My visit to the beautiful island of Capri

Capri is a beautiful, small, upmarket Italian island of great natural beauty in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Situated off the coast of Naples, Capri is rich in history and the island has become one of the main tourist attractions in Italy. You can reach this island from Sorrento or Positano which takes around 40 minutes and one hour 20 minutes from Naples by ferry or private boat. We visited Capri on a day tip from Positano and we plan to go back again soon, it really is worth paying a visit more than once. The two main settlements of the island are Capri in the east and Anacapri in the west. You can explore the island by foot, take a bus, or the funicular (a mountain tram). One ride on the bus will cost about 1.30 euros or you can also purchase a ticket for an unlimited hourly or daily ride. Buses in Capri are often crowded with tourists. You can take an open top taxi around the island although these can be a little expensive. It costs around 25 euros to drive 15 minutes to Anacapri from Marina Grande which is where all the ferries arrive into a little pricey but a great and fun way of being chauffeured around the island. When you arrive on Capri there are various boat hire companies who offer island tours including an open ticket into the Blue Grotto caves for around 20euros. There are various other boat trips available some of which include lunch. The Blue Grotto caves are a popular visit. Queues can form from land and a few boats are also waiting to take their passengers inside the caves for a few moments so I would recommend you visit early in the morning when things are less busy. This natural cavern is 25 meters wide and 60 meters long, with a tiny entrance less than a meter high. Visitors lay back in their wooden boats and glide through the cave mouth. Once inside, the boats bob around in the dark, suspended on the surface of the water. An unusual sea cave which is illuminated by a worldly sea light is defiantly worth a visit. One of the natural beauties on the island is the “Arch of Love” The Arch of Love is a large hole in a rock. No boat trip to Capri is complete without a ride around the Island all which route through the Tunnel of Love. Known in Italy as The Faraglione di Mezzo. For designer shopping visit Anacapri, here you will find an array of high-end fashion stores or if you would rather shop for artisanal or local products, head to Viale Munthe in Anacapri, where you’ll find plenty of shops with specialised clothing and crafts. While in Anacapri visit the Villa San Michele, considered one of the finest gardens in Italy. The villa was built on the ruins in one of the Villas Emperor Tiberius in Anacapri. It was constructed in the 20th century and was the residence of Axel Munthe, a sweedish physicist who lived here for 60 years. Views from San Michele are breath-taking, you can see the bay of Naples and across Capri. There are photographs of Sophia Loren glittered in the reception area of the villa San Michele as the villa was featured from the film “La Baia di Napoli” in 1960 where the beautiful Italian actress starred with Clarke Gable. Capri has attracted many celebrities over the years, many films have been made here and perfumery adverts like the most recent Dolce & Gabbana advert. Beaches – The first beach many visitors to Capri see and experience is Marina Grande beach, it’s located just beside the island’s main port. As well as being a convenient spot for visitors to stroll and sunbathe after stepping off a ferry, Marine Grande is also Capri’s biggest beach. If you’re looking for a quiet spot away from the crowds, keep walking east to find the tiny beach of Torre Saracena. Alternatively discover one of the many beach clubs like Le Fontelina. Le Fontelina is one of the most beautiful beach clubs in Italy. Fontelina has been run with the same passion and enthusiasm for more than 50 years, by the Arcucci and Gargiulo families. Here you can expect to spend hours of blissful relaxation, bathing in the sun on one of the beach club’s white linen mattresses, on the rocks within millimetres of the sea. Dining here is wonderful serving lunch at its highly acclaimed restaurant, savouring delicious local specialties prepared with the island’s abundant fish and seafood. Capri can be enjoyed as a day trip from the mainland or as a holiday stay, there are lots to do on this beautiful island which entices visitors again and again. There are many other trips and experiences to do on the island from Sunrise boat tours, coffee cruises, sea fishing experiences, private caprese masterclasses in Anacapri, wine tasting and cooking classes to walking and culinary tours with a local guide or just simply relax and stroll around one of the beautiful, gardened villas on the island. Food & Drink – The most famous dish on Capri is ravioli capresi, made with a simple pasta dough using equal parts flour and water, resulting in a particularly light pasta. The filling is made with parmigiano and aged caciotts cheese and marjoram, and the cooked ravioli is tossed with a fresh tomato and basil sauce its delicious. Best time to visit – As in other Mediterranean islands, summers in Capri are pleasantly hot, July and August are the busiest months. Autumn is warm enough to spend time outdoors (and to swim) and winter is a good choice for those who like hiking and trekking. Capri is a wonderful island I do hope you get to visit one day ! “Everything you see I owe to Spaghetti “– Sophia Loren