CAPRI trip report | martiniaktravel

CAPRI - A Classic Resort Island

Does Capri actually live up to its fantastic destination reputations? The answer is a capital YES. This may well be a place you regularly re-visit. The main town, up a funicular ride from the port, is charming and just the right size - big enough to have lots of lovely restaurants and boutiques and no-vehicle lanes to wander down, but still small and charming. Incredible vistas, great hikes, lovely swimming areas, and lots of activities including boating, fishing, water sports, music, galleries, and more. Every day you discover new things to love about the place, and know that there are endless more to find next time.

There are so many beautiful hotels and resorts on Capri, including the Luna Hotel featured here. Its location, and its combination of old world charm with modern facilities cannot be beat.

The minute we came in we knew we would love this place. Above is the view of Capri we encountered coming in on the ferry from Sorrento.. After taking the funicular train up from the ferry port, we walked through town to our hotel – Hotel Luna – where we followed this lush hotel entrance walkway.

Luna is perched on a cliff overlooking the sea, providing the best panoramic views, also quietly removed from the town bustle. Here is a view from the hotel rooftop bar/restaurant. Lounging by the lovely pool with its incredible poolside restaurant was just decadent.

The town is gorgeous and very quiet after 5:00 or so, when the day visitors leave. Lots of lovely restaurants, music venues, galleries, and other evening activities.

We took the walk out to Point Tragara, on our ways to the beach clubs. There are convenient maps around town, this one showing the way to the beach clubs below.

On the left is one beach club – Il Faraglioni. We spent the day at the other one, Luigi's, swimming in its crystal clear water.

There are many beautiful hikes on Capri, affording great vistas, and some ancient ruins, on this historic island. You can also visit Anacapri – the smaller town on the island – riding in one of these interesting awning-covered stretch convertibles. Great view from up there and there is a lovely monastery garden to visit.

Lots of great little boutiques make shopping fun.

We took a beautiful hike with views of the sea and the famous IL FARAGLIONI rocks and passing by some curious ancient structures.

We took a private boat tour circling the island. That’s our boat and our skipper Michaele. We departed Marina Grande, the port of Capri on the north side of the island, and kicked back for our tour.

We came a cove of crystal turquoise water, where there is a jagged hole in the rocks that I just had to swam through and rejoin the tour refreshed.

Lo and behold, what’s this? A Sea Bar! What a concept! We scored some Prosecco to help lubricate our cruise.

We were approaching the famous IL FARAGLIONI rocks which conveniently have a hole in them to sail through. We passed tons of interesting rock formations, arches and caves.

We rounded the point leading back to the harbor, guarded by a sea nymph up on this rock. Our tour ended.

That evening we dined at a lovely restaurant, Terrazza Brunella, watching the sunset over Capri. That is our hotel lit up at the top of the cliff on the right.

In the morning we went up to Anacapri and took the chair lift to the top of Mount Solaro which provided more incredible views.

Then we went on a 3-mile hike along the coast from the Faro lighthouse to the Blue Grotto.

At the end we stopped at IL RICCIO, a beach club above the Blue Grotto, for much-needed refreshments.

In the morning we visited the Augustus Caesar Gardens next to our hotel, with views of the sheer rock cliffs and the tightly winding road down impossibly steep cliff face to Marina Piccola.

That evening we found yet another pretty restaurant with incredibly good food, for our last meal on the island.

That’s our report on our visits to Capri. You may also like to see our Amalfi Coast report and our Naples and Pompei report. Also take a look at the Northern Italy report - covering Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence and Bellagio/Lake Como. Finally, check out our Sicily and Panarea reports.