Grottos, Lemons, and Mountains, Oh My!
Oh, Capri. How do I even begin to describe how much we loved you?
We arrived on the island after a 2-hour ferry ride, which allowed us to see the towns along the Amalfi Coast in the sunlight as we picked up passengers in Amalfi Town and Positano. It’s hard to imagine ever getting tired of these rides around the islands. We landed in the port of Capri and then immediately took a taxi up the winding road to Anacapri. We grabbed a quick lunch at Due Pini in Piazza Vittoria and then met our host, Costanzo, who graciously drove us up to the Monte Solaro B&B. Although it was just a 5 minute walk, we soon found out that it was 5 minutes up a steep hill of stairs – 312 to be exact!
We absolutely loved staying in Anacapri. It had the same great shopping and restaurants as in Capri, but we thought the winding streets and small piazzas were even more charming. Plus, because it is at the top of the island, we had a mountain breeze to keep us cool.
Our first priority was to see the Blue Grotto, which is a sea cave on the coast in which the sunlight illuminates the water creating an incredible blue glow. By the time we settled into our room, it was 1pm, so we headed down the hill to catch the bus to the coast. From there, it was a short walk to more stairs that led down to a sea of tiny boats manned by old, exuberant Italian men. Because they had to service both the line that had formed on land and the tour boats, we waited about an hour for our turn. Let me tell you, the wait was totally worth all 5 minutes that we got inside the grotto!
Next up was a hike to the top of Monte Solaro, which is the highest point in Capri. From our B&B, it took us 45 minutes to walk up – including pauses to take photos and get scared to death by hilltoppers – and 20 minutes to walk down. The trails were mostly rocky and uneven and the climb was pretty steep at times, but it was all worth it for the clean air, the lush foliage, and the view from the top. It was, in a word, breathtaking.
We finished off this perfect day of adventure with a romantic dinner in La Zagara’s lemon grove. *swoon* This restaurant was on the pricier side, but the service was the best we’ve received, we got a free appetizer, and the food was absolutely worth every penny. We highly recommend this place if you ever find yourself in Capri!
Our second day was chillier than the first, and rain clouds hung over the island all day. We took the morning slow, enjoyed breakfast with the other couples that were staying at the B&B, then hopped on a bus down to explore Capri. We walked around Piazza Umberto for a while, admiring the high-end shops and vibrant flowers. This area seemed a lot more crowded, which makes sense since most tourists seem to do day trips to the island rather than stay the night.
Then we rode the funiculare down to the port, weaved our way through more winding streets, and sat for a long time on the beach, admiring the crystal clear water and the rain-stick music the waves made as the tide came in and out.
As I mentioned earlier, we preferred Anacapri most, so we finished our day there with souvenir shopping, lunch, gelato, relaxing in our room, pre-dinner dessert and coffee, more shopping, and dinner.
I’m writing this post on the train to Florence and, while I am over-the-moon excited to be in the place I’ve dreamed of the longest, I am already missing Capri. Even after a rainy morning that lead to a bus full of impatient Italians yelling at drivers all the way down the mountain and a ferry ride on turbulent water that had us saying a few silent prayers, I can’t wait to go back to that mountaintop oasis.
Hugs from Italy,
Juliette