Court Theatre, Caserta

On the ground floor of the Royal Palace of Caserta, in the middle of the western side, lies the hidden Court Theatre, designed by Luigi Vanvitelli and inaugurated in 1769 by Ferdinand IV and Maria Carolina. It was the only part of the palace completed in full, decorations included, under Vanvitelli's direction. It is reached through a central entrance, once reserved for the court, and two side entrances for guests.We love the horseshoe-shaped hall with five tiers of boxes decorated with festoons and putti, alabaster columns and gilded capitals, with the royal box beneath a crowned canopy. On the ceiling Crescenzo Gamba painted Apollo trampling the python. The real magic is the stage's movable backdrop, which opened onto the park to create a natural set. We recommend including it in your visit to the Royal Palace.