ISLAND VIBES //
As soon as you step off the boat at the Marina Grande, you'll notice a lot of people take day trips to the island of Capri. The island is the busiest at the port but venture away from the crowds and let yourself fall in love. At the top of the funicular the narrow streets of Capri smell of fresh lemon and homemade waffle cones. The sea breeze and bright blue water make you feel as if you fell into a Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue ad. The views from around the island will leave you mesmerized. It's truly a travelers paradise and worth being at the top of your traveling wish list.
PLANNING //
Capri was the first stop on our 18-day tour of Italy and Switzerland. We want to start somewhere relaxing and finish with adventure. We initially debated between Capri, and it's lesser-known cousin to the north, Ischia. They each had different vibes, but we went with our gut and went with the gorgeous island of Capri in the Bay of Naples. I'm hoping next trip we will be able to see more of the Amalfi coast and get a mud treatment in Ischia. I've learned don't just plan a day trip to the islands, plan for a couple of days or a week. I promise you won't want to leave.
GETTING THERE // PLANE->BUS->FERRY
We left NYC at 3pm on Oct. 1, 2015, and arrived the next morning at 6am in Naples. When we arrived, it was raining like ever! We took a bus from the airport that dropped us off at Napoli Beverello. We thought we would have a pizza in Naples, but after reading a lot about the pickpocketing and safety concerns, we decided to head straight for the ferry to get to the island of Capri. The high-speed ferry ticket (biglietto in Italian) cost about €20 and took about 45 minutes. We decided to take the quickest option because we hadn't eaten and we thought we would get there, drop our luggage and then grab something to eat. Welp, that all sounded nice until we hit some really rough waters and I got BOAT SICK! Yikes, not the way I wanted to spend the first day of vacation. I felt better when Coty said they handed about 50 other bags. The waters were so rough it wasn't safe to get up and run towards the bathroom because the floors were slippery from the rain. I wouldn't know because I couldn't even lift my head up. I must have looked like a zombie dragging myself from the boat, up the funicular then to the apartment where we were staying. We settled in and passed out until dinner time. Why am I sharing all this? Because I've learned it's important to listen to your body when you're traveling, be flexible with plans and more importantly remember that traveling isn't always easy and glamorous.
ACCOMMODATIONS //
We found the coziest little place on Airbnb which was great for two and in the perfect location. We didn't want to have to take a long taxi ride so we found a place where we could easily access using the funicular rail. From the ferry to our apartment was a quick 10 minutes. We wanted to be within walking distance to the Piazza and the center of Capri. Two nights including taxes and cleaning fees $284. If you choose to stay at a hotel, you may be able to arrange for them to transport your bags to the hotel using a narrow little vehicle like the one stacked with fruit below.
ThiNGS NOT TO MISS //
PIAZZA UMBERTO I - RELAX & PEOPLE WATCH - Easily found at the top of the funicular. Lovely place to relax in the early morning while sipping a cappuccino or a glass of vino in the evenings. We were up at 5am our first morning in Capri, so that's exactly what we did.
GARDENS OF AUGUSTUS - Beautiful and romantic place to take photos and soak up the endless views of the Faraglioni to the left, and the Via Krupp to the right. Look out over the cliffs into the Marina Piccola Bay and watch the boats come and go. Entrance to the gardens cost 1 euro. Don't forget to get a lemon granita using Capri's famous lemons as you walk through the orange and lemon groves.
SEE THE FARAGLIONI - The iconic view of the giant rock formations that line the rugged coastline. You just have to go!
MARINA GRANDE BEACH - We spent a couple of hours at the beach getting a little sun, soaking up the views and floating in the crystal clear water. The beach was pretty empty when we were there in October, but the weather was still enjoyable at 75. Instead of sand, there were giant round rocks that were a little hard on the feet, but we got used to it.
TAKE A BOAT TOUR IN THE BLUE GROTTO - With limited time we decided to relax on the beach over traveling to the Blue Grotto in Ana Capri. Honestly, we've read mixed reviews on this. Some say it's magical and others mention that is too commercialized and overpriced. Why do I include it? Because opinions aside this isn't something you can do everywhere
VISIT THE SHOPS - One of our favorites shops was Carthusia, a beautifully curated perfume shop with refreshing scents that spill into the streets and lead you straight into the store. In the back, you can see the scientists working on the different scents; I thought that was pretty interesting.
Canfora Capri Sandals is another neat little shop to check out if you love sandals. Each pair of sandals is handmade on the island using high-quality leather and materials. The history of this place is pretty impressive. They have a sandal named Like Jackie after the shoes Jackie Kennedy chose after her visit there in 1962..
EATS //
BUONOCORE GELATERIA - If you are near the piazza you are just a minute away from the best gelato on the island (my favorite in Italy). You will know you're close when you smell the fresh scent of waffle cone in the air. Let your nose guide you! Walking on vacation = at least two gelato breaks per day! I got the toasted almond and the pistachio along with the oh so fresh waffle cone.
BUCA DI BACCO - This little hidden gem was just minutes away from our Airbnb. When we arrived, there weren't many people there but by the time we left the places was packed and lively. This was our first meal in Italy, and I was a little nervous to order in Italian, but we made it work. We started with a bottle of red wine and the classic Caprese salad. We each got a pizza and something little for dessert. I will admit when the pizzas came out uncut; we were a little confused then had to look around to see if this was normal. It was, so we cut it with our fork and knives. Never would have guessed!
LO SFIZIO - Someone we met recommended this place for dinner our second night. It's a local favorite and out of the touristy areas. It's a 10-minute straight uphill hike to get there buts so worth it! The Caprese salad was the best we had in Italy. From there we had two fresh pasta dishes and embraced all the carb overload. When it came time for dessert, I couldn't decide what I wanted to so I asked the waitress her opinion. She said, "you need to try them both, and it's making me hungry thinking about it. How about you have both and we split the one?" So, of course, we did that! She offered us so many shots of limoncello after dinner, which came from the owner's lemon trees. I was afraid if I had any more I'd be rolling back down the hill after dinner. The atmosphere was romantic and candlelit but still felt very family oriented. We were there until nearly 11pm, and the owners ate with their family at the table in the center. It was probably one of our most authentic dining experiences in Italy.
GETTING AROUND //
FUNICULAR - The cable railway that will take you up the mountain through the lemon groves and drops you off at the center of Capri. It departs every 15 minutes or so and lasts about 10 minutes. Price is $2.
ON FOOT - We walked everywhere! Wear comfortable shoes or miss out! I wore sandals both days and didn't have any problems getting around.
BUS - The buses are located to the right of the port once you arrive. You can purchase tickets there. If you're trying to get to Ana Capri from Capri, this is going to be the best/cheapest option.
TAXIS - Depending on where you are staying this might be the best arrival option to get there with hands full of luggage. Taxis can easily be found at the base of the port of Marina Grande.
BOAT - If you're trying to get to a restaurant or a particular location it may be fastest to get there in a boat. Don't forget to check into this option.
WHAT I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN //
STAY LONGER. We had a wonderful time so much so that I wish we would have stayed for at least another two days. Sure, we missed some things we wanted to do and didn't get to visit Ana Capri, but we also spent most of our first day sleeping and trying to recover from all the traveling. This was the relaxing part of our trip and the 2.5 days felt pretty rushed.
BEST TIME TO VISIT //
The peak months of travel are between June and August, where the tourists flock to the islands and drive up the prices of hotels and ferries. Avoid the crowds and go during early and late summer months (April, May, October). We traveled in the first week of October and were able to lay on the beach and swim and wear light layers in the evening.
WHAT WE BROUGHT HOME //
Keeping space in mind, I found a tiny handmade bowl in an art gallery while wandering around the souvenir shops near the docks. It had the most beautiful royal blue, crackled glaze design on the lid. I knew that I would think of the clear blue water every time I looked at it. It now sits on my bed stand, and I put my earrings and rings in it before bed.
We stumbled across the Carthusia store and were immediately drawn into all the refreshing fragrances. When inside we watched the perfumers making the scents in the back of the store. We left with a bottle to gift to someone.
WHAT WE SPENT //
BUDGETING: A general idea of what we spent in USD.
Airbnb for 2 nights - $284
Meals for 2 - Breakfast $10 (pastry and a cappuccino), Lunch $20-30 (Usually pasta or pizza), Average Dinner $50 (Usually bread, an appetizer, two mains, wine, and dessert)
Funicular Tickets - $2.50 per ticket
High-speed Ferry - $20 ticket one way per person - $80 roundtrip for 2 (Port in Naples to Port in Capri)
Train ticket - Naples to Rome $50 per ticket
Do you have any questions or helpful tips for visiting Capri? xx ASH
