The Ulmitate Guide to Capri: Where to eat, stay, drink and sunbath

A jewel of southern Italy, the island of Capri is famous for many reasons. It has jaw-dropping natural beauty, delicious cuisine and world-class shopping. It’s also a place to see and be seen – there’s a reason why so many celebrities anchor their yachts in Marina Grande. Here is why you should put Capri on your bucket list.

Capri is famous for its dramatic stretch of coastline peppered with grandiose villas. The glitzy Italian island is a playground for glamorous celebrities and jet-setters. But despite its expensive price tag and exclusive vibe, you can find many attractions that appeal to every kind of traveller.

Breathtaking natural vistas, immaculately manicured gardens, and spectacular secluded hiking trails abound, none of which will break the bank. Of course, if you don’t mind racking up some digits on your credit card, there are enough upmarket shopping and dining opportunities across the island. Read on for my guide to the best things to do in Capri. 

How to get there

Capri is set in the blue waters of Italy’s Tyrrhenian Sea in the Bay of Naples just off the Sorrentine Peninsula in the southern Italian region of Campania. The island is connected to the mainland all year round with ferries and hydrofoils that run from Naples and Sorrento. There are also ferries from Ischia, Salerno, and the Amalfi Coast (Positano and Amalfi) in the summer months. It takes about 30 minutes to reach Capri from Sorrento and about an hour to reach Capri from Naples by ferry, so is an easy day trip from the mainland.

We booked our ferry in advance online from Positano to Capri. I recommend booking in advance if you’re travelling during the summer months.

When to visit

The best time to visit according the our skipper on the boat and from what I could see is shoulder season (Apr-Jun and Sept-Oct), ideally before it gets too hot and busy. Our skipper on the boat said during July, August and September there is a lot of rubbish in the ocean and the natural beauty of the island is spoilt from the huge numbers of tourists visiting during peak summer season. We visited in early June and the weather was perfect, it was busy but you could still get restaurant reservations and the water was pristine.

Where should I stay on the island?

The Isle of Capri has two municipal areas: Capri town and Anacapri.
Capri town is home to the famed “Piazzetta” and the nearby Via Camerelle, both lined with high-end boutiques, fashionable cafés, luxury hotels, and nightclubs. This is where celebrities from across the globe come to see and be seen by day and by night. The island’s main church, the Cathedral of Santo Stefano with its famed bell tower, is also located here. Inside the church, you can see the silver bust of San Costanzo, the patron saint of the island.

To reach the Piazzetta, you have to catch the funicular from Marina Grande, the port at sea level. Marina Grande is also home to the largest and most family-friendly beach on the island. On the opposite coast, Marina Piccola is home to the only other beach.

The other island town is Anacapri, which sits on the high inland hills at the foot of Monte Solaro. There are no beaches here, but below the town there are the rocky coastlines of the Punta Carena lighthouse and Gradola, near the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), where beach clubs have been set up. Anacapri has a delightful historic center, largely pedestrian, where there are excellent restaurants for sampling Neapolitan specialties like fresh mozzarella caprese salad and local fish and seafood. You can also visit Axel Munthe’s famed Villa San Michele.

We stayed in Anacapri, it is not as busy as Capri town and has spectular views from every corner. There is a very good bus services around the island and it is easy and quick to catch a bus from Anacapri to Capri or about a 20 minute walk. Accommodation in Anacapri tends to be a bit cheaper. We loved Anacapri and stayed in a beautiful hotel with incredible views, a beautiful 50 m outdoor pool and possibly one of the best buffet breakfasts.

$$$ Hotel Caesar Augustus a stunning 5* hotel in a secluded location, on the cliff edge, 300 meters above the sea. It boasts breathtaking views of the whole of the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast, an outdoor wellness area and an infinity pool facing the sea.

$ Hotel San Michele is just oppiste Hotel Caesar Augustus and shares very similar views, has a beautiful pool and outdoor terrace that overlooks the Bay of Naples. This is my top recommendation if the price of Caesar Augustus is out of reach. A standard room in shoulder season starts at €150 including a hearty buffet breakfast.

Things to do

Take a private boat tour around the island. The first thing you should do in capri whether you are visiting for the day or spending a few days is take a boat tour around the island to admire iconic landmarks like the Faraglioni and grottoes by sea. We booked a private boat tour for half a day (4 hours) through Le Bellezze Di Capri through instagram and it was one of the most things we did on the Amalfi Coast, never mind Capri. The skipper brought us to hidden caves, the Blue Grotto, secluded swimming spots and through the natural arches of the famed Faraglioni. We paid €280 which included soft drinks and towels. Its pricey but if you have a group or even between two- I thought it was well worth it.

Take the chairlift to the top of Monte Solaro: Some days, you wake up and feel ready to tackle a mountain. Monte Solaro is the perfect place to unleash your drive in Capri, and you can hike the mountain in just an hour. There is a trail starting from Capri Town and a trail starting from Anacapri, so you can choose either place to begin your hike. Monte Solaro is the highest point in Capri and is 589 meters tall. At the top, you have 360-degree views over the island of Capri – a beautiful reward for your hiking efforts. You can even see the mainland and the Bay of Naples on a good day.

Visit the Blue Grotto. You can’t go to Capri without seeing the Blue Grotto. The Blue Grotto is one of the most beautiful natural wonders on Capri Island and a fantastic place to visit. It is a sea cave that is illuminated electric blue by light reflecting through an underwater cavity. The contrast between the dark cave and bright blue water is jaw-dropping, and the Blue Grotto completely embodies the phrase natural beauty. You are no longer allowed to swim in the Blue Grotto due to safety issues, I think it is pretty and memorable enough to admire the water from the boat anyway. The Blue Grotto is only accessible by boat trip, and you can rent a private boat or jump on a group boat tour. The only boats that can enter the Blue Grotto are typically traditional fishing boats, with sides so low that you can almost touch the water. The guides row the boats through the tiny, meter-tall entrance to the Blue Grotto, and you have to lay back to squeeze through. The entrance fee is €15 paid in cash and the guides of the small rowing boat that you need to transfer to look for a tip of €10 typically.

Swim at Marina Piccola, Capri’s best beach. This harbour with crystal clearv water lies at the bottom of the windy Via Krupp path and is the smaller of Capri’s two harbours. Although the port only houses a smattering of boats, sun-seekers come in droves to tan themselves on the best sandy beach in Capri. And it’s not hard to see why because the scenery is stunning, not least for the uninterrupted views of the arched Faraglioni rock just offshore. 

Marina Grande is the boating hub of Capri. Most Capri boat tours depart from Marina Grande, and it is also the welcome point for ferries arriving from the mainland. Marina Grande is probably your start, middle, and end location when visiting Capri. Marina Grande is much more than a place to jump on a boat tour or catch a ferry. The marina is a small residential hamlet, recognizable by its colorful houses and the shape of Monte Solaro in the background. Once a fishing village, Marina Grande still holds a sense of small community hospitality and is a great place to spend half a day in Capri. You can relax on Marina Grande Beach, people watch while sitting al fresco at one of the cafes, or pick up souvenirs from the local shops and stands.

Gardens of Augustus: What the Gardens of Augustus lacks in size, it more than makes up for with breathtaking views from the terraces overlooking a dramatic Tyrhennian seascape. Tucked away on the southern edge of Capri Town, the beautiful botanical gardens boast a vibrant array of Mediterranean flora, where blooming geranium and dahlia flowers create a vibrant scene. A selection of stately statues adds aesthetic appeal to the grounds, which Friedrich Alfred Krupp founded in the early 20th century to adorn the adjacent hotel. Despite its botanic beauty, almost everyone comes to admire the views from the clifftop terraces on the southern end. Sparkling blue waters, dramatic jagged precipices, and the famous Faraglioni rock make for a quintessential Capri photo op.

Punta Carena Lighthouse: The Lido del Faro beach next to the Punta Carena Lighthouse is an idyllic spot for sun-seekers to pull up a towel, as this local favourite hasn’t yet caught on among travellers. After spending a lazy afternoon swimming and soaking up those glorious Mediterranean rays, make your way to the nearby Punta Carena Lighthouse to watch the sunset over the sea and grab yourself a cocktail or 2 from Malibu Bar to enhance the experience.

Hike Via Krupp or admire the view from above. It is a windy path that was carved out of the cliff to provide a passage between Marina Piccola and the Grand Hotel Quisisana. Even though the historic Capri landmark was sadly closed to the public for fear of falling rocks when we visisted in June 2023 (may still be), the fascinating engineering feat is worth seeing, nonetheless. A series of impressive switchbacks allow an elevation gain of around 100 metres in a tiny space. Via Krupp is one of the most beautiful hiking trails on Capri Island. Its hairpin bends are easily identifiable, and the trail snakes up to the Gardens of Augustus from Marina Piccola Bay.

Visit Villa Lysis. Villa Lysis is the most scandalous attraction in Capri. The villa was home to Jacques d’Adelsward-Fersen, who built the property in 1905 after fleeing controversy in France. Now, visitors can tour Villa Lysis and learn more about Count Fersen’s life. The most beautiful place in the villa is the terrace. Here, you’ll find amazing views over Marina Grande and Spiaggia Libera Marina Grande. Most travellers combine Lysis with a trip to the nearby ruins of a Roman palace called Villa Jovis.

Open: Thursday–Tuesday from 10am to 6pm (closed from Wednesdays to Tuesdays)

Faraglioni rocks: Even if you haven’t realized it, you’ve very likely seen the Faraglioni rocks before. The three rocks are an iconic rock formation in Capri and have been formed by erosion over thousands of years.

Visiting or viewing the Faraglioni rocks is one of the most popular things to do in Capri. You can join the tour boats that flock to take visitors up close to the formation or walk a scenic coastal path called Via Tragara. The benefit of a boat tour is being able to get a better idea of the scale of each stack in the rock formation. Some stacks reach up to 100 meters, and you can actually pass through the tiny arch in the second stack on a boat ride. By hiking the Via Tragara, you’ll get a wider perspective of the rocks. You’ll pass multiple exceptional viewpoints and be able to snap postcard-worthy shots of the formation layout.

People watch in Piazza Umberto. If Marina Grande has the soul of Capri, Piazza Umberto has its heart. For those that don’t know, ‘piazza’ means square in Italian. Piazzas are places of action, crowds, and socializing – the perfect place for sipping an espresso and people-watching in the shade. Piazza Umberto is a pocket of activity in a beautiful vantage point, high above the fishing towns below. It is well worth visiting for the views alone.

Go shopping. Via Camerelle is the best street for shopping in Capri Town for designer brands. You can stop by Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel, and Balenciaga, and the shops are minutes away from each other. Whether you splurge on a purchase is up to you, but just visiting to browse is an experience in itself. If you don’t have thousands of euros to spend, don’t worry. There are plenty of alternative boutiques you can browse. Canfora Capri Sandals are famous for their handmade Capri sandals, which are pricey but a worthy investment due to their durability.

Visit Anacapri or better yet, spend a few nights here. An off-the-beaten-track Italian village, Capri’s second settlement, Anacapri offers stressed-out travellers some much-needed respite from the tourist throngs of Capri town. Fewer visitors make it to this laidback little village, a fact which blesses Anacapri with a more authentic Italian feel. Although it doesn’t offer the same glamour and celebrity allure, the family-run restaurants and cafes of its quaint little plazas are perfect for whiling away an afternoon.

An array of cute little handicraft and artisanal stores can also be found scattered around town should you fancy picking up a souvenir or 2. Anacapri is a 15-minute bus ride from Capri town via a hair-raising mountain road.

Where to eat

Da Paolino: You’ve probably already seen photos of Da Paolino without even knowing it. Located above Marina Grande and situated in a lemon tree-filled garden, Da Paolino is a must-go. To dine here is to dine beneath a canopy of citrus (nets catch falling fruits). Order a Caprese, the island’s eponymous salad, and the lemon spaghetti. And no meal here is complete without a bit of limoncello. Book well in advance, it can book up a few months in advance but thankfully we got a last minute walk in and be prepared for an expensive meal.

Lo Smeraldo: There are very few things more satisfying than fresh seafood on a patio overlooking the water with a glass of white wine! It is something I search for on every summer vacation and Lo Smeraldo checks the box! This family-owned restaurant has an amazing view of the coastline of Marina Grande, which is Capri’s largest town. They have great food, great views, and great vino! 

Da Gemma: This beachside restaurant is part of the beach club and is right next to Marina Grande, the main port. This way, if you jump off the boat and are hungry right away, you have a place to go. Many people eat here after spending a day on the beach too though. The main specialty here is seafood. So, I highly recommend any pasta dish with seafood that they have.

Pescheria Le Botteghe: A finshmonger that turns into a restaurant after 7 pm. In the morning, the fresh fish arrives and they sell it at the counter to bring home and cook. After 7 pm, the establishment transforms into a great place to either have drinks or a meal or both! It is one of the more reasonable restaurants on the island for the high quality food. Make sure you book in advance as they get extremely busy. You can come in for an aperitivo or ceviche.

Restaurant La Terrazza di Lucullo: This is the restaurant in Hotel Caesar Augustus’ restaurant. Dining on this terrace is an experience I’ll remmeber forever. The restaurant is famous for its zero mile food, the food is picked from the terrace garden. The views of the Bay of Naples, Mount Vesuvius and the Sorrentine Peninsula are incredible, book a table 30 minute before sunset to see the sun sink into the ocean. They also have a panoramic private dining terraces looking out over the sea if you are looking for that ultimate romantic experience. Book ahead and request a table on the terrace in the first row.

Aperitivo

By 3pm the Piazzetta of Capri comes alive. A daily pilgrimage to the square of cafes and bars is a ritual for most visiting the island and provides some of the best people watching you’ll ever get to experience. It’s a stretch to see and be seen; take a seat at one of the many bars overflowing the main square and settle in for a strong spritz and a round of olives while you people watch the night away. Best options for aperitivo include Bar Tiberio, Il Piccolo, and (slightly further afield) the Grand Hotel Quisisana.

La Zagara is another great option. Dine under the shade of a lemon grove and enjoy traditional island cuisine with a modern twist. The tables are under the shade of flowering lemon trees. Its a perfect place to enjoy wine by the glass and finger food.

Where to sunbath

La Fontelina: Opened in 1949, La Fontelina began as a humble beach shack eatery but it didn’t take long for the jet set to discover it in the ’60s. To access La Fontelina, you’ll have to take a long flight of stairs starting near the Punta Tragara hotel. Don’t underestimate the journey and come with practical shoes. The destination will be worth it. Instead of sand, there are slabs of limestone and the famous blue-and-white striped beach chairs to lounge in. Today, a trip to La Fontelina, which always includes lunch, is a Capri must. Like all beach clubs here, reservations are required and book up quickly. Entrance with changing rooms, shower, sun mattress or deck chair is €40.

Da Luigi: On that same staircase down to La Fontelina, you’ll find Da Luigi. Another equally scenic beach club, Da Luigi is situated nearby one of the three formations that make up the Faraglioni. The place bills itself as Capri’s de facto living room. Since its opening in the 1960s, it’s been a place for relaxation and respite beneath the sun. Admission with sun lounger or deck chair: €100, which includes a €55 credit to be used in the restaurant or bar.

Lido del Faro: Over in Anacapri, Lido del Faro is a beach club set beneath the Punta Carena lighthouse. Here, fewer tourists flock but the experience is no less remarkable. There’s a restaurant with perfect views and fare, and for when the waves are too rough, which often happens, there’s a saltwater pool for swimming.

Where to drink

Taverna Anema e Core: The “most lively area” is concentrated around the Piazzetta and the Quisisana, which is where the famed Taverna Anema e Core is located, the island’s landmark bar. It is known for its live music performances and attracts celebrities and other well-known people to its dance floors. The club is open every night, and attracts a mixed crowd of locals and tourists.The cover charge including one drink is around €50. There is always a long line at the door to get in.

Capri Palace Jumeriah: This luxury hotel has a private beach and a wine cellar, perfect for a drink with spectacular views. The hotel is situated just 500 metres from the shores of Anacapri.

Number Two Club: The famous disco club is the oldest nightclub on the island in via Camerell, high class club attended by international customers and have access with the same ticket at Number One live music club.

VV Club Capri: Located in the hearth of the island, in the exclusive shopping street via Vittorio Emanuele, VV CLUB is frequented by international guests and is considered the most fashionable club of the island.

Hope you enjoyed this blog and found it useful for your Capri planning,

Sari x