Villa della Marchesa

The small town of Lauro (approx. 3500 inhabitants) has several cappuccino bars, a bank, a grocery shop, a small supermarket, a butcher, two pizzerias, two restaurants, and a few agritouristic restaurants just outside the town, a hairdresser (also available a hairdressing service at home), a chemistry and a post office. There is a fruit, vegetable and houseware market once a week.

The location of the villa in the centre of Lauro allows easy day trips to many well-known destinations such as the city of Naples (34 km) and surroundings, the Vesuvio volcan (20 km), the Royal Palace of Caserta (31 km), the archeological sites of Pompei (30 km) and Herculaneum (38 km), the ancient Roman monuments of Santa Maria Capua Vetere (39 km), the Abbey of Sant`Angelo in Formis (42 km), or celebrated holiday resorts like Ischia, Capri, Positano, Amalfi. 

Although a car is necessary in the region there are some public transports: a bus stop is at walking distance, and the bus will take you to the centre of Naples (approx. 4 times per day during July and August, approx. 10 times per day during other months/no bus service on Sundays). From there you get the ferry to the islands of Ischia and Capri.

The most beautiful beaches on the Amalfi Coast can be reached by car in less than one hour. Several beach resorts can be reached also by train: take the bus to Nola (11 km), and from there get the Circumvesuviana train with several stops at the Sorrento peninsula and the celebrated Costa Amalfitana. The Circumvesuviana train connects Nola also to the railway station of Naples. The train leaves every 30 minutes from Nola, and it takes 30 minutes to reach Naples.

Or you can explore the Amalfi Coast by boat. A boat tour is a must. From Salerno (easily reachable by motorway from Nola) you can reach by ferry Positano, Capri, Amalfi and further south Agropoli.

SITES NEAR LAURO WORTH A VISIT  

Naples (45 km) The city offers its visitors the widest choice of magnificent churches, extraordinary  monuments and mighty palazzi that made it a compulsory and privileged stop-over during the Grand Tour by cultured European gentlemen.Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, Spaniards, Austrian, French, all have left indelible traces of their culture. You can reach Naples form Lauro taking the Bari-Napoli highway at Nola.   

Amalfi (56 km) The naval republic of Amalfi was well known in the Mediterranean Sea for his merchant ships in Medieval Europe. Remarkable cathedral. Famous productions: ceramics of Vietri, and the Paper of Amalfi. From Lauro to Nola, then with the auto route to Salerno, and on SS to Amalfi.   

Avella (17 km) Small city of about 7000 inhabitants with remarkable ancient roman monuments and a very attractive medieval castle, a few km north of Nola.

Baia (59 km) Remarkable Aragonese castle on the sea with beautiful museum overlooking the bay of Pozzuoli, a good diving center and guided visits to the underwater archaeological park. The underwater city was the site of villas of Julius Caesar, Nero and Hadrian (who died there).  

Benevento (62 km) Provincial capital conquered by the Romans in 298 B.C. soon became an important strategic and economical centre enriched by the Romans with remarkable monuments such as the Traian Arch and several bridges. A dukedom and later a principality during the Long bard period in 1077, the city went under the papal domination which lasted until the Italian Unity. 

Boscoreale (23 km) (via Settermi 15) Antiquarium containing interesting exhibits on rural and farming background of  Roman Pompei.

Campi Flegrei (60 km) A large volcanic area to the west of Naples, partly underwater, comprising 24 craters and effusive gaseous manifestations. The Monte Nuovo is considered the youngest mountain in Europe. A WWF oasis lies beside the Astroni crater. 

Capua (51 km) 25 km north of Naples. Has the second largest Roman amphitheatre after the Coliseum in Rome. 

Capri (80 km) The world-famous island in the Tyrrhenian Sea has been a privileged resort since the ancient  Roman times. Emperor Tiberius lived here from 26 to 31 B.C.  

Carditello (38 km) Royal Palace  near San Tammaro (Caserta) built by Charles III as a hunting lodge and a farm. Recently restored it belongs now to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage.   

Caserta Vecchia (51 km) Medieval village north east of the city of Caserta, dating back from the Longobard times, an important centre during the Norman and the Swabian domination. 

Certosa di Padula (157 km) The second largest charterhouse in Italy after the one in Pavia, founded in 1306, has the biggest cloister in the world covering 12.000 m3 with several chapels decorated with fine inlaid marble works 

Cimitile (13 km) Small town of about 7000 inhabitants with a remarkable group of paleo-christian basilicas erected in the year 395.

Costiera Amalfitana (55 km) A mixture of history and nature with a lot to discover: Many ancient roman aristocrats built their villas along the coast and some of these sites were recently discovered in Minori, Positano, Tramonti. Remarkable the marine park of Punta Campanella.  

Cuma (65 km) The first Greek colony on mainland Italy and seat of the famous Sibyl it is now a large archaeological park.  

Hercolaneum (47 km) This Roman city of about 4000  inhabitants was covered in 79 B.C. by a 20-meters flood of mud which allowed the perfect preservation of organic materials such as plants, textiles, wood. 

Ischia (85 km) Large island at the northern end of the gulf of Naples famous for its thermal spas,  hot springs and volcanic mud. 

Lago del Fusaro (62 km) A hunting reserve of the kings of Naples. King Ferdinand IV charged  the famous architect Vanvitelli with the construction of a small lodge in the middle of the lake, connected to the mainland by a wooden bridge.   

Lago di Averno (58 km) Believed to be the entrance to the underworld is portrayed as such in Virgil’s Aeneid. 

Oplonti (30 km) A Roman town near Pompei covered by a deep layer of ash during the eruption of the Vesuvio on 24 August  79. Remarkable visit to the excavations of the Villa of Poppea, second wife of Emperor Nero.

Parco Naturale del Cilento (100 km) 215 hectars of park with beautiful woods.

Parco Naturale del  Vesuvio (55 km) A national park of great geological and historical interest around the famous volcano which consists of an external truncated cone, the extinct Monte Somma, where there is still some volcanic activity.

Paestum (97 km) One of the most well preserved ancient Greek temples in the world, dating from 600 B.C. 

Pompei (26 km) The most famous archaeological site in the world with approximately 2, 5 million visitors every year. The Roman city of about 20.000 inhabitants was destroyed and buried under 4-6 meters of volcanic ash in the Vesuvius eruption  of 79 B.C.

Positano (64 km) The most fashionable resort on the Amalfi Coast.  

Pozzuoli (58 km) Originally a Greek colony, then in Roman times an important emporium for ships coming from the whole Mediterranean Sea, and  the harbour for the largest fleet of the ancient world. The apostle Paul landed here on his way to Rome. It is the home for the Italian Air Force Academy. It hosts the Flavian Amphitheatre and several Roman buildings in the “Rione Terra”.  

Ravello (60 km) Famous for its gardens and villas overlooking the sea. Richard Wagner lived and composed “Parsifal”there.

Reggia di Caserta (44 km) Impressive Royal Palace built by King Charles III  to emulate Versailles.

Sant’Agata dei Goti (47 km) About 35 km. North of Naples an attractive village with a X century cathedral. 

Sant’Angelo in Formis (58 km) Beautiful abbey built on the XI Century on the remains of a Roman temple, with frescoes mingling Byzantine and Latin style.

Sorrento (55 km) A town of Roman origin with some 16.500 inhabitants which is a popular touristic destination overlooking the bay of Naples. Sorrento is also the birthplace of “Limoncello” and  the favourite residence of the famous tenor Enrico Caruso. 

Stabia (35 km) Archaeological site of a Roman city destroyed by the eruption of the Vesuvius on 24 August 79 B.C.

The distance in km indicates the shortest route; it is, however, advisable to go by highway whenever possible, thus avoiding local, and sometimes crowded, roads.