Magical bees in the green heart of Naples: children's workshops in Capodimonte

Naples – Imagine an ancient forest where the air is scented with wildflowers and the buzzing of bees sounds like a secret symphony of life. This is the enchanting setting of the Royal Forest of Capodimonte, which on Sunday, November 9th, at 11:00 a.m., will be transformed into an open-air classroom for children.

The Torre Garden hosts the first "Beekeeping Workshop," an educational adventure curated by Leaf Botanicals, designed specifically for children aged 4 to 10. This is more than just a lesson: it's a sensory journey that reveals the superpowers of bees, those tireless workers who keep the entire ecosystem afloat, from pollinating flowers to the honey that ends up on our tables.

Under the majestic shade of the Camphor Tree at the center of the Royal Fruit Garden—or, if necessary, in the new Fruit Garden Greenhouse—children will immerse themselves in a world of discovery. They will learn to distinguish worker bees from tireless pollinators, from the imposing queen bee and the lazy but essential drones.

Through lively stories and colorful illustrations, they'll discover how pollination isn't just a magical process, but the invisible engine of biodiversity: without bees, a third of the food we eat would vanish, from juicy tomatoes to crunchy almonds. "Bees are the true heroes of our planet," explains a Leaf Botanicals facilitator, "and this workshop is the perfect way to get children to love them before it's too late." But theory is just the beginning.

The highlight comes with a close-up look at a living beehive: the little ones, wearing protective goggles and with curious hands, will peer inside the wax honeycomb, that masterpiece of hexagonal cells where bees raise their offspring, store golden pollen, and honey as liquid as gold.

And then, it's hands-on: armed with wicks and molds, the children will create their own personalized candle with pure beeswax, a fragrant souvenir to light at home and relive the adventure. The morning ends on a sweet note with an organic snack of crusty bread and artisanal honey, provided by Delizie Reali, which transforms the workshop into a royal picnic. Behind this event is a story of green rebirth.

Delizie Reali, a company that won a European call for proposals from the then Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (MiBACT) in 2018, restored the Torre Garden through a public-private partnership, guaranteeing its management for 20 years. "We don't use chemicals here: the vegetable gardens and orchards grow in harmony with nature, attracting bees and butterflies like a lost paradise," says Nunzia Petrecca, CEO of Delizie Reali.

"Walking along the paths, it's a pleasure to see the bees dancing from flower to flower. It's our way of offering healthy and sustainable food, from the café to the Stufa dei Fiori bistro." Thanks to this commitment, Capodimonte is not only a green lung for Naples, but a model of regenerative agriculture in an era of climate crisis, where bees—sadly declining by 40% in recent decades according to FAO data—are a wake-up call for all of us.

And it doesn't end there: the Beekeeping Workshop will become a regular event, every third Sunday of the month, transforming generations of curious visitors into guardians of nature. In case of rain, don't worry: the activities will move indoors to the Casamento Torre hall, protected but still immersed in the charm of the forest. An unmissable opportunity for Neapolitan families and tourists, in a November that invites us to rediscover the connection between humanity and nature. Book now: bees don't wait, and neither does the future of our planet.