Villa San Michele Anacapri

What is San Michele?
San Michele is a Swedish cultural institute on the island of Capri, comprised of a museum house and gardens, accommodation for Swedish citizens engaged in cultural studies or research, and a nature reserve on the Barbarossa mountain for the protection of migrating birds and the preservation of Mediterranean flora.

Who was Axel Munthe?
Axel Munthe was the founder of San Michele. He was still a young physician when he decided to make his dreams, ambitions and ideas a reality by creating a home in Anacapri, a home soon to become famous throughout the world thanks to the success of his book, "The Story of San Michele".

Although he was a doctor by profession, it was for his work as a writer that Munthe became famous. He gained recognition as a man of art and culture, and as a philanthropist who nurtured a great love of animals.

Despite the fact that Munthe was born in Sweden and died there at the age of 92, he spent most of his life abroad. The floods of visitors to his museum-home and the fact that his book, "The Story of San Michele", can be read in no less than 45 languages testify to the writer's global appeal. With the exception of a few sporadic absences, Munthe lived on Capri for more than 56 years. His interest for the island in the Bay of Naples coincided with the growing popularity of Capri as a prefered destination for the rich and famous from all over the world.

Munthe shared his love of music, animals, and nature with the Swedish queen, Victoria, who spent long periods of her life on Capri for health reasons. Axel Munthe's concern for the birds on the island, which were shot in disastrous numbers, led him to acquire the rights to the Barbarossa Mountain in order to create a sanctuary for migrating birds. Axel Munthe claimed that, on the island of Capri, ornithologists were treated to a continual symphony of bird song.

Together with the queen, Munthe arranged evening concerts with the Monarch herself playing the piano. Munthe had a splendid baritone voice, as well as a certain talent for both violin and piano.
Open all year.