From Portici You can easily reach the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii, and also Sorrento on the “Circumvesuviana”, a picturesque and value-for-money local railway. Shopaholics can visit the nearby Torre del Greco, famous all over the world for its production of pearls and coral, while nature-lovers can explore the superb national park of Vesuvius. It is also possible to visit the eighteenth-century Vesuvian Villas which, in Spring often provide the setting for concerts and cultural and literary events. An important Antiques Exhibition is held in the state rooms of the Royal Palace in Portici from 19th to 27th March.