Base port: bacoli (Naples)
Bacoli is a small “suburb” of Naples that sits right on the gulf and overlooks the islands of Procida and Ischia. Bacoli is famous for Fusaro Lake, the lake was born due to an environmental change, following the closure of a stretch of sea; the lake is actually an ancient lagoon that has been used for harvesting oysters and mussels for over 2,000 years. The volcanic origins provide natural sulfur-rich springs. The main attraction here now is the lovely, late Baroque villa that sits on the lake at the end of the pier. Built in the mid-1700s by order of King Charles III, the house and grounds were initially used for hunting. It was actually transformed into what we see today under Ferdinand IV and his architects Carlo Vanvitelli and son Luigi, hence the name Casina Vanvitelliana.