Are you considering visiting Casertavecchia, Italy? If so, you’ll want to be sure to read this complete Casertavecchia travel guide.
The historic hilltop village of Casertavecchia is one of Italy’s true hidden gems. Just outside Caserta and the massive Royal Palace of Caserta, Casertavecchia is a relatively popular destination for Italian tourists, but receives few international visitors, who typically don’t venture much past the famous palace.
After reading this article, however, you will be convinced that Casertavecchia should be on your next Italian itinerary. So buckle up and let’s get into planning your visit to this beautiful little Italian village!
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Casertavecchia – What You Need to Know
What is Casertavecchia?
Casertavecchia is a small Italian hilltop village that was bustling in medieval times. It’s essentially a large walled castle with alleyways and narrow streets. From the village you can look down on Caserta, Naples, and the sea. Translated from Italian, Casertavecchia means “old Caserta”, as it was the original Caserta before the modern city was built.
The village is small, with only a few cobblestone streets in each direction. The architecture is typical Italian medieval style construction, so brownish stone masonry buildings with clay shingles on wooden roofs.
Where is Casertavecchia?
Casertavecchia is in southern Italy, just north of the small city of Caserta, which is just north of Naples. The nearest major international airport is Rome Fiumicino, though as of 2024, three American airlines have started flying direct to Naples.
Naples has always had flights from places like Dubai, Tunis, Casablanca, and pretty much everywhere in Europe. But the US routes are the first true long-haul flights for Naples. This is mainly due to the popularity of the Amalfi Coast and not exactly for Casertavecchia. But a win is a win!
How to get to Casertavecchia
Casertavecchia is about a 2:15 drive from Rome and about 45 minutes from Naples. If you’re already in Caserta, it takes about 20 minutes to drive up the mountain to the village.
Getting to Casertavecchia requires driving your own car, taking a taxi, or an organized tour. There is no train or bus service to the village. Caserta is well connected to the rest of the TrenItalia train network, but once you get to the station, you’ll need to hail a taxi to Casertavecchia if you don’t have a car.
There are no rideshare options like Uber or Bolt, though there are some apps that you can directly book taxis. Technically, you can order a taxi through your Uber app, and it will route it through a local application to a local taxi. So there is that option if it will be easier for you to pay that way.
The easiest way to get to the village is just to have your own rental car. Rental cars in Italy are still pretty damn cheap. The village is car free for tourists (only locals can have their cars within the village walls) so you have to park outside the village and walk up a steep hill.
Parking is limited and is mostly in the form of street parking on the roads that surround the village. On a busy summer day, you might have trouble finding parking, so it’s advised to arrive early, or late, after most day trippers have left.
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There is also an option to visit Casertavecchia on an e-bike tour from Caserta. You’ll meet your host in Caserta and cycle up the mountain with the assistance of your e-bike for a guided tour of the old village.
How long to spend in Casertavecchia
Casertavecchia is tiny, so really a few hours is all you need, including a nice lunch or dinner. Ideally you should budget a half day in your schedule for Casertavecchia. It’s possible to visit the village in the morning and the Royal Palace of Caserta in the afternoon, or vice versa. More on the palace later.
If you choose to stay overnight there are a few boutique hotels in the village and numerous hotels and guesthouses nearby. Given how close it is to Caserta and to Naples it’s not necessary to spend a night there, but it can be quite pleasant and neat to experience the sleepy village at night.
We spent a night just outside of Casertavecchia on our way back to Rome after an amazing road trip in Puglia and Matera. It was a good stopping point for the drive between Alberobello and Rome Fiumicino airport.
Best time of year to visit
Casertavecchia is lovely any time of the year, but is best enjoyed in the summer, when the sun is high and the temperatures are warm. It’s not a common place for international visitors to hit on their Italy trip, so it’s mostly just Italians visiting Casertavecchia. That means August can be crowded, but other than that it’s a pretty sleepy town.
If you decide to visit in the winter, just don’t expect all the restaurants to be open. It’s mostly a seasonal destination and not a whole lot is going on over the winter.
Where to stay in Casertavecchia
There are only a handful of places to stay within Casertavecchia itself. The nearby town of Casola has quite a few options, though. And the city of Caserta down the mountain has a ton of hotel options.
Within the village
- Il Rifugio: a beautiful apartment for rent in the village.
- Boutique Hotel Palazzo Dei Vescovi: a small, quaint hotel right on the main square next to the cathedral.
- Conte Spencer: another small hotel with simple rooms in a charming location.
Just outside the village
There are a number of options to stay near Casertavecchia. We chose to stay just outside the village at B&B a Casa di Maybe. It’s a simple guesthouse with just two rooms, but the owner Marina cooks up a mean breakfast in the morning. It was worth it just for the breakfast!
Another good option outside of Casertavecchia is A Corte, which is another affordable, small guesthouse with a few rooms. None of the places listed here are luxurious though, so if you are looking for luxury, you’ll need to head into Naples to somewhere like the Grand Hotel Vesuvio, widely considered the best hotel in Naples.
Money and language
Most places in Casertavecchia accept credit cards, but it’s a good idea to carry cash just in case. Compared to most tourist destinations in Italy, Casertavecchia is pretty cheap. Things are far cheaper here than Venice or Tuscany.
When it comes to language, however, this is not Venice or Tuscany. You should expect the locals to only speak Italian with maybe some very simple English phrases here and there. As I’ve mentioned before, Casertavecchia receives few foreign tourists, so English is not all that common.
In most places in Italy, at least the hospitality workers will speak English, but don’t count on that up here. The younger generation will likely speak some English, but hospitality workers in Casertavecchia are mostly older than millennials.
That being said, our host Marina at B&B a Casa di Maybe spoke fluent English and was very helpful when it came to planning what to do and where to eat in the village.
Travel insurance
It’s a good idea to have travel insurance when visiting Italy. We use World Nomads when we travel internationally. World Nomads provides coverage to travelers in over 100 countries. You can find a great policy on World Nomads by using the link below.
Quick History of Casertavecchia
The medieval castle that Casertavecchia was founded upon was constructed in the year 861. Located up at 401 meters above the sea below, it gave the early residents of the castle an ideal vantage point to spot intruders. It didn’t work too well though, it seems, as the village that formed around it was conquered and ruled by numerous dynasties over the next 1000 years, including the Lombards and the Normans, who constructed the central cathedral in the 12 century, as well as the Swabians.
Eventually operations for Caserta moved down the mountain to a flat area better prone for agriculture. Political rule of the village moved to the Royal Palace of Caserta in 1842 and the once prominent Casertavecchia fell from grace. In the 1960s it reemerged as a tourist destination and today it’s in wonderful shape, with beautiful little streets and charming houses between quaint restaurants and boutique hotels.
Casertavecchia Travel Guide
Casertavecchia is a tiny village, but there is plenty to do and see and it can easily eat up a few hours of your day. Let’s now discuss all the best things to do in Casertavecchia. You can see the location of each point of interest, as well as restaurants and hotels, on the map below.
Castello di Casertavecchia
There would be no Casertavecchia without Castello di Casertavecchia. The medieval castle was first constructed in 861 at the top of a hill in the Tifatini Mountains overlooking Naples. The castle features a circular tower and walls surrounding an open area.
Unfortunately, these days the castle is mostly in ruins (though the tower remains intact) and is closed to the public. You can, however, admire it from the outside. You can walk all around the castle and imagine what it must have been like in medieval times.
From the parking lot below the village, the castle is the first thing you will see as you enter Casertavecchia. There are even some nice grassy areas for a picnic just outside the locked castle gates.
Belvedere di Casertavecchia
Belvedere di Casertavecchia is just a viewpoint on the south side of the village. But from here you get an amazing view to the south, where on a clear day you can see Mount Vesuvius (the volcano that destroyed Pompeii), Naples, the Tyrrhenian Sea, Caserta, including the massive Royal Palace, and even the famous island of Capri off the Amalfi Coast.
From here you can really appreciate just how massive the Royal Palace is. It seems to take up half the city of Caserta below. We will cover the palace later, but the absolute best bird’s eye view of it is from Belvedere di Casertavecchia.
Duomo di San Michele Arcangelo
Duomo di San Michele Arcangelo is the central cathedral of Casertavecchia. It dates back to the Norman rule of the village in the 12th century. The cathedral is small, as you would expect from a tiny village, but is magnificent nonetheless.
You can visit inside the cathedral so long as there is no wedding or private ceremony going on. There is no fee just to walk in. The roof has been renovated and is now a sleek wooden structure, but the charm of the original stone remains.
The cathedral is at the north side of town on a small outdoor square with a few restaurants nearby. You don’t need long to appreciate the cathedral, but no visit to Casertavecchia is complete without stopping by.
A historic walking tour
By far the best thing to do in Casertavecchia is just stroll up and down the quiet streets and experience the charm of the old village. Starting at the parking area at the bottom of the hill east of town, walk up the hill to Castello di Casertavecchia. From there the village gradually slopes down to the west and is a maze of picturesque streets and alleyways.
There are only a few streets in each direction and it’s possible to walk down each of them in well less than an hour. But you’ll want to take time to stop and experience the sights and sounds of the village.
You’ll pass old stone houses decorated with colorful flowers as well as run down doors and windows of abandoned properties. A few stray cats roam the streets and the neighborhood dogs might follow you around. Remember that people do live in these old houses, so be sure to be respectful when walking around enjoying the scenery.
Best viewpoints in Casertavecchia
We already discussed Belvedere di Casertavecchia having an awesome view of the region in and around Naples. But there are plenty of other amazing spots to take some instagram-worthy photos. Here I’ll provide you with a Google Map with GPS coordinates you can save.
- Spot 1: Narrow curving street just past La Castellana restaurant
- Spot 2: At the end of Via Michele Arcangelo as the street slopes down with some beautiful houses on the right
- Spot 3: The main square right in front of the cathedral
- Spot 4: Another place where you can view Naples and the coast to the south
Restaurants in Casertavecchia
For a small village, there actually are quite a few restaurants in Casertavecchia. But you have to be careful here, as some of them are actually pretty terrible. This is surprising, given how few international visitors come to Casertavecchia. Usually you only find that sort of thing in tourist traps like central Florence. Never fear, however, as I will make sure you avoid the bad ones.
As recommended to me by a local from Caserta, here are the restaurants to try in Casertavecchia:
- Mastrangelo Ristorante: A large restaurant in a beautiful courtyard with a vast and delicious menu.
- Osteria La Medioevale: Another beautiful restaurant in the center of the village.
- La Tana del Lupo: This one is just outside the old village near where you park your car.
- Ristorante Il Borgo Da Modesto is also a decent choice. All other restaurants in the village should be avoided. These include the ones you first see as you come up the hill. The espresso bar ‘A Marchesina is also good, but it’s not really a restaurant.
If it’s a nice day or evening, be sure to sit outside on the terrace while you enjoy your meal in Casertavecchia!
Shopping in Casertavecchia
Casertavecchia isn’t exactly known for shopping. In fact, there are few places to buy anything whatsoever in the village. There are only a couple stores and they are located on Via Della Peneda near the main entrance to the village. The shops sell stuff like homemade crafts and whatnot. So not really souvenir or gift shops, just “stuff”, if you know what I mean.
The Royal Palace of Caserta
No visit to Casertavecchia is complete without stopping by the Royal Palace of Caserta, one of Italy’s many UNESCO World Heritage sites. This gargantuan palace is the largest former royal residence on the planet and it pretty much single handedly puts the small city of Caserta on the map. It’s the main reason for the downfall of Casertavecchia, as previously explained.
Most visitors to the castle come as day trippers from Naples. Depending on where you are staying, you can hit it as a day trip in either the morning or afternoon. It doesn’t really require a full day, but will take up a few hours of your time.
The palace was built in 1752 for King Charles VII of Naples, though he never got to live in it (construction took quite a few years, as you can imagine). It features a whopping 138,000 square meters (1.485 million square feet) of floor space over 5 levels.
Saying the palace is massive is an understatement. Only a small portion is open to visitors, and after walking the halls and through the rooms you’ll be wondering how anyone could possibly think they needed this much space. And that’s just the part of the palace that you can see!
The rooms are decorated with elaborate paintings and exquisite furniture, much like any other European royal palace you might have been to in the past. The sheer size of the Royal Palace of Caserta is what makes it so notable. And then you see the gardens…
I don’t exaggerate here when I say the palace gardens could host a marathon. From the back of the palace to the last outdoor fountain is 2.8 km. So, okay, you’d have to run back and forth a few times, but my point stands. At 120 hectares, the gardens are laughingly big, though stunningly beautiful at the same time.
Entrance to the Royal Palace of Caserta costs 18 euros and can be bought online in advance or purchased at the door. There can be queues if you haven’t booked ahead of time on busy summer days, but it’s not like going to the Louvre in Paris or anything like that. Purchasing a ticket when you arrive is perfectly fine. You can also purchase inside (Royal apartments) and outside (gardens) separately if that makes more sense for you.
Another option for visiting the palace is to take a small group guided tour, where you’ll get expert information from a licensed guide. You can book a great guided tour of the palace here.
The palace is open daily except Tuesdays and opening times vary per season. Refer to the palace’s website for the latest information on opening hours.
Final Word
Casertavecchia is a sleepy hilltop village outside of Naples that is just waiting to be discovered by international visitors. You don’t need a whole lot of time to see the old medieval village, and it can easily be combined with a day trip to the Royal Palace of Caserta. However long you end up staying in Casertavecchia, I’m sure you will wish you had more time!
