Sant'Arpino, between Naples and Caserta

Sant'Arpino belongs to the group of Atellan towns north of Naples, an area with far more history than its everyday appearance suggests. Streets run between houses, small shops and churches, and the rhythm is local rather than touristic. For a visitor this is useful: you sleep somewhere calm and spend your days wherever the region takes you.

Aversa, the nearest larger town, carries a dense historic centre and the ordinary pleasures of a Campanian working city. Naples lies to the south with its museums, waterfront and the archaeology that draws travellers to this part of Italy in the first place. Caserta sits to the north, defined by the enormous royal complex that gives the province its name.

Because the hotel has free private parking, using Sant'Arpino as a base is straightforward. You can leave in the morning towards the coast or the interior and return to a quiet room in the evening without paying city-centre parking rates or negotiating narrow historic streets with a car.