When in the Sorrento/Naples area, it is almost obligatory to visit the island of Capri. Our host was kind enough to arrange a full-day boat trip from Sorrento to Capri for us. The driver picked us up at the top of our hill early in the morning. We had grown accustomed to the 150m climb up and down the steep hill. Good morning warm up.
Getting to Capri
After arriving at the marina in Sorrento (Marina Grande), we were a little shocked that they wanted cash for the trip. None of us brought enough, so off to the one working ATM in the marina. Cash was forthcoming, so we paid for our trip and walked on a small wooden pier to reach our boat.
I would guess that there were a total of about 12 people on the boat so it was fairly comfortable. Soda, water, and beer were available but it was still morning so we all drank water.
As we approached the island, our skipper told us that he was going to go around the island and pull into a less crowded marina on the backside. On the far corner of the island are the ruins of a Roman villa, said to belong to Tiberias. There were other ruins of Roman settlements that we could see as we circled the island.
The Grottos
Capri is known for its grottos, particularly the Blue Grotto. Our captain prepared us on the way for a several-hour wait to get into the privately owned blue grotto. He said it would be up to us to wait or not. The way into the grotto is in a row boat and you have to duck, depending on the tide. The visit costs 14€/person and you get a few minutes to look before leaving. We collectively decided to skip it.
We were able to visit some other grottos. The island is sandstone, so the are many caves and arches. The color is due to the depth of the water. We also had the opportunity for a few swim breaks in protected areas. Overall, I think we saw the most interesting parts of the island from the water on the way to the small harbor.
As with many islands, the sea not only forms grottos but also dramatic rock formations that include natural arches. On Capri, the most famous arches and rock formations are Faraglioni. The best way to see them is from a boat as we did.
Marina Piccolo
When we arrived in the tiny harbor on the Mediterranean side of the island, Marina Piccolo, we had to wait for transport to the pier. Even our small boat wasn’t small enough to moor at the pier so we transferred to shore in a small inflatable boat. There is a small town around the tiny harbor. We had a credit at the snack bar with our tour so we decided it was time for lunch and drinks. On this occasion, I decided to try the Capri Spritz: a limoncello spritz with some Blue Curaçao. We all decided that it was just ok, like the food, but eating near the water and the beach is never bad.
After lunch, we took an open-air taxi to Capri Town on the other side of the island. The island is shaped like a two-hump camel with the road going up and over the low part in the middle. We were dropped off at the top of the town on the side facing Naples.
Capri Town
In Capri town, the streets are very steep and narrow, calling for a special type of vehicle for transporting luggage and material around the town. The solution is tiny electric carts. We saw them carrying all kinds of stuff.
As expected, there were plenty of tourist shops but some high-end stuff too. I had read about Buonocore Gelateria so when we found a line, we joined it. This line was for people waiting for the famous gelato. Even though I don’t usually eat gelato, I made an exception and it was quite good.
We spent about an hour exploring the town, watching the people crowd into the tiny streets and moving aside to allow some of the smallest vehicles to pass. When we were ready to return to Marina Piccolo, we just walked to the top of town and took the open-air taxi back.
Our day on Capri was full of nature, the sea, and a charming little town. I would highly recommend the full-day trip if you have enough time while visiting Naples, Sorrento, or the Amalfi coast.
What island is worth a visit to you?
