Casertavecchia

Casertavecchia stands just over 400 m up on the slopes of the Monti Tifatini, about ten kilometres from the Reggia, and is now part of the city of Caserta. Its origins go back to before the year 1000 and an earlier Roman settlement. After the Saracen raids and the devastation of Capua it served as a safe refuge and for a long time was the political and cultural centre of the area. Its decline began with the building of the Reggia and Bourbon rule.

The cathedral of San Michele Arcangelo blends Sicilian-Arab elements, Apulian Romanesque churches and the Benedictine style of Montecassino. Inside, 18 columns taken from a Roman temple divide the three naves. The 32 m bell tower dates from 1234. Little remains of the castle, which goes back to the 9th century, apart from the keep, also about 32 m high, and the Falcon Tower.

The well-preserved medieval village, with narrow lanes and old paving, is easy to explore on foot; the main street runs beneath the bell tower. The church of the Annunziata, from the late 13th century, is also worth a look: its Gothic façade lies behind an 18th-century portico. Frommer's suggests staying on for dinner, and in late summer the "Settembre al Borgo" festival offers concerts, theatre and dance.