Italy’s Campania region is known for its sensuous excesses: heartfelt music, sumptuous meals, intoxicating local wines, and breathtaking sea views. Naples, its capital, embodies a culture unto itself, with a still widely spoken dialect unintelligible even to Italians from other regions. A sign language of its own and an intricate system of semi-spiritual beliefs, customs, and superstitions give Naples and its region a magical air of mystery.
Neapolitans are earthy people less concerned with elegance and the latest fads than with the ability to enjoy life – every golden minute of it – even if money is short and luxury beyond reach. Yet, only a short ferry or hydrofoil ride from Naples’ main port area (on any of at least a half-dozen commuter lines), the island of Capri sits in jet set contrast.
As the ferry approaches, the visitor can see luxury yachts anchored everywhere, their affluent owners (or renters) diving into Capri’s azure waters or headed for the funicular to the top of the island. There, the outdoor tables of the Piccolo Bar in the main square offer unrivaled people-watching and refreshment.
Visitors with no awaiting yacht may choose to stay in any of Capri’s scores of hotels and few bed and breakfasts, but bear in mind that this is a place where the word “budget” is never uttered.
Not far from the funicular station off the main square, there are public buses that can transport one to the island’s highest point called Anacapri. At that level, tea or cocktails – if not a full meal – might be enjoyed from the terrace of the Hotel Caesar Augustus. That vantage point provides views across the Bay of Naples worth admiring.
Those who choose, instead, to wander the narrow streets will find the most elegant shops. Designer logos are everywhere, as are names of local vendors who have made a reputation for themselves, like the descendants of the late and legendary jeweler Olimpia Aprea, whose original store, La Perla, still greets those exiting the funicular just across the street. One daughter still manages the original store, which has sold expensive baubles to Hollywood greats and world royalty for decades, while another, Lena, was famous for her fabulous boutique on the way to the Hotel Quisisana. Lena’s widower, Alberto, and his daughter still sell there.
Visitors wanting to take advantage of Capri’s swimming opportunities might wish to visit former film star Gracie Field’s famous beach club, Canzone del Mare, overlooking the iconic Faraglioni rocks of Capri. The club offers a pool and terrace dining, and small boats can be hired to take visitors to the rocks for a dive or just a better look.
Dining on Capri includes everything cosmopolitan visitors might want. There are elegant restaurants around every corner serving haute cuisine and fresh, local seafood as the specialty. Economical pizzerias where pastas and salads may be enjoyed dot the narrow streets. On the docks near the ferry ticket booths, vendors sell wonderful donuts, and those who can’t live without hamburgers can find them, as well.
High rollers with endless travel budgets will enjoy Capri for its top-shelf offerings in lodging, food, or shopping. The overwhelming numbers of visitors to the island on any given day, however, are average tourists who come to enjoy a day in the Capri sun, take in the island’s lush beauty, and hope to catch sight of a celebrity or two in the bargain.
Whatever the motivation, the short hop from Italy’s mainland to this elegant island in the Bay of Naples is well-worth the day trip. Capri will make you smile, even if she leaves you with a slightly lighter wallet.
