The Italian island of Capri is popular with holidaymakers and celebrities alike. / Beyoncé and Jay Z relax here, and Heidi Klum and Tom Kaulitz even celebrated their wedding on Capri. What makes the island so special? / Capri Tips
There is really a lot to admire on Capri. Among other things, the Faraglioni, the mysterious Blue Grotto, the Villa San Michele with its dreamlike garden – and of course the town of Capri on the island of the same name.
Sights on Capri / The Blue Grotto
It is world famous and the biggest tourist attraction on Capri: The Blue Grotto, in Italian “Grotta Azzurra”. The cave in the northwest of the island takes its name from the azure blue light in which it is bathed. These special lighting conditions are caused by the exceptional location of the cave. You can only access it through a 1.5-meter rock hole above the sea, and the grotto is even closed when the sea is rough. However, most of the light in the grotto does not come through this entrance, but shines through the water into the cave. The red spectrum is filtered and the grotto shines particularly bright blue. The Blue Grotto is about 52 meters long, 30 meters wide and the water inside is about 15 meters deep.
Although the grotto was already known in antiquity, it was avoided out of superstition until the 19th century. Residents of Capri feared that the island was inhabited by sirens or witches. The German poet August Kopisch was the first to trigger a tourist boom in the 1820s that has continued to this day. Vacationers should therefore be prepared for large company and longer waiting times in front of the grotto.
Visiting hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
Admission: There are various boat guides at the pier, who usually drive you to the Blue Grotto from 15 euros. In many cases, entry into the grotto costs another 14 euros. However, prices may vary. It is possible to reach the Blue Grotto by bus as well.
The Faraligioni / Capri Tips
The four Faraglioni are cone-shaped limestone rock formations. The “Faraglione di terra” is the largest at 109 meters high and its northern edge is only about 20 meters from the island’s coast. At a distance of 100 meters follows the “Faraglione di mezzo”, which is 81 meters high and has a natural tunnel of 60 meters long at sea level, through which smaller boats can pass. The “Faraglione di fuori” in the very south is only separated from the middle rock by 20 meters of water and is 104 meters high.
About 200 meters east of the largest Faraglione, in the direction of the “Bocca Piccola”, the small estuary of the Gulf of Naples, a fourth, smaller rock protrudes from the sea, the “Scoglio del Monacone”. Translated, it means Hermit Cliff – because of its location away from the group of three.
The rock group is a mystical place and locals used to say that it was a meeting place for sirens, who enchanted the sailors with their singing.
Via Krupp
Located on the south coast, the Via Krupp (translated: Krupp Road) is a historic serpentine path carved into the escarpment of Mount Castiglione. It is 1346 meters long, only 3 meters wide and only accessible to pedestrians. In the mid-1970s, the road was closed due to the risk of falling rocks and has only been accessible again since 2008, after a seven-million-euro renovation. But that didn’t last long, because the Via Krupp was closed again indefinitely due to the risk of falling rocks.
The Via Krupp got its name from the German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp, heir to the Krupp steel inventor. The younger Krupp stayed regularly on Capri and had the Via Krupp built from 1900 to 1902, which was named after him much later. He wanted to take the road from the high Hotel Quisiana to the southern landing stage of Marina Piccola more quickly. Unfortunately Krupp died shortly after completion in November 1902.
Via Krupp can be reached on foot from Piazza Umberto I in about 15 minutes via Via V. Emanuele, Via F. Serena and Via Matteotti. Tip: The road leads along the Augustus Gardens, which are also worth seeing and are open every day from 1 March to 15 November from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Admission is free for children under 12, everyone else pays 1.50 euros. More information is available here.
Mount Solaro / Capri Tips
Possibly the most spectacular view of Capri is from the top of Monte Solaro. At an altitude of 589 meters you can see not only the island, but also the Gulf of Naples and Salerno as far as Ischia. You can go up either on foot from Via Capodimonte via Via Monte Solaro and along the directly following path, or for those who are lazy about hiking, with a chairlift from Piazza Vittoria, which is admittedly a bit outdated. The descent is easier to manage on foot, as it only takes about an hour.
The place of Capri
The center of Capri is the Piazza Umberto I, also known as the Piazzetta di Capri. North of here is the oldest district of Capri, which developed around the small church of S. Maria delle Grazie (11th century). From the church you can follow the streets of Via Listrieri (gorges), Via Li Curti, Via Parroco Canale, Via Le Botteghe and Via Longano, which run along the city walls from the 7th century BC. lead.
In Capri itself, you should definitely not miss out on the nightlife. Treat yourself to an ice-cold limoncello and indulge in “Dolcefarniente” – the sweetness of doing nothing.
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