What to see in a day in Capri

As soon as you get to Capri and get off the boat, you are immediately inebriated by the many attractions to visit. Between the beautiful sea, the streets of the center, the natural wonders and its great cultural heritage, the island is able to give many, disparate experiences. In short, Capri is a special place, where anyone can find the dimension that better suits him.

Faced with this rich offer, however, the visitor who does not have much time asks a legitimate question: “What to see on Capri in a day”? 

We have chosen some of the many wonders of the island, 5 places that you can’t miss, from the most famous to the least popular, that will make your day on the island unforgettable!

Walking in the famous Piazzetta

The centre of gravity of the social and religious life of Capri is the Piazzetta; it was defined by the writer Edwin Cerio as “Salon of the World” and its historic bell tower marks the time of the island. It has been the centre of the Island for centuries, since Roman times, where there was a Forum, passing through the year 1000, when it was transformed into a large rustic courtyard, and then became, at the end of the seventeenth century, a religious space. But it was only after the discovery of the Blue Grotto, in 1826, that the square began to take on a commercial-tourist character. Today its function is closely linked to the alternation of the seasons: in winter it is the people of Capri who live it as a privileged meeting place; in summer, instead it becomes crowded with tourists, aware that in its beautiful views it’s hidden the deepest essence of the island.

An immersion in the green of the beautiful Gardens of Augustus

Even if you have a few hours to visit Capri, a must see is this small green jewel set on the sea, which embraces the basin of Marina Piccola, the Faraglioni and the spectacular hairpin bends of Via Krupp. The Gardens of Augustus are composed by a series of flowered terraces overlooking the Charterhouse of San Giacomo, Monte Tuoro, Monte Tiberio and Monte San Michele.

Born in the early twentieth century, when the German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp commissioned the engineer Emilio Meyer this green oasis, here it is still possible to admire many plant species, some natives of the island. In 1918 they were donated to the town of Capri.

The best times to visit the Gardens are in the early morning and late afternoon, when there is less crowds. Admission costs only 1 euro and opening times are as follows: April, May, June, July, August, September, October: from 9:00 to 19:30. November, December, January, February, March: from 9:00 to 16:30.

The unique and mystical experience of the Blue Grotto

In our selection of what to see in Capri in a day we couldn’t forget the queen: the beautiful Blue Grotto, the most famous cave of Capri, now famous all over the world. It is a karst cavity about twenty meters deep and 60 meters long which can be accessed through a crack in the rock at sea level; for this reason, the entrance is only possible with the appropriate sea weather conditions.

Discovered by the German painter Augustus Kopisch in 1826, it soon became a source of inspiration for writers, musicians and poets. Since 1960, in its depths there have been important archaeological discoveries, most of which are kept in the Casa Rossa Museum in Anacapri.

Its name is due to the fact that, as soon as you enter, you are dazzled by intense blue and silvery reflections, from the bottom of the cave to the rocky vault and the walls. There is a curious anecdote about this: for many centuries the cave was feared by the islanders, convinced that the place was infested by demons and witches, perhaps because they were frightened by its blue color, connected to curses and to the devil.

Admiring the Faraglioni at sunset

They are, perhaps, the three most famous sea-rocks in the world, already known at the time of the poet Virgil, in the Aeneid, as Sirenum Scopuli. But did you know that everyone has their own denomination and characteristics?

The first, linked to the mainland, takes the name of Stella and reaches a height of 110 meters. A short distance away stands the Faraglione di Mezzo, characterized by the famous cavity known to all. The last rocky promontory is called Faraglione Di Fuori, or Lo Scopolo. It is also home to the famous Blue Lizard, one of the symbols of Capri.

A dive into history at Villa Jovis

The last stop that we want to propose to those who wonder what to see in Capri in a day is a jewel of the cultural heritage of the island, as well as important evidence of Roman civilization.

Villa Jovis is part of the twelve villas built on Capri by will of Emperor Tiberius, according to historians Tacitus and Suetonius. Built in the I Sec D.C. on the eastern promontory of the island, the Villa extends on an area of about 7000 square meters; here there are gardens, terraces, belvederes and nymphs that architecturally respect the Roman canons.

The view from the Villa is one of the most beautiful of Capri, and allows you to dominate almost entirely the gulf of Naples and the gulf of Salerno, as far as the Cilento.