Swimming on a Sea of Glass of the Sorrento Coast
Some words about a little jewel of the Gulf of Sorrento
The Queen's Giovanna Baths of Naples is a beautiful and historic site in Caposorrento, a few kilometers from Sorrento, Italy.
It is a magnificent natural pool in a small natural oasis. The Baths are also an archaeological site with a rich history. The remains of the villa of Pollio Felice date back to the first century BC and belonged to a noble family from Pozzuoli. A crazy sea and crystal-clear water surround it.
The villa was probably structured on two floors on a plan of 20m by 10m, as described by the poet Publius Papinius Statius.
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The villa was probably structured on two floors on a plan of 20m by 10m, as described by the poet Publius Papinius Statius. It included reception rooms, lodgings for the master, guests, and servants, thermal baths, warehouses, kitchens, and nymphaeums. Almost nothing remains of this domus except the remains of walls.
“From it, in appropriately arranged rooms, one can enjoy the first light of dawn or the hour of twilight, when the sun has already set and the shadow of the mountain already falls opaquely on the water, and the villa seems to swim on a sea of glass.” (Publius Papinius Statius)
The internal natural basin that the owners of this villa used as a dock and swimming pool had the entrance, fortunately navigable only by canoe today. You can see it on my photo ⬇︎ just behind the wall in the foreground.
Queen Joan frequented the place with her ladies-in-waiting to take baths. She was famous for both her beauty and her cruelty towards her subjects and it is believed that she met a violent end here, strangled by her own nephew.
The locals still tell that Giovanna (Joan) II of Anjou Durazzo, 14th — 15th centuries, used to kill her lovers here.
This place is much loved by tourists who come here in large numbers even though it is a 40 minute walk from Sorrento. The legends about the queen and the indescribable beauty of the place make them worth even the walk under the scorching sun. Therefore, it is not advisable to undertake this walk during the busiest period.
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