Highlights
Food & Drink
Capri has plenty of elegant restaurants, as well as many lively cafés. Local specialities include Insalata Caprese (a salad of mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and olive oil); Ravioli Caprese (acheese-filled pasta) and Torta Caprese (a delicious cake with chocolate and almonds). Don't forget to enjoy a tipple of the classic lemon-flavoured liqueur, Limoncello.
Villa San Michele
Villa San Michele in Anacapri became a tourist attraction when its owner, Dr. Axel Munthe published the bestseller, The Story of San Michele in 1929. The residence and its gardens are in effect a museum dedicated to the life and thoughts of the owner. It's certainly a place where you can spend time enjoying looking at the beautiful objects that adorn the site from the marble statues in the grounds to the ceramics and textiles indoors.
Blue Grotto
Take the boat excursion to Capri's famous Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto), a striking sea cave known since Roman times that has inspired many painters and writers. Small rowing boats take you through the entrance of the grotto that is about one metre high and two metres wide, along a dark tunnel and into the heart of the grotto where the water is an azure blue and a natural lighting effect makes shadows appear as a silver colour. It is best to visit on a sunny day, preferably during the late morning until early afternoon when the light is at its best and the water its most blue.
Vila Jovis
Keen walkers can take the forty-five-minute walk from Capris Piazzetta to the ruins of Villa Jovis, the Roman Emperor Tiberius' main home on the island. This vast complex, though now reduced to ruins, used to house imperial quarters and extensive bathing areas. To supply the villa’s baths and gardens, a complex canal system transported rainwater to four giant water tanks, which you can still see today. For incredible views, wander to the 330m-high Tiberius’ Leap, a sheer cliff from which it is believed that Emperor Tiberius hurled out of favour subjects into the sea below.
Adventure
From charming Capri Town, hike uphill towards the natural arch, Arco Naturale, before making a steep descent, shaded by the trees, towards the Grotta di Matermania - a cave with Roman walls and floors, offering stunning views down to the Faraglioni rocks. From here, walk along a pretty bougainvillea-studded lane, back to the Piazzetta in Capri Town – this route is one of the island’s most stunning ‘passeggiatas’ (leisurely strolls). Alternatively, take the scenic chairlift ride from Piazza della Vittoria in Anacapri to the top of Monte Solaro, where you will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the island and the Bay of Naples.