Villa Floridiana

While the lush, manicured gardens are worth the trip for the lofty views alone (think city, sea and Capri), the cultural highlight here is the National Museum of Ceramics. Housed in the stately Villa Floridiana – a gift from King Ferdinand I to his second wife, the Duchess of Floridia – its 6000-piece collection features priceless Chinese Ming (1368–1644) ceramics and Japanese Edo (1615–1867) vases on the lower floor. The top floor is dedicated to European ceramics, including some sumptuous Meissen pieces, as well as a smattering of paintings from greats such as Francesco Solimena, Francesco De Mura and Vincenzo Camuccini. At the time of research, the middle floor and its collection of Renaissance majolica pottery were set to reopen in 2010 after restoration works. Last entry is one hour before close.