We visited Caserta on our drive from Rome to Pompeii. It’s not easily reached by public transportation. The driving directions and parking instructions could have been clearer. All the instructions, signage & descriptions were poor or lacking. It’s a beautiful, historic gem in the Naples area. However, it falls short by the lack of ease in visiting; starting with buying tickets. The website can be accessed in English. But to buy tickets online, it’s a separate website that’s in Italian and wants you to make an account asking more personal information than I was willing to give for a one time purchase. We were able to purchase tickets easily on site and thankfully there wasn’t a long line. The palace at Caserta rivals that of Versailles and other grand palaces in Europe. There was some construction and cleaning in progress which we hope is to improve the facility. Approaching from the underground parking lot, there’s a vast lawn with decorative hedges but everything was messy, overgrown and not manicured. At most grand palaces, there are manicured gardens with flowerbeds; not here. Again, signage at arrival was poor to lacking. It was very much self service. In the back, you can rent bikes to access the gardens which are large and all uphill. After walking the entire way to reach the falls in the heat, we realized there was a shuttle service. Again, no signage… So we waited to take the shuttle back. And of course, we had to buy extra tickets for that… All in all, it’s a beautiful place that just does not meet it’s full potential at all. It’s very disorganized and poorly organized and maintained.

All the bad reviews’ writers below do not understand we are in the South of Italy and you cannot expect Western Europe! The palace and the gardens are a true gem allowing you to visualise the life in the 18th century. Be prepared for a lot of walking, breathtaking sights and Italian organisation in its true self. Regardless of how the place is managed and that it’s constantly under construction, it is a truly beautiful site and definitely not to be missed if you stay in Campania! You can get there from Napoli very easily by FlixBus or a train and it won’t take you more than 45mins/1 hour.

The views here are amazing! There is a massive aqueduct that you can walk back to in the private gardens. We stopped by on our way to Positano, and we did not allow enough time to explore the interiors. You need 1.5 hours to really experience the aqueduct and gardens. And probably an additional 2 hours for the interiors. They use this castle on The Great tv series so it was fun to see it in person. They've recently determined it is an UNESCO site and it seems like they're putting money into refurbishment for the castle. Fun fact, it is actually larger than Versailles in France. 😊

I never knew that the largest palace in the world was in Caserta, Italy, not far from Naples. It rivals Versailles but with far fewer tourists. The grounds are massive. If you don't enjoy a long and mostly uphill walk to get to the fountains, take the shuttle bus for a couple of euros. I recommend reserving your tickets in advance. Be aware that you cannot enter the palace before the reserved time, but you can walk the grounds. The palace and the grounds each have separate entry fees. Get the combo ticket. The rooms of the palace are stunning. Each more beautiful than the last. Pay close attention to the train schedules...especially if arriving from Salerno, as we did. The trains might arrive several hours before your entry time. Don't miss this beautiful place. A must for any visit to this part of Italy.

Worth while seeing but the service is poor. That's why only three stars. Everybody walks up to the wrong entrance because the sign for the ticket booth is hard to see. Their website clearly states there is a ticket for only the royal apartment. However the lady at the cashier was adamant that there is only the, more expensive, combined ticket including the gardens. Her microphone did not work so we could hardly understand her. Only when you exit you see that and where you can get an audio guide. Was not mentioned to any of the staff (ticket booth and two times ticket control). Some where there must be a place to get a map but we never so it. Nor were we offered one when we bought the tickets. Full price although renovations were going on and parts were closed of. Did not see the theater. But this you only learn once you are inside. The facilities are poor.

Going to Caserta to inspect the UNESCO heritage - the Royal Palace, it is better to immediately abandon the idea of visiting everything. Fortunately, the administration has made the task easier for tourists: half of the 1200 rooms are open. But even that's a bit much. I wonder how many rooms were visited by the owners themselves - Neapolitan Bourbons? The initiator of the construction himself left for Spain. This is a famous king who was the Duke of Parma, the king of Naples, Sicily and, finally, Spain. Everywhere with the same name, but different numbering. Charles I (in Parma), III (in Spain), V (in Sicily), VII (in Naples). Historians argue that Charles VII's vanity was aroused by Versailles or the Royal Palace in Madrid, in which he completed his voyage to the European thrones. The architect Luigi Vanvitelli, hired by him, managed to build the largest palace of the XVIII century. The question is why? However, after the Great French Revolution, which declared peace to huts, war to palaces, the issue was resolved by itself. The Versailles of Italy was created by the labors of 250 slaves and 160 convicts, and no one counted the locals. Over the years, these people have built a palace with an area of 45 thousand square meters, which currently has 5 floors, 1400 rooms, 1742 windows and 94 stairs. What a blessing that not all of them are available...

The Royal Apartments and the fountains are simply magnificient beyond words. Even the ceilings in the state rooms are beautifully painted. There is also a Court Theatre located in a different wing that is opened only on weekends and only for limited hour (10 to 1) that should not be missed. For the fountains there are shuttle buses that take you to the top of the park. But if you walk down alongside the fountains towards the palace, you will miss the English garden on the left. So we decided to walk down and see 4 of the fountains and then turned left to walk uphill to see the English Garden. In hindsight, we should have continued the walk downhill and seen all the fountains instead since the English Garden was not worth the time and effort. For those not driving, this palace is well served by Trenitalia with a train that leaves Naples every 30 minutes for a 1-hour trip that stops right at the gate of the palace.

We wouldn’t have gone here except that a couple of Italian friends insisted we should see it. It’s really like a hidden gem or best kept secret. The rooms are magnificent. And then the day is topped off by an incredible meal at Gli Scacchi!!

My husband and I had a great time at the Caserta Royal Palace! I seek out UNSECO sites when I travel and this was quite amazing. I would recommend visiting in a half day trip. We took the train in from Naples. Would also recommend wearing comfortable shoes, cool clothes, and bringing water. It's hot outside and the garden walk is extensive. You can pay to take a bus to the top, but my husband and I did not. We saw more and had a better experience walking the distance.

inStazione provided detailed communication and clear instructions along with train and entry ticket downloads via WhatsApp. They also provided the option of downloading apps for audio guides although I preferred to make use of the attraction's own audio guide option (similarly priced). Caserta is one amazing location to experience inside and out, from its expansive gardens to its beautiful royal apartments. I came to this location with a one-track mind as I mainly wanted to witness the staircase and central hall used as interiors for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, which doubled as Theed Palace throne room, council room and main staircase. Plenty more to appreciate at Caserta...but undoubtedly an extra special opportunity for SW fans to walk in the footsteps of George Lucas, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, among others.