Capri Rich in history, glamour and beauty, Capri is also the perfect size for a couple of days' exploring. Rebecca Burgess gives her highlights of this gem of an island.
he island of Capri, rising out of the shimmering Tyrrhenian Sea, has long held an allure for some rather illustrious characters, with figures as prominent as Charles Dickens and Graham Green among those who have lauded the pleasures of this captivating destination. "There is no spot in the world with such delightful possibilities of reposeT as this little isle," eulogised Dickens. "For me there is a sense of peace and joy in Anacapri that I have never found anywhere else in the world," decried Greene. But is there a touch of poetic licence in the outpourings of these literary grandees or is Capri really as good as all that? I decided to find out on a short weekend trip, but first I had to get there. The island's landscape is not blighted by an airport, which means that Capri is reached only by boat or helicopter. One of the most direct routes is to first travel to Naples, then take a short ferry or private transfer to the island. I was lucky enough to travel via the latter on board a private motorboat, courtesy of Capritime a fitting start to a visit to an island renowned for its indulgences. Capri is perfectly sized for a weekend's exploring and is divided into four distinct areas: the town of Capri, Marina Grande, Marina Piccolo and Anacapri. Over 8,000 people live in the town of Capri, the central, more conspicuously touristy and wealthy area, while a further 7,000 live in Anacapri, which is quieter and more typical of the Caprese people. Capri is served by the Marina Grande on the eastern side, where a fabulous assortment of private yachts dominates the berths and where the ferries and hydrofoils dock, and Marina HOTEL GATTO BIANCO - 1 Via Vittorio Emanuele, 32 ☎ +39 081 837 5143 www.gattobiancocapri.com Historic hotel in the centre of Capri, built in the 1950s by the Esposito brothers. In its early years, the hotel's restaurant was a meeting place for the island's rich and famous. Rooms are modern and comfortable, with breakfasts served in a floweredcourtyard. Double room from €150
LA SCALINATELLA 2 Via Tragara, 6/8 ☎ +39 081 837 0633 www.scalinatetla.com A luxury fivestar hotel, La Scalinatella is located in a panoramic and peaceful area of central Capri. With whitewashed walls, lemon trees and stunning architecture the hotel also has plenty of amenities including a garden, tennis court and swimming pool. The hotel has a charming ambience and an excellent restaurant specialising in Caprese cuisine. Double room from €250 > Piccola on the southern side, with its streets. The Piazzetta has been described SAN MICHELE - 3 beach and restaurants. as the "drawing room of the world" and THE FUNICULAR Via G Orlandi, 1, Anacapri Getting around Capri is easy, particularly is a magnet for writers, actors, artists, ☎ +39 081 837 1427 Cars are a rarity www.sanmichetecapri.com on the island of if you make use of all the island's modes politicians and the international jetset Threestar hotel located in a large Capri, so travel of transport boats, buses and the community. The numerous outdoor garden with breathtaking views of the is principally funicular railway. The funicular, which tables are always full and the clothes, island. Built in a neoclassical style in the by bus, taxi, runs from Marina Grande (where visitors jewellery and hairstyles are a sight to 1870s, the hotel was a favourite haunt walking and the arrive) to central Capri, takes only a behold. Here, weary shoppers relax after for famous artists, writers and nobility, indispensable funicular couple of minutes and is a wonderful boosting the island's economy in the including AxeL Munthe and Swedish way to travel. In addition, orange buses designer boutiques, including Armani, royalty. There are 60 rooms and a sun railway. The terrace. Seaview double room from funicular links scurry endlessly between the marinas, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada. €160 the Marina Grande to the MONTE SOLARO B&B - 4 centre of Capri. Via Monte Solaro, 30, Anacapri It takes only a few minutes and ☎ +39 081 837 0868 www.montesolarocapri.com is the most cost efficient and An excellent B&B a few steps from the centre of Anacapri, with views across environmentally the island. The rooms are airconditioned friendly way Capri and Anacapri, and although a bit There is also a collection of firstclass to travel. A with private bathrooms and telephones. of a squash at peak times, you never have hotels, with more reasonably priced ones, A large terrace is open to all residents one-way ticket to wait long for another. such as the threestar Gatto Bianco, still and guests. The hotel only has three available in the heart of Capri. The bedrooms, so it's advisable to book in Alternatively tackle the 30-40 CAPRI TOWN Gatto Bianco was the meeting place for advance. Double room from €70 minute uphill I soon discovered that while Capri's the island's rich and famous in the GRAND HOTEL PARKER'S - 5 climb along popularity with tourists vetoes peace and 1950s, including King Farouk, Clark Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 135, Naples walled alleyways quiet, it offers hours of peoplewatching. Gable, Sofia Loren and Jacqueline up the hillside. ☎ +39 081 761 2474 Hordes of day trippers, diamonden- Kennedy. From the hotel, it's a short www.grandhotetparkers.com crusted ladies shopping in the lanes and walk through the winding cobbled An antiquefilled fivestar hotel overlook- smooth men comparing the size of their streets to the Gardens of Augustus on the ing the Bay of Naples and only a yachts in the marina provide plenty of far side of the island. The gardens are tenminute walk from Plebiscito Square, entertainment. teeming with beautiful scents and the Royal Palace and National Museum. It is located 2km from Porto Santa The best place to soak up this theatre is flowers, but more often than not also Lucia, where the ferries and hydrofoils in the 'Piazzetta', also known as the tour parties. depart for Capri and is an ideal Piazza Umberto I. This square in Capri's A good escape is down the Via Krupp a stopover when travelling to or from centre sits above the Marina Grande and winding road cut into the Capri. Double room from €255 is the focus of a labyrinth of cobbled CASA ROSSA, Anacapri, - 6 Built between 1876 and 1898 by American colonel JC MacKowen, the red house surrounds the Aragonese Tower built by the residents of Anacapri in the second half of the 14th century to defend their town. It is home to an exhibition of paintings depicting the island between the 19th and 20th centuries.
CARTHUSIA - 7 www.carthusia.com The first perfume was created on Capri in 1380 when an arrangement of the most beautiful flowers on the island was prepared for a visit of Queen Giovanna D'Angio and left in a vase for three days, creating scented water. The technique was perfected by Caithusian monks and is still used today at the Carthusia factory.
CHURCH SAN MICHELE, ANACAPRI - 8 The church, built on the wishes of a nun from Capri, Mother Serafina di Dio, was built between 1698 and 1719. It has one of the most beautiful tiled floors in the world, dating from 1761, and created by Leonardo rock in the early 1900s by the Michele, on the other hand, houses Chiaiese, one of the best majolica German industrialist Friedrich its breathtaking artwork on the floor craftsmen from Abruzzo. August Krupp. Described as one of in the form of a shining carpet of SHOPPING Shopping is the THE GROTTOS - 9 the most panoramic roads in the majolica created by Leonardo The Blue Grotto is the most famous, but world, it leads to the relative Chiaiese. The church floor is essence of Capri and a full-time there are many other grottos worth a visit. tranquillity of Marina Piccola, on covered by a vast painting, depicting These include the Green Grotto, the Grotto occupation for of the Cannon, the Red Grotto and the the western side of Capri. Adam and Eve in the Garden of many tourists Eden, the serpent and an array of Grotto of the Sea Bull, formerly home to a visiting the seal colony. Join one of the boat trips from ANACAPRI wild and domesticated animals. island. There the port to explore the grottos. To experience the Capri beyond the Anacapri is also home to the is a glittering tourists, it's best to stay in Anacapri, chairlift, which transports visitors array of designer ALEX MUMTHE VILLA, Anacapri - 10 or at least spend a little time on a tenminute ride from Piazza boutiques, Famous Swedish physician and author fabulous exploring there. While Anacapri is Vittoria to Monte Solaro, the Alex Munthe built his Villa San Michele one jewellery stores stone at a time on the slopes of Monte also hugely popular with tourists, it highest point on the island at 589 and luxury Solaro, in Anacapri, on the ruins of an is actually where the majority of metres. At the summit there is a café merchandise, ancient Roman villa. It is now a museum people who live and work in Capri and spectacular views across the including and home to a collection of ancient Roman have their homes. It was here that island and to mainland Italy. To Armani and archaeological finds. D&G. Visit the the Swedish writer and doctor Alex descend either take the chairlift and MONTE SOLARO - 11 Munthe chose to build Villa San enjoy a serene downward drift into quieter streets of Anacapri to Take a tenminute chairlift from Piazza Vittoria, in Anacapri, to Monte Solaro, the Michele an imposing residence Anacapri or, if you're feeling more pick up pottery, highest point on the island at 589 metres. It built on the ruins of an ancient energetic, try the 50minute walk local artwork, Capri's sensuous offers a spectacular panorama. The return Roman villa. A tour of the villa passing Santa Maria, a monastery walk to the centre of Anacapri takes about shows the rooms laid out as Munthe created by 14thcentury Carrhusian perfumes, fine 50 minutes, or jump back on the chairlift for wines and other lived in them, with displays of his monks. an easier descent. work and ancient Roman archaeo- delicacies. logical finds. The gardens are TO THE SEA BEACHES Capri's beaches are sophisticated bathing stunning and are worth exploring, Being an island the call of the sea is establishments with restaurants, with panoramic views of the island. strong on Capri. The perfect day waterbased activities, sunbathing areas, Two other mustsees are the out is a boat excursion, whether on a ropedoff swimming sections and lifeguards. artistic delights of Casa Rossa Caprese gozzo (a motorpowered As a result there is a charge for the privilege of enjoying a day on the shores. literally a red house and Chiesa di boat with tarpaulin shade and Among the best are Bagni di Tiberio, San Michele. Casa Rossa was built sunbathing area), a chartered yacht Palazzo a Mare, at €8, Da Luigi, between 1876 and 1898 by an or a larger tourist boar. By boar you Faraglioni, at €14 or Da Gioia, Marina American colonel, JC MacKowen, can explore the rugged coastline, Piccola, at around €10. and is home to a permanent anchor for a swim in the blue seas, collection of paintings many and investigate the beaches and depicting scenesa of Capri through- restaurants. out the centuries. Chiesa di San RISTORANTE DA PAOLINO - 12 Via Palazzo a Mare, 11, Capri ☎ +39 0818 376 102 A Large and friendly restaurant set among overhanging lemon trees decked with lanterns along the coast of Capri, about two kilometres from the port. The restaurant has a tantalising menu of speciality dishes and a sumptuous buffet. Meal for two about €60
LA CAPANNINA - 13 Via Le Botteghe, 12/14, Capri ☎ +39 0818 370 732 Located in the heart of the historical centre of Capri, this elegant restaurant is run by Antonio, Aurelia, Francesco and Renata De Angelis and has a sister shop, La Capannina Più, offering delicacies such as aubergines stuffed with ricotta, the traditional ravioli alla Caprese and the island's freshest fish catch. Meal for two about €70
IL TINELLO - 14 Via L'Abate, 1/3 Although it's very much on the tourist and further along stand the Faraglioni ☎ +39 0818 377 673 trail, no visit to Capri would be two gigantic rocks breaking out of the A small and homely restaurant tucked away BLUE GROTTO The Blue Grotto complete without a visit to the sea a home to the rare Blue Lizard and in the alleyways behind the central square in is renowned for infamous Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto). commonly used as a symbol of Capri. Capri, this typically Caprese restaurant its cobalt blue Capri has many grottos, but the Then comes Marina Piccola, the serves wonderful food homemade by the waters, which owner, who caters the menu for the day's are visited Azzurra is the island's most famous island's southernmost landing place, set freshest ingredients and his own specialities. by thousands since its rediscovery by German painter in a picturesque inlet at the foot of Booking is essential. Meal for two about €30 of tourists August Kopisch, in 1826. I visited the Mount Solaro, which grew from a each year. Hans Christian grotto as part of a daylong boat collection of fisherman's cottages into RISTORANTE LA RONDINELLA - 15 Andersen said excursion with Capritime, but it's also an international centre of restaurants, Via G Orlandi, 295, Anacapri of it: "I saw a ☎ +39 0818 371 223 clear blue star A picturesque warm and welcoming which cast a restaurant in a quieter street in Anacapri, with single, long ray a flowerdecked terrace. Specialities include of light, pure as ether, over scialatielli with zucchini and smoked the mirror of mozzarella, griglia alla pesce and pezzagna the water." The easily accessible by bus or on foot. sunbathing terraces and water sports. forno can patata. Meal for two about €40 grotto is open every day from Entrance to the grotto is gained Here palm trees offer shade in June and PIAZZA UMBERTO I - 16 9am to one hour through a tiny gap in the cliff face and July when the area is awash with the Capri The main square of central Capri is before sunset. outside the bay is filled with a flurry of vibrant colours of oleander, hibiscus Visit either on a surrounded on all sides with openair cafés, rowing boats queuing to enter, manned and geraniums. It is the jewel in the boat from Marina providing the perfect place to see and be Grande or after a by Capri's expert oarsmen. crown of several beaches along this seen while sipping a martini or starting the 50-minute walk Once inside the cavern opens out shore, but you must pay a daily day with a cappuccino. Take a seat at the from Anacapri. into a magnificent space where the entrance fee to make use of sun Piccolo Bar, Pulalli Wine Bar, Gran Caffè or refracted light turns the water an loungers, bars and a supervised Bar Tiberio. intensely rich cobalt blue. But the swimming area. Grotta Azzurra is by no means the only I visited Lido del Faro, a secluded GEORGE’S RESTAURANT - 17 GRAND HOTEL PARKER'S grotto on the island. Others include the bay with a fabulous restaurant, Corso Vittorio Emanuele 135, Naples Red Grotto, the Green Grotto, the Ristorante del Faro, where we were able ☎ +39 0817 612 474 Grotto of the Cannon - named because to take part in a cookery lesson making The rooftop restaurant of this hotel offers of its booming noise - and the Grotto the island's typical ravioli and pezzogna stunning views and is a favourite with of the Sea Bull, formerly home to a seal fish, before feasting on our endeavours. Neapolitans. Delicious Mediterranean colony. Sailing round the shore, you The entrance fee for this is between cuisine with interpretations of the region's also come across the red home of the €10 €15 and includes a chair or classic dishes. Meal far two about € 70.> communist writer Curzio Malaparte lounger. TERRA FIRMA Damecuta, the ruins of which were
Back on dry land, more of the island's unearthed between 1937 and 1948 and CAPRITIME delights can be discovered in its lush which houses a tower added during the The only way vegetation and botanical secrets. The 12th century. to really get tourist board has produced a fabulous to know Capri book called Capri Blossoming, which is from the describes II walks round the island. It THE FLAVOURS sea and it's was compiled by botanical expert and Greek and Roman influences are still easy to spend days exploring. photographer Tullia Rizzotti, and it is visible today in another attraction of Capritime Boats advisable to buy a copy and take some the island its cuisine and wine. The offers excursions time to explore on foot. cuisine focusses on simple dishes, using local The island's history is also extremely principally based on fish from the skippers on accessible on foot, as is the opportunity surrounding seas and vegetables grown gozzo or luxury to visit Capri's many ruins. There is on the island. Typical dishes include speedboats. Try a day's tour of evidence of inhabitation dating back baked pasta, sweet peppers and the grottos. You 400,000 years, when the island was aubergines, roast rabbit and the locally can also treat joined to the mainland. The island caught white fish pezzogna. yourself to a seems to have inspired strong emotions Capri also boasts its own wines. The private transfer in all those who have visited or made white wine is a pale straw colour and from Naples to their homes there. The island's grandest made from Aglianico, Biancolella, start a visit on a sophisticated supporter was Roman emperor Fiano and Greco grapes, while the red note Visit Augustus, who arrived on Capri in 29 comes from the vineyard of Piedirosso. www.capritime BC. He was so taken with the place, he The Caprese wines were the claim to boats.com traded the island of Ischia to Naples, fame of the historic Caffè Morgano, which then controlled Capri, and the which formed the heart of the island's Neapolitans accepted. Later came social life between the 19th and 20th Emperor Tiberius, who loved the island centuries. There its samplers included so much he transformed it into his own Lenin and Graham Greene. miniature kingdom, effectively moving So, if you want to visit Capri simply the centre of power from Rome to his to experience the high life, why not island home, and lived there from 26 to make like the famous, infamous, 37 AD. artistic and glamorous take a seat Tiberius is said to have built 12 among the glitterati in the Piazzetta, sip villas and set up his imperial residency a glass of chilled wine, relax and just in Villa Jovis, whose ruins can still watch the world drift by. be visited, along with those of Villa