Capri Things to Do

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Lined with designer labels, exclusive boutiques, and luxury hotels, Via Vittorio Emanuele III is a haven of high class shopping for big spenders. Shopping in style, enjoying the atmosphere or simply hanging around brimming with "class" is what this street was designed for.

Via Vittorio Emanuele however, surpasses shopping and continues towards the top of Capri.

Leaving the historic and acclaimed Quisisana Hotel and numerous boutiques behind, the road climbs to the serene Carthusian Monastery and the Gardens of Augustus above, tranquil respite from the strains of vanity fair.

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The Gardens of Augustus, towards the top of the island, are a retreat into a natural paradise, complete with unforgettable panoramas.
From the vantage point of the gardens, apart from the splendid views of the sea, are fantastic photographic vistas.

To one side the undulating roofs and picturesque bell tower of the St. James' Certosa (Charterhouse), a Carthusian Monastery, lie in the foreground below the Gardens.

Ahead, the Faraglioni rocks rise from the blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea

To the other side, a narrow road zigzags dramatically in hairpin bends down Capri's cliff reaching the harbor of Marina Piccola below.

This fantastic feat of engineering is known as Via Krupp, named after a German steel magnate, Friedrich Alfred Krupp, who, in the early nineteen hundreds, came to Capri to convalesce after an illness, and later commissioned both the Gardens of Augustus and the road that takes his name. Via Krupp, however, is not always open because of the possibility of falling rocks.

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The beauty of the Blue Grotto was described in 1826 by the German writer August Kopisch. Since then, the Blue Grotto has become the emblem of the island of Capri. The grotto was known by the Romans, as proved by the antique statues which were found in the Grotto. Sunlight, passing through an underwater cavity and shining through the seawater, creates a blue reflection that illuminates the cavern - hence its name.

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Faraglioni is the collective name for three rocks located off the island of Capri in the Bay of Naples. The stacks have been given their own names: Stella (still attached to the main island), Mezzo (after Stella), and Scopolo (or Fuori). These three rocks form the signature postcard view of Capri.

Walking up from the piazza where numerous cafes refresh the weary, you'll discover a garden retreat promoted by German Industrialist, A.F. Krupp. It was part of Fondo Certosa, an estate purchased by him and named Augusta Gardens.

The reward for your efforts are the picture postcard views. Far below, you'll see the Faraglioni rocks, massive chunks of rock that were the product of rock slides and erosion by wind and sea.

Although my photos turned out poorly, this picture shows us wending our way towards the gardens. It was a very pleasant day, with a gentle breeze and comfortable temperatures.

There was no charge for admittance, but the photo op was priceless...I hope you do a better job of it than I did!

When our family traveled to Capri when I was a young teenager, we three children were permitted to hang onto the sides of the small boat and be pulled gently inside the Blue Grotto. I remembered being amazed at the crystal blue water, while at the same time keeping an eye on the depths below in case a shark might be lurking there. Heh!

I have no idea whether visitors can still swim there or not, but there are tours that will take you into the Blue Grotto cave. We did not have time to do any additional sightseeing beyond our trip to the top of the cliff. However, I'd definitely recommend a trip to see this fascinating place.

For more on this natural wonder, see websites below.

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It's a 45 minute, largely uphill, walk to get to this Roman villa, but worth it if you have the time and energy. You'll walk along some fascinating little lanes on the way, have fabulous views .... and the opportunity to peer into numerous villa gardens!

The Roman Emperor Tiberius had this place built for his retirement. In fact, he ruled the empire for 10 years from Capri, which is a testament to the efficiency of the Roman communications system. The villa covers almost the whole of the summit of Mount Tiberio, with magnificent views across the Bay of Naples.

Although it is not in terribly good condition, its treasures long removed, its gardens overgrown and its walls crumbling, the villa still gives a glimpse into how the ultra-rich lived thousands of years ago. Most fascinating is the sytem of canals and water-storage areas which the architects had to design in order to supply not only the villa's everyday needs but also its baths and its vast gardens. More evidence of Roman efficiency!

It's worth checking that the villa is open before you start out on the walk. Although it is supposed to be open from 9 am to an hour before dusk, I doubt this is the case throughout the year. Details and directions on this link:

Villa Jovis info

More photos and info on my travelogue here:

Villa Jovis

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Emperor Tiberius I lived on Capri between 27 and 37 AD and ruins of three of twelve suspected palaces he built here still remain. In keeping with tradition, the largest was named for Jupiter (Jove) and commands the top of Mt. Tiberio, on the far eastern coast of the island. Strategically placed to provide an excellent scope of the sea and protection from possible attack, this villa was as much fortress as imperial accommodation.

Tiberius was reputed to have been a competent general and administrator but not much of a people person. The decision to manage his empire from distant, isolated Capri vs. Rome was the second time he'd fled into self-imposed exile (the first was to Rhodes), and a sour demeanor coupled with anti-social tendencies made him generally disliked by Rome's elite. To make matters worse, it was on this faraway piece of rock that the emperor is said to have engaged in all sorts of scandalous behavior - accompanied by infamous stepgrandson, Caligula, no less - that caused even the most hedonistic of Senators to blush. I'll leave you to your own research there but some historians feel it's possible that his enemies greatly embellished the truth out of spite.

Highlights of Villa Jovis include a number of enormous cisterns that provided for collection and storage of rainwater, the remains of mosaic flooring, a small, 18th- century church and absolutely magnificent panorama of the Bay of Naples and Sorrentine Peninsula. Even if you have zero interest in old piles of rocks, go for the view!

Open from 9:00 AM until an hour before sunset, it's about an hour's walk from town, much of it uphill, to the top of the mountain but the way is paved and it's a great escape from the daytime crowds around the Piazzetta. Ask at the visitor's center in town about current entry fees as I don't recall that we paid more than 2 euro apiece. There was a little outdoor bar just a few minutes walk from the villa (it'll be on your left as you're nearing the mountain top) that would be a great place to stop before heading back into town. It closed at 4:00 or so when we were there in October but probably stays open later in the summer.