The lasting impact of Axel Munthe's time at Villa San Michele

Built by a Swedish doctor with a passion for music, nature, and animals, the Villa di San Michele museum is located in a privileged location offering spectacular views of the island of Capri and the Gulf of Naples. Hundreds of tourists spill out into the little streets or take the buses and cabs to ascend to the center of it.

After eating a snack and admiring the beautiful linen and cotton garments sold in various stores, board a minibus that, in the hands of a skilled driver, takes you through very narrow streets to Anacapri (the prefix ana means "if"), which is located above Capri.

Anacapri is a commune of about 7,000 inhabitants in 54.08 square kilometers in the province of Naples. It is located on the island of Capri, in the Gulf of Naples. If you have the time, it is also possible to climb along a millennium road that is still in good condition.

Depending on the time of the year when you visit this beautiful place, you can appreciate a breathtaking landscape: in summer, the intensely colorful flowers of its many gardens, including that of Emperor Augustus, who chose this site to spend his last years.

Also, the impressive cliffs and the sea with its different shades of blue and green. Arriving at the square, you can go to the church of San Michele, patron saint of Anacapri; it is small but majestic, with several frescoes and paintings.

The Villa San Michele was built on land once owned by Roman Emperor Tiberius, whose owners were planting vines when Munthe purchased it; during construction, several archaeological remains were discovered, which he attached to the walls of his house, giving it a distinct identity.

The sphinx at Villa San Michele

As you walk through the museum, you can admire its kitchen, different rooms with Greek statues, a charming terrace also with statues, and small tables made of ancient marble res that create the sensation of going back in time and feeling that you are in a Roman villa, with the sea at your feet.

From the terrace, an enigmatic sphinx dominates the beautiful landscape, unearthed and climbed with great labor to the villa, as described by Axel Munthe in his book The History of San Michele.

It describes a number of customs of that region that were practiced in the nineteenth century, such as laying nets to catch birds on their journey south to spend the harsh Nordic winter in warm lands; birds that were left without water and food and were packed in boxes to be sent to the tables of luxurious restaurants; wretched birds that sang all the time of hunger, cold, and pain.

Sweden in Capri

It is striking that the museum is owned by Sweden, but it is understandable when reading the book, because although Dr. Munthe loved the region where he lived for 56 years and did everything he could to improve the lives of the locals, he also knew about the greed of men.

San Michele is a Swedish cultural institution based on the island of Capri, which, in addition to Villa San Michele and the museum surrounded by a garden of rare beauty, includes a group of houses for Swedish writers, artists, scientists, and researchers, as well as the natural park "Il Monte Barbarossa" for the protection of migratory birds and Mediterranean vegetation.

Apart from being a writer, Axel Munthe also received numerous awards as a philanthropist, art cultivator, precursor, and passionate about music, nature, and animals, activities he shared with Queen Victoria of Sweden, who, for health reasons, spent long periods of time in Capri. Before leaving Anacapri, if you like strong emotions, you can take a flying seat and admire Anacapri, Capri and the bay.