Once a retreat for King Ferdinand IV and his wife Maria Carolina, this pagoda-inspired pavilion exemplifies the popularity of 'Oriental exotica' in 18th-century Europe. Chinese, Egyptian, Islamic and Pompeiian motifs decorate its many rooms, with particular highlights including a trompe l’oeil 'collapsed' ceiling by Giuseppe Velazquez and a nifty dining table connected to the kitchen below via a lift. To get here, catch bus 107 to Piazza Giovanni Paolo II and then bus 615 or 645 to Duca degli Abruzzi – Palazzina Cinese.
The Palazzina Cinese sits at the northwest corner of the Parco della Favorita, a sprawling park established by Ferdinand IV at the foot of Monte Pellegrino.
