Already inhabited in the Palaeolithic period, the island was briefly occupied by the Greeks before Emperor Augustus made it his private playground and Tiberius retired here in AD 27. Its modern incarnation as a tourist center dates from the early 20th century.
It’s also a favorite day-trip destination and a summer favorite of holidaying VIPs. Inevitably, the two main centers, Capri Town and its uphill rival Anacapri, are almost entirely given over to tourism, with the high prices that follow. But explore beyond the designer boutiques and cafes and you’ll find that Capri retains an unspoiled charm, with grand villas, overgrown vegetable plots, sun-bleached, peeling stucco and banks of brilliantly colored bougainvillea.
Capri's fabled beauty and refined hedonism have charmed them all, from Roman rulers and Russian revolutionaries to Hollywood legends. It’s the perfect microcosm of Mediterranean appeal, a fusion of glittering grottoes and coves, Roman ruins and chichi piazzas.
Capri’s single most famous attraction is the Grotta Azzurra, a stunning sea cave illuminated by an other-worldly blue light. The easiest way to visit is to take a tour from Marina Grande; tickets include the return boat trip but the rowing boat into the cave and admission are paid separately. Allow a good hour.
A 45-minute walk east of Capri along Via Tiberio, Villa Jovis was the largest and most sumptuous of the island’s 12 Roman villas and Tiberius’ main Capri residence. A vast pleasure complex, now reduced to ruins, it famously pandered to the emperor’s supposedly debauched tastes and included imperial quarters and extensive bathing areas set in dense gardens and woodland.
The former home of Swedish doctor, psychiatrist and animal-rights advocate Axel Munthe, San Michele di Axel Munthe should be included on every visitor’s itinerary. Built on the site of the ruins of a Roman villa, the gardens make a beautiful setting for a tranquil stroll, with pathways flanked by immaculate flower beds. There are also superb views from here, plus some fine photo props in the form of Roman sculptures.
A fast and painless way to reach Capri’s highest peak, Anacapri's Seggiovia del Monte Solaro chairlift whisks you to the top of the mountain in a tranquil, beautiful ride of just 13 minutes. The views from the top are outstanding – on a clear day, you can see the entire Bay of Naples, the Amalfi Coast and the islands of Ischia and Procida.
Founded in 1363, this picturesque monastery is generally considered to be the finest remaining example of Caprese architecture and today houses a school, a library, a temporary exhibition space and a museum with some evocative 17th-century paintings. Be sure to look at the two cloisters, which have a real sense of faded glory (the smaller is 14th century, the larger 16th century).
To get here take Via Vittorio Emanuele III, east of Piazza Umberto I, which meanders down to the monastery.
As their name suggests, these gardens near the Certosa di San Giacomo were founded by Emperor Augustus. Rising in a series of flowered terraces, they lead to a lookout point offering breathtaking views over to the Isole Faraglioni, a group of three limestone stacks rising out of the sea.
A 1.5km walk from the Villa Jovis, down Via Tiberio and Via Matermània, is the imposing Arco Naturale. Dating back to the Paleolithic era and formed by millennia of natural wear and tear, the rock arch measures 12m in width and 20m in height. A small terrace by the arch offers views across to Punta Campanella (the tip of the Sorrentine Peninsula) and the Li Galli archipelago.
Located beneath the 17th-century clock tower and framed by see-and-be-seen cafes, this showy, open-air salon is central to your Capri experience, especially in the evening when the main activity in these parts is dressing up and hanging out. Be prepared for the cost of these front-row seats – the moment you sit down for a drink, you’re going to pay handsomely for the grandstand views (around €6 for a cappuccino and €16 for a couple of glasses of white wine).
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