Villa San Michele

Capri, Italy

The Villa San Michele was built around the turn of the 19th century on the Isle of Capri by the Swedish physician and author Axel Munthe.

The villa's gardens have panoramic views of the town of Capri and its harbour, the Sorrentine Peninsula, and Mount Vesuvius. The villa sits on a ledge at the top of the Phoenician Steps, between Anacapri and Capri, at a height of 327 meters above sea level.

San Michele's gardens are adorned with many relics and works of art dating from ancient Egypt and other periods of classical antiquity. They now form part of the Grandi Giardini Italiani.

In his later years, Axel Munthe wrote his haunting youthful memoir The Story of San Michele, which describes how he first discovered the island and built the villa, decorated with the remains of palaces built by the Ancient Romans which he found on his land. This colourfully written book was first published in 1929 and became an immediate worldwide success, being translated into many languages. It has been reprinted many times since then.

Between 1919 and 1920, Munthe was an unwilling landlord to the outrageous socialite and muse Luisa Casati, who took possession of Villa San Michele. This was described by the Scottish author Compton Mackenzie in his diaries.

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Address

Via Axel Munthe 26, Capri, Italy
See all sites in Capri

Details

Founded: 1885
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

HH Schrader (4 months ago)
Axel Munthe, who built this villa, was not only a doctor but also a bestseller author with exquisite taste and of an admirable intellectual independence. You pay 10 Euro to visit the villa and you get incredible value: a beautiful house and architecture, a garden as a small paradise, excellent antiquities, and above all a view of the Golf of Naples you may never forget and cherish forever. Its beauty will stay in my heart forever.
Lisa Lindholm (5 months ago)
The views from this place are unbelievable. We had a snack and some wine from the cafe there. Gorgeous views. The gardens are spectacular. If you happen to be a birder, the bird species there were a lovely surprise. We stayed up there several hours. It was a great find!!
Florian Forster (5 months ago)
Bit expensive for what it is but great views Come here super early. Out of season and when we left pensioners stormed it like they did with the beaches of Normandy. Then you might not even go.
Marian Valo (6 months ago)
This place has its own vibe with old furniture and equipment from time, when Axel Munthe lived there. Also garden is worth to see - long arcade with creeping plants and best view on harbour and see at the end of it... If you want only make picture with nice view - don't pay 10€ entrance fee to vila and only continue your stroll trough pavement beside entry to villa with many beautiful shops to the rim of cliff...
Ciprian Muresan (8 months ago)
The house does not rise to the same level as other beautiful places in Capri, but it offers a superb panorama over the Marina Grande in Capri. You can't kiss the sight offered. I warmly recommend it for an unforgettable view. The entrance price is 10 euros per person, quite a lot for what it offers inside, the garden is beautiful but not wow, but the view is incredible
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