Correale di Terranova Museum (Museo Correale di Terranova) Tours

The picturesque seaside town of Sorrento is a popular retreat from gritty Naples across the bay, and a great base from which to explore the nearby Amalfi Coast, islands in the Gulf of Naples, and ancient ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. What many people overlook when they're in Sorrento, however, is that it's also home to museums worth visiting. Perhaps the best known is the Correale di Terranova Museum, or Museo Correale di Terranova in Italian.

The Correale Museum is housed in an 18th century villa that has a fantastic view over the water. The museum takes its name from the Correale family, which was given the property in the early 15th century and which still owns the villa to this day. What's on display is the private collection of members of the Correale family. The museum is perhaps best known for its collection of 17th and 18th century Neapolitan paintings.

Other parts of the collection at the Correale di Terranova Museum include glass made in Murano, crystal from Bavaria, porcelains from both Capodimonte near Rome and Sevres in France, as well as archaeological artifacts of both Greek and Roman origin. There is some historic furniture in the villa, although this isn't a “house museum” outfitted in period décor. The villa is surrounded by an expansive garden that you can also visit.