Villa Arbusto and Pithecusa Museum

Overlooking the sea in Lacco Ameno, Villa Arbusto holds one of the Mediterranean’s most precious archaeological treasures: the Museum of Pithecusae. This elegant mansion, which was once the residence of the famous film producer Angelo Rizzoli, now houses an extraordinary collection of artifacts that tell the story of the ancient Greek colony of Pithecusae.

One Museum, A Thousand Stories
The museum holds more than a thousand archaeological artifacts that testify to the wealth and importance of Pythagossae, the first Greek settlement in the West, founded in the 8th century B.C. by settlers from Euboea. This unique collection makes it possible to reconstruct the daily life, trade and culture of one of the oldest Greek colonies.

The Museum’s Jewel: Nestor’s Cup
The most famous piece in the collection is undoubtedly Nestor’s Cup, an artifact of inestimable historical and cultural value. Discovered in the San Montano necropolis by archaeologist Giorgio Buchner, this cup bears engraved one of the oldest inscriptions in the Greek alphabet ever found. The engraved verses, which speak of the seductive power of Nestor’s cup, represent exceptional evidence of the spread of alphabetic writing in the ancient Mediterranean.

The exhibition route
The museum is developed through thematic rooms that include:

• Finds from the necropolis of San Montano
• Pottery and objects of everyday life
• Evidence of Mediterranean trade
• Section devoted to ancient metallurgy
• Exhibition area on the Cup of Nestor