Capri among villas, grottoes and coastal paths

Capri brings nature, history and local character together within a compact area. Among striking rocks, grottoes, coastal paths and villas, you will find a variety of ways to shape your stay. The island can be explored through its landscapes, culture, activities and cuisine.

Villas, antiquity and history

Villa Jovis is located on Monte Tiberio at an elevation of 334 metres on the eastern edge of Capri, overlooking the Gulf of Naples. It is the most imposing of the residences built for Tiberius. Villa San Michele is the life's work of the Swedish doctor and writer Axel Munthe. The ancient Phoenician Steps connect Capri's harbour directly with Villa San Michele via approximately 900 steps.

The thousand-year-old Castello Barbarossa is a castle used by ornithologists in spring to study migratory birds. The Museo Archeologico di Capri is housed in the Certosa di San Giacomo. It opened in July 2024 and displays 120 exhibits on the island's ancient history, including marble sculptures, frescoes and ceramics.

Villa Lysis was built in 1904 by the Count of Fersen. The villa reflects his eclectic, elegant, eccentric, luxurious, restrained and at the same time lavish personality. Capri therefore brings ancient residences, architecture and personal life stories together side by side.

Coastal paths and grottoes

The Sentiero dei Fortini is a coastal path running from the Blue Grotto to the Faro di Punta Carena, passing the three forts of Orrico, Pino and Mesola. The fortifications are historic military positions: the British built them in 1806, and after the capture of Capri at Orrico on 4 October 1808, the French expanded them.

The Blue Grotto is accessed through a low, submerged entrance in small rowing boats and is only possible when the sea is calm and there is no wind. The intense blue inside is created by the refraction of sunlight at a submerged opening in the rock.

From Anacapri, a bus leaves from the terminal on Viale De Tommaso and reaches the area of the Blue Grotto in about 10 minutes. From there, the entrance can be reached by land before the required transfer to a rowing boat. Several group boat excursions depart daily from the harbour at Marina Grande, including tours to the Faraglioni and the Blue Grotto.

The Faraglioni are 100 metres high on average. The Grotta di Matermania is approximately 30 metres long, 20 metres wide and 10 metres high on average.

Getting there, nature and flavour

The main ports of embarkation for Capri are Naples and Sorrento. The cable car to Monte Solaro starts at Piazza Vittoria in Anacapri. Capri is home to small mammals, many bird species including migratory birds, and numerous invertebrates. The waters around the island are also home to numerous marine mammals, fish, reptiles and invertebrates.

In the narrow streets of Capri, you can visit the boutiques and workshops of Carthusia. The master perfumers there continue to work by hand, creating fragrances through slow, careful processes. Typical dishes on Capri are based on locally grown tomatoes, vegetables, wild herbs and lemons, as well as fresh fish.

Since the experiences described begin from different starting points, it is helpful when choosing a hotel to consider your personal priorities and daily mobility together. This allows you to align your accommodation choice with your planned interests in culture, the coast, nature or food, without reducing the island to just one aspect.

More destinations for planning your trip to Italy

For further travel planning in Italy, you can also find Somma Vesuviana, Roccarainola, Afragola, San Giuseppe Vesuviano, Pozzuoli, Marina Di Varcaturo, Arzano and Boscoreale.

To the overarching travel overview: Naples.