Capri Shopping

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Limoncello is everywhere on the Sorrentine Peninsula. It's a bright yellow liqueur made from the rinds of lemons and usually served as an after-dinner "digestive" - although you can buy little glasses of the stuff any time of the day. It's like super-intense lemonade with a serious kick and the traditional version is made strictly from lemons that grow in this region of Italy. Other than liquids generally being a pain to deal with on a plane, it's a nice, inexpensive gift or souvenir in containers of all sizes - some small enough to tuck inside your shoes to prevent breakage on the flight home. I'm sure most places will ship the larger bottles.

Even if you don't spring for a whole bottle, at least try it in a restaurant, a bar, or from one of the stands that sell individual glasses. We picked up tiny cups of it from a kiosk on the way to the Gardens of Augustus. There are many brands and they can taste very differently: some sweeter, some with more alcohol "burn", etc. The best-selling label - Limoncello di Capri - can be purchased at shops of the same name in Capri (Via Roma, 79) and Anacapri (Via Capodimonte, 27). They also have a nice website with recipes and information about this sunny beverage.

Bonus: some restaurants serve limoncello as their version of the free after-dinner mint! Yum.

What to pay: Cost depends on size of bottle, starting at a mere couple of euro.

Our shopping advisor aboard ship informed us all about the Chantecler Bell. Never heard of it? I didn't either until the shopping facts were presented that morning. From this point on, most of us were intent on purchasing this lovely symbol of Capri.

This shop specializes in bell pendants of all sorts: silver, gold and encrusted with tiny jewels. They aren't inexpensive and they certainly are novel! Once I saw them, I wanted to take one home with me.

You can't miss the shop, for its on the way to Augusta Gardens. Plan to make time for a visit and price one for yourself--they come in various sizes and prices. I think you'd find them "persuasive"!

For a peek at all Chantecler offers go to the website below and enjoy!

If the enticing shop window doesn't lure you in, perhaps the wonderful scents lingering in the doorway may just do it.

Carthusia perfume shop had the most luscious perfumes you can ever imagine. Several I tried were concocted from flowers actually grown in Capri. The scent I purchased was Fiori di Capri--a heady floral fragrance created by blending lily of the valley, wild carnation, sandalwood, ylang-ylang and oak.

Beribboned soaps in pastel wrappings, lip gels in pretty packaging and the bottles of glorious scents in toilet water or perfume filled the shelves.

The service was excellent and the sales staff more than happy to have you try multiple fragrances in order to select just the right one to take with you. I highly recommend a visit!

What to pay: moderate to pricey

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No doubt about it, Capri town caters to the extremely well heeled so if your yacht is anchored at the marina, dropping serious euros at Versace (or Dior, Valentino or Pucci) is no sweat. The great news for the rest of us is that a glass of limoncello in the piazzetta, a climb to a lofty perch overlooking an aquamarine sea, or a ramble past whitewashed houses draped in masses of flowers is enough make even the most budget-challenged of us feel very rich indeed.

Many of the the natural wonders of the island are blissfully free (or at least within reason) and make for better memories and pictures than the inside of a store anyway, right? If having a taste, if not the bank account, for designer labels, evening is a nice time for a little window shopping, and Anacapri seemed to offer a more accessible range of items - in casual, open-air shops - for the not-so-rich or famous.

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Italian ceramics are famous for their intricate designs painted in vivid, cheerful colors. In the Sorrentine area, plates, pitchers, decorative tile and other works of pottery often sport sunny yellow lemons - the symbol of this region - amid cool blues reflective of the sea. Pieces come in all shapes, sizes, functions and costs, and most of ceramic shops on the island will ship a larger treasure home - a plus in these days of luggage size and weight restrictions! On a budget? A small, trivet-sized tile might be the perfect memento of your visit. This tip picture was in Anacapri at, I believe, L'Oasi Ceramiche on via Capodimonte and there are other shops to browse as well.

Generally a lousy cook (I have a kitchen 'cause it came with the house), I probably could use a bunch of this stuff - plates this gorgeous could make even burnt toast look good.

Limoncello is a traditional lemon liqueur produced in southern Italy but mainly in the region around the Gulf of Naples so, it will be extremely easy to find it in Capri. Despite it has a great flavor of lemon, it's not sour but it has a lot of alcohol! It is sold in many shaped bottles but my fave one was the shape of Italy.
It is made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water and sugar. You will recognize it by its bright yellow in color. Take one home!!

Note:
If you are afraid of the narrow streets in Capri, specially the one in zig-zag going down to Marina Grande from Anacapri (where you feel your bus will fall to the sea), then I recommend you to drink a lot of it!

What to pay: There are several prices from 4 to 10€, you choose

Capri is famous for handmade sandals and master cobbler, Antonio Viva, has been crafting them for over 50 years. Located in an open-air shop in Anacapri, Antonio provides the rich, the famous and the everyday tourist with modern versions of the shoe that graced the feet of ancient Romans. Choose your style and color and have them custom fit while you wait. They're much less expensive than anything from Capri's Ferragamo or Jimmy Choo boutiques and a more authentic keepsake of your trip. The shop was very busy the day we were there and Antonio was merrily chatting away whilst hammering out comfy new footwear for adoring fans - the guy is an island treasure!

Sapori di Capri is a beautiful little shop in Ana Capri. I liked how I could see the distillery process behind the counter. We entered to buy some olive oil and left with olive oil, 2 bottles of limoncello and chocolate. The attendant gave us samples of limoncello to try and we automatically purchased two bottles. I tried the normal and creamy limoncello, which I ended-up purchasing.