Built in Anacapri around the turn of the nineteenth century by the Swedish physician and author Axel Munthe, Villa San Michele today houses a museum of Roman antiquities, surrounded by immaculate, flower-filled gardens.
Axel Munthe, a successful society doctor and the personal physician of Sweden's Queen Victoria fell in love with Italy and moved to Capri in 1887, when he discovered this commanding site, then occupied by the ruins of a chapel dedicated to Saint Michael.
He determined to build his dream house here and set about designing the Villa San Michele, a labor of love that became his main home for the rest of his life.
Numerous ancient Roman artifacts were unearthed during construction, and many of these are now on display in the villa, which was opened to the public as a museum and cultural institution after his death in 1949.
I want my house open to sun and wind and the voice of the sea, like a Greek temple, and light, light, light everywhere!
In 1929, Munthe published "The Story of San Michele", which became an international bestseller and brought renewed interest in Capri.
Munthe continued to develop the gardens and add to his collection of antiquities, including Roman marble sculptures and mosaics as well as an Egyptian sphinx which gazes out to sea from the terrace.
For many, the main attraction is the beautiful award-winning garden, with its colonnades, shady arbors, and variety of Mediterranean flora. Mature stone pines, cypresses, and palm trees frame the garden, which is filled with a profusion of flowers and native plant life including roses, wisteria, camellias, and azaleas.
Villa San Michele is also a Swedish cultural institute, hosting an active program of classical concerts, jazz, drama, and art exhibitions during the summer months, and tickets are always in high demand.
And if you simply want to relax and enjoy the scenery with a limoncello to hand, the villa's Cafe Casa Oliv offers wonderful views over the Bay of Naples from its terrace.
If you are on a luxury yacht charter vacation in Capri, a visit to explore the stunning garden and unique collection of Roman antiquities at the Villa San Michele is sure to leave you with fond memories of this entrancing island.
If you would like to find out more about Villa San Michele or would like to incorporate a visit into your charter itinerary, please speak with your prefered yacht charter broker.
Alternatively, you can start planning your next luxury vacation by viewing the entire fleet of superyachts available for Amalfi Coast yacht charters.
Villa San Michele Photos
Villa San Michele
Villa San Michele,
Viale Axel Munthe,
34, 80071 Anacapri NA,
Italy
