Sightseeing in Capri - Villa San Michele

Villa San Michele in Anacapri was the dream home of the Swedish physician, Axel Munthe.
His first visit in Capri was in 1885 and he fell immediately in love with the beautiful area. So he decided to built his house on the ruins of the Roman Emperor Tiberius's villa.

 "My house must be open to the sun, to the wind, 

and the voice of the sea, just like a Greek temple, 

and light, light, light everywhere!"

(Axel Munthe)

The result was a building articulated on various levels, 327 meters above sea level: the study is on the first floor, the loggia crosses pergolas and columns to reach a circular viewpoint which looks out across the beautiful Bay of Naples. 

In Villa San Michele a number of ancient artifacts are displayed - mostly objects found by Munthe himself in Capri, Anacapri and elsewhere. Some were donated by one of his friends.

According to Munthe, most of the finds were bought under unusual circumstances. In his book, for example, is the fantastic account of how the head of Medusa appeared to the physician as if it had been a cameo on the seabed. Besides the head of Medusa, considerable objects are the tavolo cosmatesco (a table built following the style of the Cosmati) the marble bust of Emperor Tiberius and the Egyptian sphinx, which gazes out over the whole Island of Capri.

Examples of Roman sculptures are mostly funerary monuments and fragments of sarcophagi, that cannot possibly date back to the imperial villa.

In the garden you can see a series of typically Mediterranean plants, as well as plants coming from other latitudes. From the colonnade you enjoy an extraordinary view of the Gulf of Naples. Do not miss the whole view of the garden, the architectural structure and the artistic collection.

The physician described the construction of the villa also in his bestselling "The Story of San Michele", published in 1929, which has been translated into 45 languages.

With the exception of a few sporadic absences, Munthe lived on Capri for more than 56 years. His love of the island coincided with the growing popularity of Capri and the arrival of rich and famous travelers from all over the world. Today his villa is, together with the Grotta Azzurra, the most visited place on the whole of Capri.

Munthe shared his love of music, animals, and nature with the Swedish queen, Victoria, who spent long periods of her life on Capri for health reasons.
Axel Munthe's concern for the birds on the island, which were shot in disastrous numbers, led him to acquire the rights to the Barbarossa Mountain in order to create a sanctuary for migrating birds.

Here you will find an inspiring video about Villa San Michele.

Villa San Michele Museum

How to get here: from Capri take the bus to Anacapri. Get off at Piazza Vittoria (the main stop), walk up the steps opposite the bus stop and continue along the little lane to the left.
Opening hours: the museum is open 7 days a week, all year round, from 09:00 am until an hour before sunset.
Ticket: 6 EUR

Pictures and information are taken from http://www.wikipedia.org/ and http://www.villasanmichele.eu/