Capri travel guide: Blue Grotto, Faraglioni and Anacapri

The Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra) is Capri's most famous sight, on the island's north-west coast. Sunlight enters through an underwater opening and bounces back as electric-blue reflections on the water: the effect is sharpest on a calm sea under a clear sky, roughly between 10:00 and 13:00.

There are two ways in: by boat from Marina Grande, or by bus to Anacapri and then the staircase down to the landing stage. Either way you transfer into a four-seat rowing boat; the oarsman pulls it under a metre-high opening using a chain. The visit inside lasts about five minutes.

The site is run by the Ministry of Culture: the site ticket and the rowing boat are paid separately; check coopculture.it for whether online booking is required on your date. The grotto closes as soon as swell or high tide blocks the entrance, and on 25 December and 1 January.

The Faraglioni are Capri's iconic rock formation: three limestone stacks rising from the sea off the island's south-eastern coast.

Each has a name: "Stella" (the stack still joined to land), "Faraglione di Mezzo" (the middle one, pierced by an arch that boats can pass through), and "Faraglione di Fuori," the farthest out. The latter is home to the blue lizard (Podarcis siculus coeruleus), an endemic subspecies.

They are best admired from the island's viewpoints, especially the Gardens of Augustus, or up close on a boat tour around the island.

Mount Solaro is the highest point on Capri, at 589 m. It offers panoramic views over the Bay of Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and the islands of Ischia and Procida.

To reach the summit you can hike the scenic trails or take the single-seat chairlift (seggiovia) from Piazza Vittoria in Anacapri; the ride takes about 13 minutes. A small café at the top lets you enjoy refreshments while taking in the view.

The mountain is home to diverse flora and fauna. A few minutes below the summit, toward Marina Piccola, stands the Hermitage of Santa Maria a Cetrella, a 16th-century chapel that adds a historical dimension to the visit.

Villa Jovis ("Villa of Jupiter") is the largest of the twelve Roman villas Emperor Tiberius built on Capri. Completed around 27 AD, it was the residence from which Tiberius governed the Roman Empire until his death in 37 AD.

Perched atop Monte Tiberio (334 m) at the north-eastern tip of the island, it spans about 7,000 m² across several terraces. Surviving walls, cisterns, and staircases remain, along with the "Salto di Tiberio," the cliff from which, according to legend, the emperor had his victims thrown.

It is one of the best-preserved imperial Roman residences in Italy, reached by a pleasant walk of about 45 minutes from Capri town.

Villa San Michele is the house that Swedish doctor and writer Axel Munthe had built in Anacapri at the end of the 19th century, on the ruins of a chapel and a Roman villa. He told its story in "The Story of San Michele" (1929), one of the best-selling books of the interwar years.

The visit runs through the rooms of the house, furnished with antiques and Roman fragments found on the island, then the pergola and the terraced garden overlooking Marina Grande and the Bay of Naples. The Egyptian sphinx at the end of the terrace is Anacapri's most photographed viewpoint.

The villa belongs to the Swedish state and also houses a bird observatory. It is open all year, with shorter hours from November to February; entry is paid.

The Gardens of Augustus are an iconic spot on Capri. Laid out in terraces on the southern slope of Capri town, a few minutes from the Piazzetta and next to the Charterhouse of San Giacomo, they overlook Marina Piccola and offer one of the finest views of Via Krupp and the Faraglioni rocks.

They were created in the early 20th century by German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp, who designed them as a place of rest and meditation planted with exotic species. First called the "Krupp Gardens," they were renamed "Gardens of Augustus" in 1918.

Now open to the public, they feature shaded paths, terraces flowering with geraniums and dahlias, and panoramic benches. They also hold a monument to Lenin sculpted by Giacomo Manzù in 1968.

Anacapri is the island's second town, perched on the western slope of Capri, in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It offers a more peaceful, traditional atmosphere than Capri town, with views of the Mediterranean, rugged cliffs, and flowering gardens.

Among its highlights: Villa San Michele, the former home of Swedish physician Axel Munthe now turned into a museum, and the church of San Michele Arcangelo, famous for its 18th-century majolica-tiled floor. The historic centre is best explored on foot, along streets lined with colourful houses.

From Piazza Vittoria, the chairlift climbs to the summit of Mount Solaro, the island's highest point. Anacapri is also known for its handmade sandals, custom-made in several shops around town.

La Piazzetta (officially Piazza Umberto I) is the central square of Capri town, in the Bay of Naples. Tiny but lively, it serves as a meeting point for locals and visitors alike, from morning until late at night.

Lined with cafes, restaurants, and boutiques, and overlooked by the clock tower, it concentrates the island's elegant way of life. People settle in for an espresso or an aperitif while watching the comings and goings.

It is also a handy starting point for the rest of Capri: the shopping lanes, the Gardens of Augustus, and the Faraglioni viewpoints all lead off from here.

The Charterhouse of San Giacomo (Certosa di San Giacomo) is a former monastery perched on a cliff south of Capri town, overlooking the sea and the Faraglioni. Founded in 1371 by Giacomo Arcucci, secretary to Queen Joan I of Naples, it was home to Carthusian monks.

Over the centuries the monastery was enlarged and restored several times and served as a major spiritual centre on the island. It was suppressed in 1808 and is no longer an active monastery.

Today the Charterhouse is open as a museum and cultural venue: it houses the Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach museum, a library, exhibition rooms, and fine gardens, and regularly hosts events.

Marina Grande, on the north coast, is where every hydrofoil and ferry from Naples and Sorrento docks. The waterfront gathers ticket offices, restaurants and the lower funicular station, which climbs to Capri town in 4 minutes; buses and taxis leave from the same square.

Marina Piccola, on the south coast, is a small cove linked to Capri town by bus and the starting point of many boat trips to the Faraglioni. The beaches of both marinas are described below.

Via Krupp is a switchback path cut into Capri's southern cliff between 1900 and 1902 at the initiative of German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp. It links the Charterhouse of San Giacomo and the Gardens of Augustus to Marina Piccola, about a hundred metres below.

Krupp had it built to reach his yacht and his bathing cave more quickly. The route strings together tight hairpin bends hugging the rock face, with a continuous view of the Faraglioni and the cove of Marina Piccola.

Closed in 2014 after rockfalls, the path reopened to walkers in 2023 after nine years of safety works. It can close at short notice for maintenance or after rockfalls.

Marina Grande beach is the closest beach to Capri's main port, on the island's north coast. It mixes pebbles and sand and stays easy to reach, a few minutes' walk from the landing stage.

There are paid bathing sections (loungers, parasols) and a free stretch. The view takes in the busy harbour and the cliffs that frame it.

Several restaurants and cafes line the beach, handy for lunch between visits without straying far from the port.

Marina Piccola beach sits in a cove on the south coast of Capri, facing the Faraglioni. It is in fact made up of two small beaches, Marina Piccola and Pennaulo, separated by a rock, the Scoglio delle Sirene.

The waters are clear and good for swimming and snorkelling; the shore is fairly rocky. Bathing establishments rent loungers and parasols, and restaurants overlook the sea.

It is also a handy starting point for boat trips that run along the Faraglioni and the caves of the coast.

Bagni di Tiberio beach lies on the north coast of Capri, in a small bay with clear waters. Its name, "Baths of Tiberius," refers to the Roman emperor Tiberius, whose villa once stood nearby.

It is a quiet beach, well suited to swimming and snorkelling. You will also find Roman archaeological remains incorporated into a seaside bathing establishment.

The spot appeals to those seeking a peaceful setting away from the bustle of the main sights, with a touch of ancient history.

Via Camerelle is one of the most elegant streets in Capri. It is lined with the boutiques of major fashion houses — Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton — alongside local artisans and stylish cafes.

It is also the busiest street in the early evening, as day-trippers head back. Many visitors sit down for a coffee or an aperitif along the promenade.

The street links the Piazzetta to the grand-hotel district and leads to fine viewpoints, making it a natural route for exploring the centre of Capri.