Holiday apartment in Capri: Culture, Coast and Island History

Capri combines culture, coast, nature and local flavors into a multifaceted island destination. The island’s distinctive features can be seen in historic villas, ancient paths, striking rocks, grottoes and artisanal traditions.

Culture and History

Villa San Michele is the life’s work of the Swedish physician and writer Axel Munthe on Capri. The ancient Phoenician Steps connect the port of Capri directly with Villa San Michele via approximately 900 steps.

Villa Jovis is located on Monte Tiberio at an altitude of 334 meters on the eastern edge of Capri and overlooks the Gulf of Naples. Villa Jovis is the most imposing of the residences built for Tiberius.

The thousand-year-old Castello Barbarossa is a castle used in spring by ornithologists to study migratory birds. The Museo Archeologico di Capri is housed in the Certosa di San Giacomo. It opened in July 2024 and displays 120 exhibits, including marble sculptures, frescoes and ceramics, relating to the island’s ancient history.

Villa Lysis was built in 1904 by the Count of Fersen and reflects his eclectic, elegant, eccentric, luxurious, reserved and at the same time lavish personality. In the narrow streets of Capri, you can visit the Carthusia boutiques and workshops, where master perfumers continue to work by hand and create the fragrances using slow, careful processes.

Coast and Landscape

The Sentiero dei Fortini is a coastal path from the Blue Grotto to the Faro di Punta Carena, passing the three forts of Orrico, Pino and Mesola. The forts are historic military positions built by the British in 1806 and expanded by the French after the capture of Capri at Orrico on October 4, 1808.

Access to the Blue Grotto is through a low, submerged entrance in small rowing boats and is only possible when the sea is calm and there is no wind. The intense blue inside the Blue Grotto is created by the refraction of sunlight at a submerged opening in the rock. From Anacapri, a bus departs from the terminal on Viale De Tommaso and reaches the Blue Grotto area in approximately 10 minutes; access to the entrance is then possible by land before the required transfer to a rowing boat.

The Faraglioni are on average 100 meters high. Several group boat excursions depart daily from the port of Marina Grande, including tours to the Faraglioni and the Blue Grotto.

The Grotta di Matermania is approximately 30 meters long, 20 meters wide and an average of 10 meters high.

Nature and Flavor

Capri is home to small mammals, many bird species including migratory birds, and numerous invertebrates; the waters around the island are also home to numerous marine mammals, fish, reptiles and invertebrates.

Typical dishes on Capri are based on locally grown tomatoes, vegetables, wild herbs and lemons, as well as fresh fish.

Getting There and Further Destinations

The main ports of embarkation for Capri are Naples and Sorrento. The cable car to Monte Solaro starts at Piazza Vittoria in Anacapri.

Further destinations: Pomigliano d'Arco, Villaricca, San Giorgio A Cremano, San Vitaliano, Marigliano, Torre Del Greco, Sant'Anastasia, Colli Di Fontanelle.

To the higher-level travel overview: Naples.