According to the legend, the wizard Virgil hid a magical egg in the foundations of the castle which are thought to determine the fate of the city. As soon as the egg had broken, the city would have been destroyed: for this reason it needed to be constantly safeguarded by the Neapolitan people. The castle had been built on the ruins of the Castrum Lucullanum, residence of the Roman patrician Lucio Licinio Lucullo. It then became the unassailable stronghold during the period of the Norman and Anjou dominations. The castle is wonderfully located on the Megaride small island and it is surrounded by Borgo Marinari, a typical little harbor full of bar, restaurants and pubs.
The ticket of the more ancient castle in the city is completely free and it often hosts art exhibitions and photographic expositions. Moreover, inside you will find two towers (the ‘Torre Normanna’ and the ‘Torre Maestra’) from which you will be able to enjoy an astonishing panorama.
The fortress has also a drawbridge which links it with the seafront. Especially on weekends, this promenade, that is almost 2 miles long, is crowded with street art musicians and artists and there are plenty of restaurants and pizzerias. It was created in the 19th century but it became pedestrian only a few years ago. Along this beautiful seafront, many sporting, gastronomic and cultural events usually take place.
