Caserta is a city attentive to the theme of disability and its obstacles. Making every place fully accessible is a distant goal for now, but we are on the right track!

Being a tourist in a wheelchair is often not simple, barriers are always round the corner.

Let’s try to enjoy together this beautiful city that is striving to be for everyone. We have identified accessible routes to visit and experience Caserta in a wheelchair at its best.

A tour to the city centre

It is said that “See Naples and die”, but also Caserta is a wonderful place, all to discover!

Our itinerary can only begin with a tour in the centre, full of shops and bars, starting in Corso Trieste, with its broad pavements, passing through Piazza Dante, the “living room” of the city, then to Via Mazzini, the shopping street, until Piazza Vanvitelli, where we find the monument dedicated to the well-known architect Luigi Vanvitelli.

The poet’s square

Piazza Dante is one of the oldest squares in Caserta, built in the nineteenth century and also called Piazza Margherita after the unification of Italy. It was a cultural meeting place for students already at the time, and also for teachers. Legend says that one the students of Caserta avoided crossing the arcades, for fear that bad luck could fall on them. It was said that the number of arches crossed corresponded to the number of oral tests they would have to undergo the next morning. It’s better not run the risk!

The square is very frequented on weekends, by young people who enjoy the night life in Caserta, also venue for events such as Caserta Street Food, CE Gusto, the Chocolate Festival and many others.

A tour in the Borbone history

From Piazza Dante, a few steps and we reach the wonderful Royal Palace of Caserta, built by Luigi Vanvitelli at the behest of Charles Of Bourbon. With its rooms and infinite garden, the Royal Palace is the largest royal residence in the world, become a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997. A magnificent residence that makes us dream and relive the daily life of the royals of Naples.

At the entrance we find an assistance for people with disabilities. Every floor is accessible through the use of an elevator, and the wonderful and verdant park is easily accessible through wide avenues, that run through it from beginning to end.

Visiting the Royal Palace of Caserta, it is a must to head to the Belvedere of San Leucio, a few kilometers from the royal palace, also at the behest of Charles of Bourbon and UNESCO world heritage site. It offers a wonderful view of the places of San Leucio, Caserta, even to Vesuvius on the clearest days.

Born from the dream of King Ferdinand to give life to an autonomous community, dedicated to silk processing, here we can visit the surprising Museum of Silk.

Accessible places in the province of Caserta

There are very close places to Caserta that are accessible, even only partially, including the beautiful village of Casertavecchia, the suggestive National Archaeological Museum of the Ancient Calatia in Maddaloni, and then again the Amphitheatre of Capua and its Gladiator Museum in Santa Maria Capua Vetere.

The village of Caserta Vecchia

Testimony of the medieval period of Caserta, is the charming village of Casertavecchia, on the slopes of the Tifata. With its narrow streets and the remains of ancient walls, it offers a unique atmosphere. The centre of the village is Piazza Vescovado, with old signs, and small bars, where we find the most important places, such as the Duomo, full of artistic languages, the result of centuries of restorations, the Annunziata Church (Chiesa dell’Annunziata) and Episcopal Palace. On the highest point of the hill raise the majestic Castle, open only for events. Splendid is also the view in many parts of the village, and not less important the premises, pizzerias, trattorias, with many typical products, all to try!

In summer, Casertavecchia is venue for events such as The return of the knights in the village, September at the village, folk events with many famous artists. Many initiatives have made the village more accessible, such as the most recent one, a bathroom dedicated to the disabled, with all the essential equipment, comforts, and the appropriate space also for the companions, but we must take into account the conformation of the place, with strenuous climbs and steep descents. For those who have non-electric wheelchairs it is much more difficult to face a prolonged climb, on the contrary, those who have a more automatic wheelchair can perhaps do it.

Multimedia journey into the history of Calatia

A few kilometers from Caserta, in the city of Maddaloni, we find the National Archaeological Museum of the Ancient Calatia, suitable for everyone. It tells with a modern multimedia language the story of Calatia, an ancient Etruscan city, then Samnite and finally Roman, which stood along the ancient Via Appia, in the territory of today’s Municipality of Maddaloni. We find educational videos on LCD screens installed in the rooms, an interactive multi-touch table to guide the visiting routes, audio/video podcasts in Italian/English for the guided tour of the museum, but especially the blind can visit it thanks to the presence of panels in Braille.

A dive into Roman history

Continuing our tour, we can relive the legendary battles between gladiators, visiting the Amphitheatre of Capua in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, also only a few kilometers away from Caserta. The amphitheatre is unfortunately only partially accessible, since protected historical site. Colosseum in miniature, it is supposed to be the first Roman amphitheatre ever built. Next door we also find the Gladiator Museum, instead totally accessible.