Things to do in Capri
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Capri
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months overall. May has bloom and lower rates, September has the warmest sea and falling crowds.
Good shoulder months. April is fresh with cold sea, June is near peak, October is the value pick with closures late in the month.
Hot, busy and expensive. Early starts become a necessity.
Worst value month, worst around Ferragosto on 15 August, with the longest queues and highest room prices.
Closed season. Most hotels and beach clubs shut, the grotto is often closed by swell, and days are short and cool.
What's on
- Festival of San Costanzo 14 May
Capri patron saint procession, Mass, food and music in Capri town.
- Rolex Capri Sailing Week Mid-May, dates vary
Prestigious regatta filling the marina with racing yachts.
- Easter Week processions March or April, Easter Week
Candlelit processions through Capri town as the island reopens.
- Festival of Sant'Antonio 13 June in most listings
Anacapri patronal festival, rustic and village in character. Confirm the year programme locally.
- International Folklore Festival Early August
World folk music and dance groups performing in Anacapri.
- Settembrata Anacaprese About ten days, early to mid-September
Anacapri harvest festival with folk groups, wine, food stalls and neighbourhood games.
- Capri Hollywood International Film Festival Late December to early January
International film festival giving the closed season island a brief New Year flourish.
Best things to do in Capri
Blue Grotto
A sea cave where the water glows intense blue, unlike anything else on the island when the sea is calm.
Monte Solaro
The island high point by chairlift, with the whole island, Vesuvius and the Amalfi Coast in one view.
Villa San Michele
Axel Munthe house and garden ending at a sphinx terrace high above Marina Grande.
Giardini di Augusto
Terraced gardens framing the Faraglioni, Marina Piccola and the Via Krupp hairpins in one stop.
Faraglioni
Three sea stacks best seen free from Tragara on land and through the arch from the water.
Villa Jovis
Tiberius clifftop palace reached by a quiet uphill walk, the most atmospheric ruins on the island.
Arco Naturale
A huge limestone arch framing the sea, reached by a scenic walk from the Piazzetta.
Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo
A church whose whole floor is one 1761 majolica tile painting of Eden, viewed from a walkway.
Where to stay in Capri
Capri town
first trip, all-round base
In the middle of everything, with the widest dining choice and the only real evening life.
Anacapri
quiet, views and value
Higher and more residential, near Monte Solaro and Villa San Michele, with better value rooms.
Marina Grande
very short stay, early ferry
The port area is convenient for ferries and boats but charmless in the evening.
Marina Piccola
beach days, families
A small south side bay by the swimming, pleasant by day and isolated at night.
Think twice about
- Marina Grande quayside front row
A transport hub of ferry queues, trolleys and bus fumes from dawn. Use it for boats, sleep elsewhere for longer stays.
- Via Provinciale outside either town
The main Capri to Anacapri road is narrow, busy and not walkable, with no pavement. A property on it can strand you between towns.
- Migliera and Damecuta countryside
Beautiful and silent but with no restaurant cluster and no walk home. Every dinner needs a taxi plan.
- Steep lanes above Marina Grande and in upper Anacapri
Hundreds of steps with luggage. An accessibility trap, so confirm porter or buggy transfer before booking.
Best restaurants in Capri
L'Olivo
The island only two-star restaurant, for the special occasion dinner of a trip.
Il Riccio Restaurant & Beach Club
Starred seafood above the Blue Grotto, with a famous dessert room.
Da Paolino
Dinner under about 130 lemon trees, serving lemon ravioli, seafood and its own limoncello.
Le Monzu
Fine dining on a terrace facing the Faraglioni, quieter and more romantic than the town scene.
Da Tonino
An acclaimed villa restaurant with a deep rock cut wine cellar, below two star prices.
Ristorante Da Gelsomina alla Migliera
A countryside family restaurant with vineyards, rabbit, house wine and sunset views.
Ristorante La Capannina
A Capri institution since the 1930s for textbook ravioli capresi, with no view and no need for one.
Trattoria Il Solitario
A rustic family trattoria with a pergola garden, grilled fish and Anacapri prices.
Outdoor things to do in Capri
Boat Tour Around the Island
A full circuit covers the grottoes, Villa Malaparte, the Faraglioni arch and a swim stop.
Capri Hydro
Kayak and SUP tours to caves and coves that can only be reached from the water.
La Fontelina
The famous beach club on rocks under the Faraglioni, with swimming ladders and a seafood restaurant.
Lido del Faro
A west tip beach club with a saltwater pool, sun all day and the island best sunset swim.
Marina Piccola
The sheltered free swimming bay facing the Faraglioni, warming earliest on the island.
Sentiero del Pizzolungo
A cliff path from Arco Naturale to Tragara past Villa Malaparte with repeated Faraglioni views.
Sentiero dei Fortini
A quiet west coast path linking old forts from the Blue Grotto to Punta Carena lighthouse.
Scala Fenicia
921 stone steps from Marina Grande to Anacapri, a steep walk with expanding harbour views.
Best hotels in Capri
Hotel Caesar Augustus
A cliff edge villa hotel with an infinity pool and a terrace facing Vesuvius.
Jumeirah Capri Palace
An art filled Anacapri resort housing the island starred restaurants and a medical spa.
Hotel Punta Tragara
A small luxury hotel at the end of Via Tragara with terraces facing the Faraglioni.
Hotel La Minerva
A family run 19 room hotel near the Gardens, close to the Piazzetta but insulated from it.
Boutique Hotel Casa Mariantonia
A historic house in a lemon garden park on Anacapri pedestrian lane, with real calm.
Hotel Weber Ambassador
A practical hotel above Marina Piccola beach with pools and a town shuttle, good for families.
Hotel Bussola
A bright family run 3 star near Anacapri centre with a sun terrace and good bus links.
Capri Inn
A small simple inn giving a Capri town address without grand hotel pricing.
Is Capri expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €120 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €280 a person |
| Splurge | €650 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Boat Tour Around the Island: a few days ahead
- Capri Hydro: a few days ahead
- La Fontelina: weeks ahead
- Lido del Faro: a few days ahead
- Pompeii Archaeological Park: a few days ahead
- Golf Club Salerno: a few days ahead
- L'Olivo: weeks ahead
- Il Riccio Restaurant & Beach Club: weeks ahead
- Hotels months ahead for June to September.
- L'Olivo, Il Riccio, Da Paolino and Le Monzu weeks ahead in season.
- La Fontelina beach club weeks ahead. Never descend to it without a confirmed booking.
- Private boats days ahead and early in the stay, so weather rebooking is possible.
Is Capri safe?
- Petty theft risk is in ferry queues, on packed buses and in Piazzetta crowds. Keep valuables zipped and in front of you.
- Swim only in designated areas or from boats at anchor. No lifeguards on rocky free areas and no cliff jumping.
- Heat is the commonest problem in July and August. Carry water, a hat and sunscreen and walk in the morning.
- Emergency number is 112. The island hospital is Capilupi in Capri town, with serious cases transferred to Naples.
Capri travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Day-tripping at midday hours produces the overrated version of Capri. Stay overnight and do sights before 10am.
- Piazzetta cafe prices are rent for the seat. Check the menu first.
- Fish sold by weight without a stated price per 100g is the classic bill shock.
- No skipper can guarantee Blue Grotto entry. Pay for the circuit and treat the grotto as a bonus.
Getting around Capri: public transport and more
- Ferries from Naples, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi. Book the return with the outward trip in peak season.
- Use the Cooperativa Portuali porter service at Marina Grande, about 10 to 15 euros per bag.
- Funicular links Marina Grande to the Piazzetta in about five minutes. Small buses link both towns, Marina Piccola and the Faro for about 2 euros.
- Non-resident cars are banned for most of the season. Taxis are open top and expensive, port to Anacapri about 30 euros or more.
Who Capri suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Capri your trip
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