Capri is an island in the southern Gulf of Naples of the Tyrrhenian Sea. This seaside resort, which was popular even in the days of the Roman Republic, has remained a famous place in Italy for relaxing on the sea.
There are several options for the origin of the name of the island: the first version is from lat. Caprae - goat island, the second version from the Greek. Caprios - wild pig (the facts of the colonization of the island by the ancient Greeks are confirmed by excavations). According to Homer's work "Odyssey," sirens lived in these parts, luring sailors with their singing and forcing them to turn ships on deadly reefs. The area of the island is about 10km2. The island has two main settlements - Capri and Anacapri, in which 15 thousand people live. The highest place on the island is Mount Monte Solaro, 589 m high.
Capri is the only island of the Gulf of Naples that is not of volcanic origin, but is formed by a huge limestone rock, which over time gave Capri its present relief.
Climate Capri
The climate on the island is warm and mild, the weather on the island is excellent all year round, there is little rainfall.
There is no winter on the island, and in summer the heat is balanced by a breeze, bringing the wet coolness of the sea.
The island is ideal for people with lung diseases. Man wildly diluted the island's wild flora with a vineyard, citrus and olives.
More than 2000 years ago, Emperor Octavian Augustus idolized Capri, exchanging for it the richer island of Ischia, on which healed healing springs, which are very appreciated by the Romans. But Augustus appreciated the Capri silence, detachment from the outside world, politics, work, gossip. For these virtues, Augustus also called Capri a paradise of idleness. The beauty of these places and isolation from the mainland allowed us to spend time on two classes - relaxation and philosophy.
Today, Capri is a high-service resort. On a small territory of two towns of the island there are about 60 hotels.
Hotels in Capri are diverse in class and price, but they are similar in one - attentive, friendly and professional staff. Room prices can satisfy a wide range of holidaymakers - both middle-class and Hollywood movie stars. See article about the most luxurious options.
The cost of rooms in hotels also depends on the season and varies mainly within 100-700 euros per day per room.
Very rarely budget special offers happen and it becomes possible to rent an ordinary double room for 40 euros per day with breakfast. To find the option that suits you, we recommend using Booking.com or the alternative super search below:
Capri is administratively part of the Campania region of central Italy. The Campania region is widely known for its amazing cuisine, which differs from the gastronomy of other regions. It is Campania that is the birthplace of pizza.
Traditional island cuisine
Capri cuisine is traditionally Campanian, in addition to pizza, it can offer meringue-ice cream, unique Italian coffee, sausages, buffalo curd milk, artichokes, candied chestnuts.
Cheese: Mozzarella, Silano, Provolone del Monaco, Kachiokavallo podoliko occupy a special place in the cuisine of Capri.
In the cellars of Capri restaurants are stored century-old wines.
The island of Capri can be considered the birthplace of limoncello - the second most popular drink in Italy after Campari liqueur. This is lemon liquor, which is produced by the method of insisting lemon peels, and in the manufacture of most alcoholic lemon drinks using the distillation method.
Limoncello is insisted for 3 to 5 days, then the alcohol and sugar contents are adjusted to the required proportions and placed in special machines for emulsification.
The drink is rich in vitamin C has a natural bright yellow color and lemon flavoring notes. Limoncello di Capri is one of the "chips" of the island.
The island can be easily reached by ferry or boat to one of the two harbors of Marina Grande or Marina Piccola.
Transport links are regularly provided from the ports of Naples and Sorrento.
The coastline along its main stretch is strongly indented and consists of jagged steep cliffs with grottoes, bays, gorges and reefs protruding from the water. Therefore, there are no large sandy beaches on Capri, but many bays have pebble beaches. Most beaches are equipped with special platforms and stairs for descent to the sea. The most popular beaches are in Marina Piccola, near the Blue Grotto and the Cliffs of Faraglioni
Transport
Transport on the island, due to its small size, is not diverse, its representatives are minibuses and taxis. Minibus ticket costs 1 euro.
However, the most popular transport to Capri are boats that take walks around the island.
From the port of Marina Grande to Piazza Umberto (Piazzetta) you can reach the cable car of 1907. The length of the funicular route is 650m. Umberto Square, with its narrow streets surrounding it, is the most expensive vacation spot on the island. A glass of Coca-Cola, for example, costs 5 euros here, and you can manage to buy a traditional Tramedin sandwich for 12 euros.
Attractions Capri
Since the island was popular in ancient times, it has a sufficient number of attractions. Near the port of Marina Grande are the ruins of the Maritime Palace of Emperor Augustus (Palazzo al Mare). A little lower the successor of Augustus, Tiberius built his Thermes (Bagni di Tiberio), also Tiberius built twelve villas, the most famous of which Jupiter's Villa.
This is the largest villa among the villas built by the emperor. Villa Jupiter is located on a hill of Monte Tiberio. Here for the first time they built tanks for rainwater, which subsequently began to be supplied to supply towns. Tiberius spent his last ten years of his life and rule in Capri in this villa. Villa Jupiter is relatively well preserved, which allows tourists to appreciate the beauty of Roman architecture of the 1st century.
Villa Malaparte
On Cape Massulo, in splendid isolation Villa Malaparte. The building was built in 1938-1949 by the Italian writer and journalist Curzio Malaparte.
The construction is a strict-style two-story red house. A wide staircase leads to the flat-roofed building. Films “Contempt” by Jean-Luc Godard (1963), starring Brigitte Bardot, and “Skin” by Liliana Cavani (1981), starring Marcello Mastroianni, were shot at the villa.
Cave of the Great Mother
In the bowels of Mount Tuoro lies the cave of the Great Mother. The cave was intended to Cybele, which was not included in the pantheon of the gods of Ancient Rome.
The cult of the goddess of eastern origin in the Roman Empire appeared in 204 BC. according to the dictates of the oracle of Seville, historians believe, to expel Hannibal from Italy. The Romans turned the cave into a cult place, the walls are decorated with mosaics, shells and colored stucco. Today in the cave there are only a few traces of ancient art.
Cliffs of faraglioni
On either side of Matteotti Street, there is a park called the Gardens of Emperor Augustus. It is a Capri style botanical garden with many terraces. This is a good place for lovers of walks in the shady coolness. From the park you can admire one of the business cards of Capri - Cliffs of faraglioni.
These are three high sea cliffs. The nearest rock is Stella or Faraglione di Terra with a height of 109 m., Connected to the island by a lintel. The middle cliff of Mezzo, 82m high, is a natural arch under which a boat can float freely. The distant cliff of Faraglione di Fuori or Scopolo, 104 m high, known for being inhabited by a "blue lizard" - one of the rarest species of reptiles.
Find hotel on CapriPhoenician stairs
Tourists who are not afraid of physical exertion are advised to take a walk along the Phoenician stairs (Scala fenicia) connecting Capri and Anacapri. The steps of the staircase in the amount of 921 pieces were carved into the rock in the VI-VII centuries BC. In 1874, the staircase collapsed, but was restored in 1998.
Having overcome the distance of 1.7 km along the Phoenician stairs, you can get to the Chapel of St. Anthony, which is located approximately in the middle between Capri and Anacapri.
Church of San Michele
In the historical center of Anacapri you can see the Church of San Michele, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. The church was built in the XVII-XVIII centuries in the Baroque style and was an integral part of the Theresian monastery.
The building is characterized by its octagonal dome and rich interior: frescoes, stone sculptural elements, a large number of multi-colored marble that adorns the interior. Most of all the church is famous for its floor, on which in 1761 majolica tiles were laid out the scenes of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. The side altars contain paintings by Paolo de Matteis, Nicola Malincolico and Poe.
Monastery of San Giacomo
Not far from Piazzetta in the city of Capri stands the monastery of San Giacomo. The monastery was erected in the period 1363-1371 with the money of Queen Queen Giovanna I of Naples, under the strict guidance of Count Giacomo Arkucci. At the end of construction, the count was about to get a haircut, but a coup d'etat occurred, the Anjou dynasty came to power, and the count and queen were killed.
For almost two hundred years the monastery stood and did not know grief. But in the XVI century, he was plundered by the troops of the pirate Dragut. The halls were partially destroyed, and the interior was mostly taken out. After this, the monastery was restored at the expense of local residents. In 1690, an epidemic of plague hit the island. The monks, hiding behind the walls of the monastery, refused to shelter the locals. For a long time, monasteries on the island were treated extremely negatively. Today the Monastery of San Giacomo is open to all visitors, open-air concerts are organized in the courtyard. And in the building of the monastery itself is a museum of the German artist Diefenbach, who lived and worked in Capri for the last 13 years of his life.
Blue Grotto
On the northern coast of Capri is the most popular attraction, which has become the emblem of the island - the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra).
It is known worldwide for its magical azure color of water. This color is given to the water by the sun's rays penetrating through a small opening inlet. Researchers suggest that in ancient times this place was a sacred grotto of sea nymphs. Inside the grotto you can only get on a small rowing boat, lying along the bottom. The entrance is a small passage in the rock 2m wide and a little over 1m high. When a north-west or south-west wind rises, getting into the Blue Grotto is not possible.
