The island of Capri in Italy is easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. An island in the south of the bay of Naples, the island is surrounded by the bluest sea, has wonderful grottoes and gorgeous views. When traveling to Italy, a visit to Capri is an absolute must.

About the Island

The island, on the Amalfi coast, is eleven square kilometers of surface area in total, and its population is split between its two towns, Capri and Anacapri. It is a very tall but small island, with three mountains on it. A beautiful place to visit during a tour of Italy. Not one to miss!

How to get there

To travel to the isle of Capri, one must board a boat from either Naples or Sorrento. There are two marinas, the Marina Piccola and Marina Grande. You will likely arrive at Marina Grande.

Things to do in Capri

A boat trip tour of Capri’s famous grottoes (sea caves) is a must-see. You can also choose to swim in some of them. These are the White Grotto, the Marvellous Grotto, the Grotto of the Arsenal, and the Coral Grotto. There are also the Red Grotto, the Green Grotto, and the famous Blue Grotto (grotta Azura). It is only available to go see when the weather and sea conditions are favorable. A visit to Punta Carena lighthouse at the Southwestern coast of the island, is a beautiful spot to sit and watch the crystal-clear water and perhaps have a picnic.

The stern of a boat in the beautiful blue waters of Capri near a rock. — Photo by David Lezcano on Unsplash

Getting around Capri

To get up and down to the two towns, you can either board a bus or rent a convertible taxi (the very narrow and very high roads up, along with the speed of the drivers, will make this a very nerve-wracking and interesting experience alone) or you can take the chair lift from Piazza Vittoria, up or down to Monte Solaro, the most panoramic, highest point of the island, with the best views. Be sure to take note of the lovely hotels on your drive up. There are also private boat tour options available. Tour boats leave from Marina Grande.

Main town features

The town of Capri lies between Mount Tiberius, Mount St. Maria, and Mount Tuoro. The Piazza Umberto I or Piazzetta is the main square of the town. Near the cable car station, you can see the ancient ruins of Greek tombs. The dominant feature of the piazza is the Clocktower, a bell tower adorned with a lovely blue and yellow clock. Here also are the Town Hall and the Church of St. Stephen. Be sure to stop at one of the world-famous cafés here.

The Cliffs of Cinque Terre — Photo by Jack Ward on Unsplash

What's famous here

Nearby the Piazzetta is the Gardens of Augustus (Giardini di Augusto), from which there is a beautiful view of the rocks surrounding the island. The most famous is the Faraglioni. Also, here is the Via Krupp, a very steep, winding path to the Marina Piccola. The botanical garden on the island , known also as Krupp gardens, are a short 20 minute walk from the main piazza. These exquisite gardens would be beautiful to stroll around in the summer months, with the lush greenery and extensive planting.

Those willing to make the climb can also visit the Castle of Castiglione or go see the ruins of the Villa Jovis.

Those who go visit Anacapri can go see the Phoenician Flight of Steps (which is actually Greek) and visit the Villa San Michele, which was the residence of Axel Munthe, a famous doctor.

A visit to one of the oldest buildings in Capri, the charterhouse of st. giacomo (certosa di san Giacomo), once a Carthusian monastery and now a museum, is a must on the to-do list.

A walk from center of Capri is the stunning Arco naturale, a rock formation that forms a bridge between two pillars of rock. Well worth the walk to see the natural beauty of this natural arch. There's also the famous faraglioni rock formations (3 rocks that stick out of the sea) which is another of those natural wonders which shouldn't be missed either. A top attraction for Capri.

Since it is massively expensive to live in Capri, people with that kind of money have the appropriate stores, as there are numerous designer shops on the island, such as the likes of Louis Vuitton. There are also more affordable options for the tourists.

What to bring home?

You may have noticed the abundance of lemon products on Capri island, or the lemons themselves, which grow to be about the size of your head here. Be sure to pick up a bottle of limoncello as a souvenir and drink many lemon granitas while visiting the island!