Capri

I suddenly found myself in an extraordinary cave, the blue grotto and uttered an involuntary exclamation of astonishment. In front of me, all around, above and behind me I was confronted with things too extraordinary to narrate. Imagine a cave which is azure through and through, as if God had amused himself building a tent with a fragment of sky!
(Alexandre Dumas, 1835)
Capri is one of the most enchanting islands in the world, and a “must” on the international tourist circuit. For centuries, writers, poets, painters and artists have fallen under its spell and also, many directors have chosen the island as the set for their films. Capri is, still today, the pearl of the Naples’ Bay and the favourite holiday destination for famous people and VIPs that you can easily meet at the “piazzetta” while drinking a nice coffee.
One of the island’s first adepts was the Roman emperor Tiberius, who spent the last year of his life on Capri Island.

The sea and the environment is amazing, with incredible colors: the intense blue of the deep water, the crystalline turquoise in the inlets, the white rocks in the blazing sun and the grey of the cliff tops which fade into the azure above.
Capri is popular all year round, particularly in the weekends. If you visit the island in spring or autumn when the climate is still good and the island is not so crowded, you will really feel like you are in a paradise.
The pretty historic center of Anacapri is the other urban center of Capri: where even the most famous visitors can walk around blissfully unnoticed as they saunter through the town’s peaceful piazzas and bougainvillea and geranium festooned lanes.
The icon of Capri Island are The Faraglioni: three immense (80-100 meter high) stacks, the impressive forms that have been created by the erosive action of the wind and sea. The “Faraglione Stella”‘ is still attached to the coast. The “Faraglione di Mezzo” rises up out of the water some 150 meters or so out to sea. The “Faraglione di Fuori” (also known as “Scopolo”) is the furthest away from the shore line. The Faraglione di Fuori is inhabited by the Podarcis sicula coerulea and this is the only place in the world in which this particular specie of lizard has been found. A natural suggestive show that will impress you.

Another enchanting attraction is the Arco Naturale or Natural Arch; it is what remains of a large grotto that once penetrated the cliffs. The waves of the sea extended its aperture and washed away its debris. After the uplifting of the island during the Palaeolithic era, the grotto was freed from the erosive action of the waves and the wind and the rain transformed its surface. The Blue Grotto is the main attraction of the island. No words to describe it and the feeling you have once inside! To get into it, you need to take one of the small rowing boats moored outside the cave; since the opening is very narrow, you will have to lie on the bottom of the boat to get into the grotto. There is an almost surreal view in the inside, the transparency and the blue color of the water give us the impression of navigating through a clear sky, and the boats seem to float over a fantastic universe.
More attractions are waiting to be visited: Baths of Tiberius, Villa Jovis, monasteries and churches, the Solaro Mount for a breathtaking view across the bays of Sorrento and Naples.
Make your stay a memorable visit. Capri, The azure island, will make you dream.