The island of Capri is the pure essence of mediterranean beauty, glamour and holiday. You can either take a day trip from Naples or Amalfi, or spend more time on this exceptional island.
The ferries arrive in Marina Grande, a bustling place usually overcrowded with tourists, wich can be a bit overwhelming. So it’s best to quickly proceed to the main bus station on the righthand side of the port or go to the funicular station straight across the street at the port. It’s a nice way to go up to the main square, the small Piazzetta with its church and bright houses. It’s very enjoyable and quite relaxing to have an overpriced espresso in one of the cafes, watch the wild mix of people and tourists walk by and just enjoy this bustling square. Otherwise you can dig into the small, crowded alleyways of Capri, do a little bit of shopping, visit the designer boutiques or look out for a calmer place on the island.
One of such places is Anacapri, the other main town. This part of the island is still a bit more relaxed and rustic. Here, you also find the beautiful Church San Michele with its mosaic-like floor, covered with artful ceramic tiles. There are also several fantastic viewpoints, one being right above Anacapri. You get there with the chairlift Monte Solaro, which is a great opportunity to see Anacapri from above. From top of the hill you have an even more fantastic view on the whole island and the blue sea.
Marina Piccola is also more laid back with its small beach from where you can watch the yachts go by and enjoy a sunny afternoon. Or take a little walk towards the scenic viewpoint of Tragara, to spot the Faraglioni, the famous rock formations off the island.
As Capri has always been a place of romantic longing and beautiful refuge for a diversity of writers, artists and celebrities, there are some unique places and villas on the island that are open for visitors. Villa San Michele in Anacapri is such a place and so is Villa Lysis on the other side of Capri. The preserved, uniquely designed mansions and especially the garden and view are great places to rest and forget the crowded streets of Capri.
A highlight for many is the Grotta Azzurra, however you might consider skipping it, as you have to wait ridiculously long and only have a short time in the grot, whereas there are several other similar places around the island and the Amalfi coast, which are less hyped and that boatmen will show you when you take another trip.
Capri is just off the beautiful Amalfi Coast, see the guide here. Or find ideas for more amazing destinations in Italy, like Sicily here, for Pugila here or here and the Aeolian Islands of Stromboli with its volcano and the chick jet set island Panarea.
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