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Explore Torre del Greco: 5 reasons to visit this amazing city

Torre del Greco - Le Magie di Torre del Greco
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Why you should visit Torre del Greco

On the slopes of Vesuvius, overlooking the Gulf of Naples, stands Torre del Greco. A city rich in history, culture and natural beauty. Often known as the “city of coral” for its ancient tradition of working with this precious material. in fact, Torre del Greco holds unexpected treasures just waiting to be discovered. In this article, we will tell you five reasons why this city is worth visiting.

In the middle of the gulf of Naples

Torre del Greco is a city located in an extraordinary position in the middle of the Gulf of Naples, just in front of Capri and between the southern Vesuvius slopes and the Mediterranean Sea. Due to its position, it has been destroyed by Vesuvius eruptions many times but its inhabitants had always rebuilt it. In fact, the Municipality symbol portrays an ancient tower with a smoking Vesuvius on the back and the Latin inscription “Post fata resurgo“: “I rise after death”. You can admire its panorama walking along the docks of the port or along the coast of the beaches; going up to the Camaldoli’s Hermitage for very suggestive views.

The city of coral and cammeo

Torre del Greco is known all over the world for the artistic local crafts of coral, the engraving of the cameo and the goldsmith’s art. The identity of Torre del Greco is linked to coral so much that its people are called “corallini” (little corals). In fact, at the end of Middle Ages, there were boats for coral fishing but it was in the 19th century that it developed also the craft-work and in 1805 the first coral factory of the Kingdom of Naples was built in Torre del Greco by the Marseillaise Paul Martin. In Torre del Greco also cameo craft-work was introduced in the mid-nineteenth century thanks to art of masters from Rome. The city soon became the major world center of cameo engraving thanks also to the local master engravers who were able to draw on the classical artistic heritage.

port of torre del greco

A gorgeous view for a movie set

Many movies are made in Torre del Greco but the one that captures his gorgeous position is “Journey to Italy” by Roberto Rossellini that set some scenes of his movie in this location in the 1953. Two English tourists Alex and Katherine Joyce come to Italy to sell a Villa inherited from an uncle, who remained to live in Torre del Greco after the end of the war. During the scene of the terrace, you can see the Vesuvius, the Gulf of Naples, the island of Capri exactly in front of; while the Italian man introduces that, they are in a place between Torre Annunziata and Resina (just Torre del Greco). The set was Villa Olivella famous thanks also to the great Neapolitan actor Antonio De Curtis, alias Totò, who spent some holidays in Torre del Greco, at the Villa of his dear friend the Count Paolo Gaetani.

An archaeological site

The archaeological importance of Torre del Greco is known even before the start of the excavations of Charles of Bourbon in Herculaneum, when with a deed dated 13 April 1641, the notary Onofrio Cirillo describes the discovery of a marble bas-relief, a Roman copy of a Greek work, which represented Orpheus, Ermes and Euridice, in the Sola farm. The archaeological area called Villa Sora is the largest maritime villa in ancient Herculaneum area. Another important discovery is a building from the 1st century B.C. in Contrada Sora, called Terme Gymnasio which extends with a series of terracing degrading towards the sea, up to a landing place. The many garden statues and artifacts found in the area were given to Archaeological Museum of Naples and Palermo. In 1981 a local archaeological group found a bronze dove in perfect condition. During the excavations by Superintendency of Pompeii in the 199, after eruption of 79 BC tombs were found and a skeleton from the 5th century AD, a ceramic and a bronze coin from the Angevin age were discovered.

Easy travelling, good eating and nice sleeping

In the Sixties, thanks to its black volcanic sand and its salutary air of the pine forests, Torre del Greco was a tourist destination for people from all over the region and also many foreigners in summer holidays. So, the city has developed a strong tradition of the pastry art, restaurants and accommodations. Thanks also to its central position within the Gulf of Naples, at just 12 km from Naples by highway Naples-Pompeii-Salerno, you can easily go to Portici, Herculaneum, Pietrarsa Museum and towards Sorrento to Pompeii, Stabia, Boscoreale, Vico Equense or to the Vesuvius top and its National Park, but you can also sleep at a lower price than the most famous tourist destinations and visiting fascinating and unusual places outside the standard tours.

Driver service in Torre del Greco

If you need to hire a car service with driver in Torre del Greco, for private transport, transfers, tours and hourly arrangement, you can contact us for a quote without any obligation.

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