A day in Capri

Capri is a craggy and picturesque little island in the Bay of Naples. Even as far back as Roman times Capri was a favourite destination for Roman emperors meaning it has been a holiday hotspot for 2 thousand years!

In more recent years Capri has become cosmopolitan and is a magnet for the rich and famous.

As the ‘boat’ element of our Intrepid ‘Amalfi Coast Hike Boat and Kayak‘ trip Bridget and I spent a day in Capri, sailing from Amalfi and back again. With plenty of ferry schedules this is easily done independently from Amalfi Coast towns including Positano.

The boat from Amalfi took around one hour 20 minutes. We sailed along the sparkling dark blue waters of the Amalfi Coast and once we got to Capri the ferry circled around the island until we arrived into the Marina Grande port.

From the port our guide Giovanni led us up to La Piazzetta, the main and historic square in the centre of Capri Town. Walking there incurs lots of steps however there is a funicular if you prefer. The official name of this square is the Piazza Umberto I.

There is a terrace at La Piazzetta which offers spectacular views of Marina Grande.

Hike to Villa Jovis

Villa Jovis is located at the northeast tip of the island at the top of a mountain called Monte Tiberio. This wasn’t compulsory and two of our group decided to say in Capri Town rather than walk for 45 minutes up to the Villa.

The rest of us headed straight through La Piazzetta and walked along the length of Via Longano, continuing along Via Sopramonte and finally along Via Tiberio. 

There is an abundance of beautiful flowers and foliage along the way!

Above is the Myrtle plant; its berries were made into wreaths for the winners of the ancient Olympic games. This plant was also sacred for Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love!

With an elevation of 334 m we had wonderful views across Capri as we headed closer to Villa Jovis.

Completed in AD 27 Villa Jovis is an ancient Roman palace built by the emporer Tiberuis. Entry to the ruins is 6 euros. 

From Villa Jovis you get great views of the Sorrento Peninsula, only 3 km away. You can also see Mount Vesuvius on a clear day.

On our way back down towards La Piazzetta we went inside the welcomed air conditioning of the Lo Sfizio restaurant where we had a fabulous lunch in a cool and sophisticated setting. 

In the afternoon we had some free time to explore Capri Town. Bridget and I wandered around the busy streets crammed with designer shops and gelato parlours and made our way to Augustus Gardens. These botanical gardens cost only one Euro to enter.

While the flowers were beautiful the real treasure of the gardens were the magnificent views!

We had an amazing time in Capri and I would highly recommend a day trip there. For me however a day was enough! Hiking up to Villa Jovis offered peace and tranquility however Capri Town while full of character with its bustling narrow streets was a little over touristy.