Parable of the Blind** — one of his best-known works. - **Caravaggio** — a canvas from his Naples years. - **The porcelain room** — a room of porcelain for the queen. - **The royal apartments** — ballroom and drawing rooms. - **The Royal Wood** — avenues, lawns and bay views. > **The park is free** The Royal Wood around the palace is free and one of Neapolitans' favourite places to walk. Bring water and a snack: there are picnic lawns, avenues and viewpoints over the bay and Vesuvius. Visit the museum before or after your walk. ## The porcelain room and apartments A special jewel is Queen Maria Amalia's **porcelain room**, a small chamber whose walls and ceiling are entirely covered with porcelain panels of Chinese scenes, flowers and garlands. It was made at the royal factory in the 18th century and later moved here from another palace. The state rooms include a chandeliered ballroom, drawing rooms with furniture and tapestries, and a large collection of porcelain from Capodimonte and other European factories. Children tend to enjoy the porcelain figures and the huge rooms where they can move about without crowds. ## How to get to Capodimonte 1. A bus from Piazza Dante or the [Archaeological Museum](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/naples-archaeological-museum), about 15 to 20 minutes up the hill. 2. A seasonal tourist shuttle to the palace from the centre. 3. A taxi from the historic centre takes about 15 minutes. 4. The museum entrance is through the park from the Porta Piccola gate. ## Tips for your visit Capodimonte lies off the main tourist trail, so there are hardly any queues. It pairs best with the Archaeological Museum: the two are on one axis, linked by bus. The museum closes on Wednesdays. Allow about two hours for the gallery and another for the park. There's a café inside, and benches and lawns outside. The terrace in front of the palace looks over the whole city and bay, at its loveliest towards evening. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Make sure it isn't a Wednesday - [ ] Find Parmigianino's Antea and Titian's Danaë - [ ] Look into the porcelain room - [ ] Walk in the Royal Wood - [ ] Take in the bay from the palace terrace ## Museums in Naples: compare and choose Museums in Naples rated by YesGo. - [Castel Nuovo](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/castel-nuovo) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Courtyard free, museum paid - [Cappella Sansevero](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/cappella-sansevero) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Paid, timed entry - [Royal Palace of Naples](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/royal-palace-naples) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Square free, palace paid - [National Archaeological Museum of Naples](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/naples-archaeological-museum) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Paid - [Museo di Capodimonte](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/capodimonte) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Museum paid, park free ## Two great museums The Archaeological Museum in the morning, then the bus up to Capodimonte's museum and park. 1. [National Archaeological Museum of Naples](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/naples-archaeological-museum) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Paid 2. [Museo di Capodimonte](https://yesgo.io/italy/naples/capodimonte) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Museum paid, park free ## Don't mix it up Capodimonte is a museum, a park and a famous Neapolitan porcelain: the porcelain is sold all over town, while the museum and park are on the hill in the north of Naples. ## Tips - Closed Wednesdays. - The park is free. - Hardly any queues. - Pair it with the Archaeological Museum. ## Questions ### What is there to see at Capodimonte? Paintings by Titian, Raphael, Parmigianino, Bruegel, Masaccio and Caravaggio, the porcelain room and the royal apartments. ### How much is Capodimonte? The museum is paid; the Royal Wood park is free. Prices are on the official site. ### How do I get to Capodimonte? By bus from Piazza Dante or the Archaeological Museum, about 15 to 20 minutes, or by taxi. ### When is Capodimonte closed? On Wednesdays. ### How long do you need at Capodimonte? About two hours for the museum and one for the park. ## How we checked History and collection from English Wikipedia. Prices and hours weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Museo di Capodimonte and Capodimonte porcelain - Official museum site, capodimonte.cultura.gov.it --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.