Royal Palace of Naples

Eight marble kings of Naples stand in niches along the palace's long facade on Piazza del Plebiscito, from Roger the Norman to Victor Emmanuel II, a reminder of the many dynasties that ruled from here. Begun in 1600 by Domenico Fontana for the Spanish viceroys, the Palazzo Reale later became the main residence of the Bourbon kings and then passed to the House of Savoy.

Visitors climb a monumental marble staircase to the Royal Apartments, a sequence of state rooms furnished with paintings, tapestries, porcelain, clocks and period furniture. The museum's collection numbers some 1,300 objects. Highlights include the small Court Theatre designed by Ferdinando Fuga, the throne room and the Palatine Chapel. Hanging gardens look out over the bay.

Part of the building houses the National Library of Naples. The apartments suit anyone interested in court life and decorative arts, and a visit to them takes an hour or two.