Welcome to the site Napoliforme

Originally part of Procida, Vivara (from the Latin vivarium, nursery) is connected to the mother island by a footbridge, about 360 metres long. Finds of Mycenaean origin discovered on the island confirm that Procida was already frequented in the 16th-13th centuries BC. In Roman times it became a nursery for the cultivation of molluscs (hence its Latin name) and a hunting reserve. Intact and uninhabited, the islet is crescent-shaped, the emerged half of one of Procida's craters, covers 32 hectares and is a natural paradise, a refuge for small animals - typical is the wild rabbit, introduced by the Bourbon sovereigns between the 18th and 19th centuries for hunting - and numerous species of birds. Varieties of Mediterranean plants, trees, shrubs and flowers colour the landscape with the changing seasons, and its spectacular seabed, rich in marine plants, is an irresistible attraction for those who love observing marine scenery and scuba diving. Vivara has been a Protected Nature Oasis since 1974, a State Nature Reserve since 2002 and the coastal area has been part of the Regno di Nettuno (Neptune's Kingdom) Protected Marine Oasis since 2007.After crossing the connecting bridge and the flight of steps, built in the 1930s, a number of paths allow you to explore the island and its buildings: the Casa del Caporale (18th century), used by the king's bodyguards; the Cantinone used as a warehouse in the 17th century; the Vaccheria; a watchtower (nicknamed the "Pulpit"); the Casa Padronale (1681), a hunting lodge reused as a farm; the Casa Colonica; and the Napoleonic Fort (late 18th-early 19th century). From the highest point (about 109 metres above sea level) called the King's Table - this is King Ferdinand of Bourbon's habitual stop on Vivara to taste oysters - the view sweeps over the entire Gulf of Naples.