What is a pineapple plant doing at the Reggia di Caserta?
I’ve been there many times, but I hadn't yet appreciated the charm of the 18th-century greenhouses, which is where I actually bought my very first little pineapple plants. Strange but true.
Located in the English Garden, the Serre Graefer (Grafer Greenhouses) have been brought back to life in recent years thanks to a public-private partnership, restoring what used to be Europe’s most famous botanical laboratory.
Cultivating exotic species to decorate the royal estates or to sell to the public—thanks to a catalogue published by the court administration, was a royal whim that certainly got people talking.
Considering the extreme rarity and the prohibitive costs of importing and growing plants like the pineapple back then, it’s not hard to imagine they were shown off and bought as a symbol of hospitality and opulence.
I found this out while having a nose around one of the Grafer shops, thanks to a chat with the owner. And there I was, thinking pineapple was just good for cellulite, I had to think again.
Instead of the usual postcards and books, alongside the camellias and other species grown right here in these greenhouses, you can pick up your very own pineapple plant as a souvenir for just twenty euros.
You can find the Graefer shops near the English Garden and along the path leading from the Fountain of Diana and Actaeon up to the Royal Apartments.
Among the beautifully displayed little artisan curiosities, you’ll also find San Leucio silks, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Today it’s a museum space, but the link between this production site and France dates back to the 18th century, when King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon established the famous silk factory.
Can you imagine? Nobles once requested precious silks from Caserta to upholster the walls of their palaces. I honestly haven’t figured out who makes them today, seeing as the main site is closed, but you can ask for more info and take home runners, placemats, and cushions.
But let’s get back to our pineapples.
Ever since it was pointed out to me, as I wandered through the historic apartments, I started spotting this exotic fruit everywhere: in the maioliche, as well as in the porcelain and the lamps of the noble halls inside the Reggia.
It’s incredible what a single detail can do, along with the tale of someone willing to share a new story.
If you’re visiting the Reggia di Caserta, here are my tips
- Get there by train: the station is nearby and the ticket is cheap
- It pains me to say it, but I have to: the wide avenue leading up to the Reggia di Caserta is an absolute disgrace. It’s truly neglected; between the overgrown flowerbeds and a road that looks like a sieve, it’s not a place I’d want to take a stroll
- Keep in mind that a visit to the Reggia can take a few hours (if you rush and use the shuttle buses) or the whole day
- Wear comfortable shoes, a hat, and grab some water at the café before you start the route
- On the first Sunday of the month, entry to the Reggia is always free
- You can buy audio guides
- Check the opening times of the English Garden (usually open until 3:00 PM)
- If you want a break, there’s a café shortly after the main entrance
- Alternatively, outside the Reggia, a 10-minute walk gets you to the incredibly famous pizzeria I Masanielli by Francesco Martucci (it has won several rankings, including 50 Top Pizza). Be prepared to queue, but the pizza is excellent. Naturally, ring ahead to make sure they’re open or have a table
- If you fancy a change of scene, in the centre of Caserta you’ll find Apron kitchen & soul, a cosy little restaurant. It doesn’t serve traditional dishes, but the menu is carefully thought out and always tasty.
- To get around the Reggia gardens, you can hire a bike, request a private transfer, or catch the electric shuttle (you have to pay 3 euros in cash)
- Don’t lose your receipt, because that ticket covers a single or return journey (Here are the stops: Fountain of the Dolphins, second stop Fountain of Aeolus, last stop Fountain of Diana and Actaeon)
- I usually arrive and head straight to the Fountain of Diana and Actaeon (a 30-minute ride on the electric shuttle) to visit the English Garden (look out for the Cryptoporticus, the Shepherd's Fountain, the Bath of Venus, and the Circular Temple). Then I walk back towards the Royal Apartments, which I visit during the hottest part of the day or if the weather is a bit dreary
- Inside the Royal Apartments, you’ll find contemporary art installations intertwined with the majesty and opulence of everything else. Keep an eye on Opera Laboratori, who create dedicated experiences and frequently organise events both in the Gardens and indoors.
