Isle of Capri

When you hear the word “Capri”, the first thing that immediately comes to mind is the red sun slowly sinking into the sea. And then you remember how on this extremely picturesque island at the sight of seascapes you simply forgot to breathe. Everyone will see the beauty of the island, but something has subtly changed, and suddenly you realize: fishermen today do not meet as often as before; yes, times have changed, and fishermen now earn their bread by renting out their boats to tourists.

Capri is a lovely island in the Gulf of Naples, one of Italy’s loveliest resorts. A small island with precipitous shores rises from the sea. It is an island of thickets of purple, pink and white bougainvillea and lemon trees, mazes of narrow and crooked streets and pastel-colored houses.

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The Beauty of Capri

Capri has long been a favorite vacation spot for Roman emperors. Augustus liked to gather guests here, and it is believed that it was he who founded the world’s first paleontological museum at the Villa Augusta – Stone Age artifacts discovered by the villa’s builders were displayed there. Tiberius removed here in 27 and built several villas. In the XIX century. the island was discovered by avid travelers from England, then artists and writers from other countries began to visit it. Later, Russian writer Maxim Gorky lived here for a long time, and after the Second World War the Germans came here.

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The beauty of Capri is legendary. The island is 6 kilometers long and the maximum width is 2.5 kilometers. Steep limestone mountain slopes protrude from the water – sometimes over 500 meters high. The landscape of the island is characterized by unusual rock formations, cliffs, but above all by many caves and grottoes, among which Grotta Azzura – the Blue Grotto – is particularly famous. In the upper plateau part of the island the nature is very pleasant: there is a lot of greenery, orange and lemon groves, orchards. The landscape is defined by a diverse Mediterranean vegetation. The island is divided between two communities: Capri and Anacapri. The town of Capri is a real tourist center with hotels, restaurants and stores. Anacapri, on the other hand, is more like a village. These towns are full of vacationers, but the coast between them and in the mountainous part of the island is much more beautiful and peaceful.

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What to see

The first impression of the island and its many grottos is easiest to get by taking a motorboat tour around it, during the trip you can sail up to Grotta Bianca, Grotta Meraviglioza, Grotta Verde and Grotta Rossa.

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Be sure to visit the garden of Caesar Augustus and admire the view of the sea and the Faraglione cliffs. Walk along Via Tebirio to the Villa Giovis, the most beautiful and largest of the Roman villas. Both Teberius and Caligula are said to have held orgies and torture here, although this may all just be rumor. In Anacapri you must see the Villa San Michele and the beautiful garden laid out by Axel Munthe, a Swedish doctor, on the ruins of another Roman villa.

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A must-see is the famous Blue Grotto, one of several sea caves on the rocky coast. Light reflects off the white sandy bottom and the water takes on an extraordinary glowing blue hue. Capri is a wonderful place for water sports and diving, or just relaxing on the seafront with a glass of limoncello in hand. Special boats run to and from the Blue Grotto.

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Inquiries

Piazza Umberto I, 19 80073 Capri;Tel: 08 18 37 04 24;Fax: 08 18 37 37 09 18;www.capritourism.com

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Arrival

From the mainland, there are several daily ferry and hydrofoil flights to Capri: from Naples, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi. There are sea connections to the neighboring island of Ischia as well.

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Holidays

In the first week of September, Capri hosts the “Settembrata Anacaprese” festival with a large, colorful procession on wagons. The four neighborhoods of the town of Anacapri then compete for the coveted prize of a golden grapevine.