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CAPRI FAQ`S
The small Italian island of Capri is 3 miles from the mainland in the Bay of Naples, near Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. It has been a beautiful coastal resort since the days of the Roman Republic until now.
Crossing the sea to get to Capri takes about an hour from Naples and about half an hour from Sorrento.
The island is 3 square miles.
Which are the main towns?
There are two towns on the island: Capri and Anacapri. Capri has the Piazzetta at its center, while Anacapri is at a higher elevation on the slopes of Mount Solaro. The third village is Marina Grande, where the port is located.
Capri town is on the more cosmopolitan side of the island, with luxury boutiques, night clubs, and the famous Piazzetta, a meeting place for islanders and visitors alike. Anacapri, on the other hand, has a more intimate and quiet atmosphere and is less crowded than Capri.
Capri is reached in about 40 minutes by hydrofoil from the port of Ischia or Forio, docking at Marina Grande on the north side of the island. There are also daily ferries from Naples (20 per day, about €16, 40 minutes), Amalfi, Positano and from Sorrento (15 per day, about €20, 30 minutes). Boats are operated by Caremar and SNAV.
Another option is Capritime Boats (higher-end option), which specialize in water taxis that directly transfers from Naples, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Ischia to Capri. They also provide luxury full-day and half-day boat tours to the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento Coast from Capri, tailor itineraries for cruise ship passengers docked in Sorrento, Capri, Naples and Amalfi and also offer special Capri and Ischia island boat excursions.
From Marina Grande, a funicular goes up to Capri Town, and boats leave for the Blue Grotto. Tickets for buses, funicular, and return boats are for sale at kiosks, along with public toilets.
Ferries and slow ferries are much slower and less expensive than high speed ferries, and transport vehicles as well as passengers. When seas are rough, high speed ferry routes are often cancelled and only ferries and slow ferries depart for Capri.
Which is the closest airport to Capri? Are there flights between the Naples airport and Capri?
The Naples International Capodichino Airport is the closest airport.
At the exit of the airport there are taxis, or you can take the Alibus that takes you to Molo Beverello (high speed ferries) and to the port of Calata di Massa (ferries), the two boarding piers for Capri. A more comfortable and `save time` solution is to book a private transfer, some agencies also offer combined private car transfer, plus motorboat to Capri.
Getting around Capri is fairly easy. On foot, from the main harbor to the town up the hill leads a range of stairs. Stairs and walkways, mostly signposted, crisscross the island.
Buses are readily available to take you to the various areas of the island. They run on a schedule and cost about €2 per ride (Oct 2019). Buses run from:
-Marina Grande to Capri town (4 per hour) and then take bus to Anacapri (4 per hour) but the Capri to Anacapri bus gets crowded, so you could take a bus direct from Marina to Anacapri (2 per hour).
-Anacapri Buses go to Capri (at least 4 per hour) and to the Blue Grotto.
By funicolare: this mountain tram connects the harbor with the town up the hill. The trip costs about €2 per trip.
Non-resident vehicles can only be embarked on ferries and only in very low season, from the beginning of November through the end of March. Regardless, there is little use for a car on the island.
How do I get around by taxi?The open top taxis are expensive, but if there are a group of you, worth considering. Haggle to get a price to ferry you around the island for the day (it is not cheap - but very little on Capri is!).
How long does it take to visit the Island of Capri?There are many visitors to Capri who arrive on the morning ferry and leave on the evening ferry of the same day, but we think that in one day you can really only get a general idea of the center of Capri town and the island. The island is especially crowded on summer days (an average of 20,000 tourists disembarking daily on the island in August), but in the evening most of these visitors leave and those who stay overnight are left to enjoy the quiet, relaxed island atmosphere. You will need at least three or four days to visit the island, including the towns of Capri and Anacapri, and see it less as a destination and more as a culture.
Can I pay/tip in US dollars?
The currency used in Italy is the Euro, US dollars are not accepted.
All major credit cards are accepted almost everywhere on Capri, and there are 7 or 8 ATM machines in banks around the island.
Capri boasts a Mediterranean climate. If you are looking for warmer weather, we advise you to visit the island during May, June, July and August, although the winter months are equally as appealing, as warm weather is maintained, and fewer visitors visit the island at this time.
Summer is when there is the highest number of tourists visiting the Island of Capri, especially the months between June and August. The peak of visitors disembarking on the island is during the month of August, with up to 20,000 arrivals a day. This enormous influx of vacationers means that it`s sometimes difficult to navigate the crowded, narrow lanes on foot. In the evening, when the daytrippers have left, the atmosphere becomes much less overwhelming.
The months of May, September, and October are decidedly the best time of year to visit the island: the temperatures are milder but still warm enough for a swim, and the hotel rates are less than peak season.
During the winter months, the island returns to its humble roots as a fishing community, with few tourists and beaches and sights nearly deserted, and a general air of stark, wild beauty. Aside from the colder temperatures (though never freezing) and the probability of rain, the most inconvenient part of travelling in the winter is that most of the hotels and restaurants close for the low season. Most of the island`s Bed and Breakfasts remain open, however, along with a few restaurants and cafés in Capri and Anacapri.
English is no problem on the island of Capri. Italian is the official language, although many residents do speak English to some degree, we suggest you get a good English-Italian guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.
Can I swim in the Blue Grotto?
Visitors are not allowed to swim into the grotto or dive from rowboats to swim inside the cavern. Many visitors wait until after 5:30pm when the boats leave and the ticket office closes to swim inside. This is illegal and dangerous, as the high waves can slam swimmers against the stone of the low cave mouth.
You will notice that many locals do swim in the Blue Grotto after 6:00pm. Swimming is much safer however at the small beach to the left of the ticket kiosk for the furnicolare in Marina Grande or on the other side of the island at Marina Piccola (resort-like beach) or at any of the natural beaches reachable by boat.
Capri has a number of luxury and designer boutiques with high end price tags. The luxury shopping area in Capri covers the trianble from the Piazetta to Via Camerelle and Via Le Botteghe. In Anacapri, along Via Giuseppe Orlandi there are a number of artisan boutiques, while the souvenir shops are concentrated along the lane which leads to Villa San Michele. Many of the island`s visitors return just to buy more of the locally made goods, especially the sandals and the jewelry.
Note: VAT
(Value Added Tax) is 22%. Travelers from outside the EU can claim back sales
tax on purchases over 155 euros.
Known as the playground for the rich and famous, summer nights in Capri are lively, and bring out beautiful people dressed to impress. The activity takes place at the famous Piazetta at nightfall where the nightlife centers on the see-and-be-seen at the trendy and stylish bars and restaurants. There are a number of nightclubs in Capri, along with `tavern`, which offer live music and dancing. The most famous is I`Amena e Core, a favorite of VIPs and celebrities.
Anacapri is fairly quiet at night compared to Capri`s nightlife. This area will offer a relaxing night with many restaurants for enjoying a nice meal.
You can dress informally almost everywhere on Capri, aside from a few fine dining restaurants where you should opt for something a bit more elegant (no shorts, for example). There are no establishments requiring formal evening wear, so unless you are attending a Black Tie, you can leave your tuxedo at home.
What is the food like? Where can I go to eat?
Almost all restaurants on Capri feature menus based on traditional cuisine, so you`ll have no problem finding local dishes to sample while on the island. Until a few decades ago, sea crossings to the mainland were rare and shipments of goods logistically complicated, so the historic island specialties are all based on ingredients grown or found on the island: tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, lemons, and fresh fish and seafood.
The most famous traditional island dishes are ravioli capresi, caprese salad, and torta caprese...as their names suggest! Ravioli capresi are filled with caciotta and parmesan cheeses and marjoram, caprese salad is a simple mix of mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and basil leaves, and torta caprese is a chocolate and almond cake dusted with sugar. Don`t miss limoncello, a lemon liqueur made from local fruit.
There are no ethnic restaurants on Capri, but only eateries featuring island or Italian cuisine. The only difference between the numerous restaurants on the island is the gourmet twist to the menu and the formality of the dining room. There is one Japanese restaurant.
Hours: restaurants catering to tourists are open all day, serving from 11 am to late in the evening. More authentic restaurants are open for lunch from noon to 3 pm and for dinner from 7 pm to 11 pm; Italians generally sit down for lunch around 1 pm and dinner around 8 pm. The beach restaurants serve all day until sunset.
Prices: Some restaurants, especially around the town center, can be very expensive. Generally speaking, a dinner including an appetizer, a main course, a dessert, and a bottle of wine will cost upwards of €50/person. All restaurants have their menu posted outside, and some can be viewed on their website. That way you can get an idea of the selection and pricing before being seated.
Extra charges: restaurants on Capri, like those across Italy, routinely add a per person `coperto` service charge (usually between EUR 1-2 per patron) and an automatic `servizio` gratuity charge for larger groups. It is not customary to tip in Italian restaurants, as servers are paid a fixed salary, not in tips. You can also expect to be charged more for table service at the island`s cafès than for service at the bar.
For travelers on a budget, we suggest dining in Anacapri where restaurants are generally less expensive than in Capri and opt for a pizza.
From April to the end of the summer, the island also comes to life from an artistic and cultural point of view. Concerts are organized almost every evening in the squares or the splendid villas built by Tiberius, as well as painting and sculpture exhibitions, plays and dance performances. Some annual events include:
-Festival of San Costanzo On May 14 every year, the patron saint of the town of Capri, San Costanzo, is celebrated.
-Festival of Sant`Antonio On June 13 every year, the patron saint of the town of Anacapri is celebrated with a large rustic festival.
-International Folklore Festival During the 1st week of August, Anacapri plays host to a range of events in its squares, featuring musical bands and folk dance companies.
-Settembrata Anacaprese September. A large rustic festival for celebrating the grape harvest: 10 days of celebration dedicated to the island’s typical produce, including shows, competitions and games.
-Capri Film Festival Every December since 1991, Capri has hosted an international festival dedicated to the cinema. The event attracts Italian artists, Hollywood stars and independent filmmakers keen to present their works in this exclusive location.
As with many other places, hike at your own risk. Cacti, prickly pears, bees, and steep slopes and edges are the primary things to be cautious of on some trails, but otherwise, hiking on Capri`s trails is generally quite safe. However, be careful when walking down paths around the villas when alone, as many of the residents of the villas keep large dogs which may roam freely onto the public pathways; these dogs are not particularly friendly to foreigners of the island.
What should I do if I need medical assistance or need to go to the hospital?
Emergency room and ambulance: 118
Capilupi Hospital: Via Provinciale Anacapri, Tel. 081 8381111
Medical Assistance (nights and holidays): Piazza Umberto I, 9 Capri Tel. 081 8375716 - 081 8381238