Travel Tips: Capri Island, Italy

The volcanic isle of Capri off the Amalfi Coast of Italy is unbelievable. As you approach, you can feel the magic of this place. I am so excited to share my travel tips for visiting Capri Island with locals (friends) this past fall. If you’ve been under a rock in the past ten years then you probably haven’t heard about Capri.

This island is a MUST-SEE if you visit the Amalfi coast and today I will share how easy it is to get there, where you can stay, tours you can do, and how to get around the island and where to eat! 

Yes, it is as beautiful as you see in all the Intsa’s and Facebook reels. It really is! For the past two September’s I have had the absolute privilege to visit the island. Last year, because of bad weather and unexpected rains our private boat tour around the island was postponed. I kind of feel like it was fate, but we rescheduled and I met new friend, boat tour operatorand Capresi, Vincenzo. 

Vincenzo is passionate about sharing his island with others and this past fall took us on another private tour around the island. He also shares history, geographical information and includes the best places to jump off the boat and swim or snorkel. (More about experiencing the island in a bit) Let’s get you there!

How to get there

The only way you can arrive in Capri is by boat or ferry. Depending on where you are staying along the Amalfi Coast, is where you will catch the ferry/boat. On our first visit we took the ferry from Positano. 

TRAVEL TIP:  Ferries to CAPRI do NOT run all year round except from Naples port. Most ferry service becomes limited after October 15 and then resumes again in April. Be mindful of this when booking your trip. 

I use ferry hopper quite a bit. Here’s a link to help you get there faster. You can print these tickets or download the digital app. 

This year we took the ferry from Salerno because the parking in Naples can be a bit challenging. There is a huge parking garage in Salerno and is a fun town to visit along the coast as well and just recently been added as an EU project. 

If you begin a tour in Positano, during the spring, summer and early fall they will have daily ferries as well. The ferry ride over is about an hour, some are just people movers, others have people and cars. 

Catching a boat tour (private boat tour)

Capri tourism has made catching a private tour in the marina very easy. Of course this is busy, busy, busy season. During the summer many larger tour companies like Collette, Globus, etc bring tours here as well. Most private boat tours are met at Pier 21. It is pretty hard to spot so be on the look out, it’s directly across from sandwiched between boats and other ferries. 

The skill to flip those huge ferry boats is something to marvel and we caught glimpse of it a few times. It made me question my parallel parking skills.

I definitely recommend signing up for a private boat tour especially if you book it with Vincenzo. He also coordinates tours and other excursions on the island. Please tell him I sent you. 

In 2022, on our girls trip, he picked us up at the Pier, we only needed our swimsuits and coverups! He had drinks and snacks on the boat, so we were off to tour around the island beginning with a little Prosecco! He also provided towels for us and snorkeling gear. 

This summer, while traveling with my daughter Katy and husband, Jon we discovered a few coves we missed last time. Just spectacular! The volcanic stone that created this island is above and below the water. 

Travel Tip: Where we stayed in Capri

Vincenzo also has a holiday home for rent, so we totally took him up on it! His wife Antonella is so sweet too. Their villa has incredible views of the hillsides and the water. Our sunsets were unforgettable and magical. 

This two-bedroom villa with a full kitchen, living room, and two patios is nestled just outside of the Marina Grande neighborhood of Capri. The location of the apartment was perfect for our visit because we were within walking distance of the Marina as well as walking to local restaurants, private beaches and more!

Travel Tip: What to do in Capri

There is actually quite a lot to do on the Island of Capri. You will need a good pair of sneaks. Whether you decide to take the public bus around the island or walk from Historic Capri you will get a work out. 

The island itself has historic sites to see and “Capri-town.” The Gardens of Augustus Giardini di Augusto or botanical gardens are a highlight on the island as well as Villa Lysis. These historical sites are not geographically close together so either a Vespa or public transportation would be needed to get here. Tickets for both places are between €1.50 and €2.50.

The Blue Cave & Grotto are a frequent stop for many, many tourists. However, Vincenzo actually has a really beautiful stop he includes on his tour that has much less tourists. So it’s up to you. Here are a few wimming holes.

Other tours that are popular are the tours of Capri and Anacapri from Naples that include Monte Solaro. If you are a hiker, then you won’t want to miss hiking the mountain, here’s a private tour too.

Another highlight of our tour was visiting the Little Marina or Spiaggia di Marina Piccola. This little oasis beach and marina has a nice little snack bar area that makes for a great stop on your private boat tour.

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Travel Tip: Where to eat in Capri

We ate so well on the island I am going to inundate you with these fine restaurants and cafes. Let’s begin with breakfast and those famous cappuccinos! First up…

Bar II Gabbiano

Located right in the middle of the Marina, Bar II Gabbiano has plenty of outdoor seating and a full breakfast menu. We liked it so much we came here for breakfast two mornings in a row. It was great to grab some eggs and nutella pancakes or a croissant before hopping on the ferry back to the mainland.

Service is exceptional and I really enjoyed my white chocolate croissant and fresh squeezed orange juice. Katy had salmon and eggs, while Jon enjoyed the pancakes. There were a few seats inside but it was mostly a cafe counter for grab and go.

For lunch we enjoyed a few places. On my first trip to the island, Vincenzo took us to the Piccola Marina or small marina where we grabbed a sandwich and snacks to take on the boat at El Merendero Snack Bar Be sure to have some Euro coin or small bills to make it a bit easier. Bathrooms were close by too, making this a perfect pop-in stop on our private tour.

L’ Approdo 1980 Food & Drink

A pizza and pasta lunch stop we enjoyed this recent trip was L’Approdo 1980 Food & Drink thanks to Vincenzo’s recommendation. This place is obviously very good because you might have to wait for a table. We lucked out and one cleared right as we approached the front kiosk. 

The pizza menu is extensive so it might take you a few minutes to make a decision. Have yourself an aperol spritzer or a white wine while your waiting. Also located in the marina area this seemed to be a favorite with locals and tourists alike.

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Da Paolino

One of our absolute favorite dining experiences was dining at Da Paolino Ristorante in the lemon grove. This is definitely a destination dining experience and is visited by celebrities as well. There is plenty of seating, but I do highly recommend RESERVATIONS, it is a very, very popular restaurant. 

Also, a huge highlight and delight of your dining experience will be the dessert room. There are so many choices, it will be hard to choose. You pay per plate so be mindful as to how much you pile on. HA! We had a lot of fun sampling several choices. 

I would definitely wear fine dining clothing or dress up a bit, this is not a place for khaki shorts and tanks. Most people looked very nice. The service was impeccable and I do believe we had about four servers for our table. Attentive and courteous as well as a professional presentation when our food was brought to the table. I had the lemon ravioli and we enjoyed a caprese mozzarella salad, lemon chicken and fettuccine with shrimp and lemon sauce for dinner.

Definitely an unforgettable night on the island.

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Ziqù

Ziqù at the Villa Marina Capri Hotel & Spa. Overlooking the sea with views of Naples this authentic, unique restaurant is located inside the hotel with outdoor seating that is just spectacular and unexpected. Our table was underneath a bamboo teak roof, that most certainly had the ambiance of being on an island. 

One look at the menu and you will recognize the Chefs creativity for blending local and seasonal food with the islands heritage and culture. It is really spectacular. Just arriving on the island and walking around we discovered this restaurant on our way up to see old town Capri. 

The service begins with a palate cleanser and fresh bread. Yum! Then We enjoyed a Friturina or friend fish platter and I enjoyed the Spaghetti Nerano. Nerano is a small town on the Amalfi coast that is known as the agricultural and vegetable capitol of the region. My special pasta was made with the famous Nerano zucchini. YUM!

Travel Tip: When to visit Capri?

When should you visit the Amalfi Coast and the Isle of Capri? My absolute favorite time to visit Italy is September. May and early June are also really a nice time to go as well. This time is usually less tourists than the summer months and the weather is still great. However, next year in 2024, Italy has already broken booking records.

Both September’s were really fantastic weather for us. It was actually quite warm and the cobalt waters were amazing. This fall we were there just at the beginning of October and it could not have been nicer. 

Other travel tips: How expensive is Capri?

Capri has been considered a high end destination for many years. This reputation is also why most people just visit for the day, however I wouldn’t do this. You would be missing out quite a bit. If you plan accordingly and work with a Travel Advisor, like me or someone you trust, this would be an absolutely lovely additional to an Amalfi destination itinerary. Honestly, it was as expensive as Paris or London but definitely more affordable than Scandinavia. 

So to wrap it up! Is Capri Island worth the visit, I would say a resounding, YES! I hope my travel tips have helped you with your travel planning, if you need additional assistance in working on an Italian Vacation sign up for a consultation today. Here’s my calendar.

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