Sito archeologico dei Bagni della Regina Giovanna

The Bagni della Regina Giovanna is a natural pool beneath the headland of Capo di Sorrento, beside the remains of a Roman maritime villa. A rock arch connects the sheltered cove with the sea, while the ruins above preserve traces of the ancient residence.

Why it matters

The villa, traditionally attributed to Pollio Felice, belongs to the Roman period. It belongs to the Roman tradition of coastal residences around the Sorrentine peninsula. The name of the cove refers to a later legend about Giovanna II of Anjou, queen of Naples in the fifteenth century, said to have bathed there with her lovers.

What to notice

The roughly triangular pool is enclosed by rock and vegetation and opens to the sea through a natural arch. The remains above include six vaulted rooms with traces of stucco, as well as covered passages, stairs and terraces that linked parts of the villa to the coast. A portico with marble columns is also recorded in the national portal's description.

Context and history

The villa's seaside setting reflects the appeal of the Sorrentine coast to Roman elites. The portal associates that appeal with the imperial court's presence on nearby Capri under Tiberius. After antiquity, the site's ownership history is unclear; the queen's story is a longstanding legend rather than a documented account. The Comune di Sorrento includes the cove among its coastal landscapes, where Roman ruins overlook the meeting of rock and sea.