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| The rocky beaches of Capri |
From far away, this tiny island off the coast of the Sorrentine Peninsula appears to be only a gigantic rock sitting out in the middle of the sea. As you approach however, bright colors and the shape of Italian villas begin to define themselves as the island of Capri slowly begins to make its way out of the
morning fog.
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| The Blue Grotto |
Each year tourists flock to Capri to relax on its rocky beaches and visit the beautiful Grotta Azzurra, or blue grotto. When I visited the island back in May of 2008, this was precisely what I had in mind. Unfortunately as I arrived on the island and was about to walk over to the motorboat tour shack, I learned that the grotto was closed for the day due to high tides. Suddenly I found my plans shattered with nothing to do but lie on the rocky beach and swim in the cool Mediterranean. Soon my companions and I grew tired of the sea, and craved the adventure that we had come to the island for. If we could not explore the grotto, we were determined to explore the other hidden gems that the island had to offer us.
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| Villa Jovis |
One of the hidden gems that Capri has to offer is Villa Jovis. Villa Jovis, named for the Roman god Jupiter, is the remains of a Roman palace that was once a refuge for the emperor Tiberius between 27 and 37 A.D. Located on Capri’s second highest peak, Villa Jovis is isolated from the tourist crowd of the island (when I visited I was the only one there). If you are out of shape however, this destination is going to be quite a trek for you, but in the end, the breath taking views from the top make 50 minute hike uphill worth it.
How to Get There:
From the Marina Grande take the funicolare up to piazza Umberto. Once in the main square, follow the signs pointing towards Villa Jovis. The walk from piazza Umberto is about 50 minutes if you keep following the signs. From a cultural stand point, the hike alone is worth it. You can view the natives of the island tending to their gardens, stop and smell the beautiful flowers (or lemon trees) on the side of the path and also take in the beautiful views below you. When you finally reach the top of the peak you will see the ruins of the villa. Entry to the villa is €2.
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| The cliff that Tiberius once threw men to their death from |
Once you explore the maze of ruins, take in the beautiful views below you. Towards the edge of the villa, you can gaze down in to the bright blue sea that Tiberius himself once looked down upon. It is rumored that the emperor would throw his enemies to their death off this cliff.
Although Capri is expensive and can be pretty tough on your wallet there are ways to save. First tip: Do not stay on the island. Take a ferry from Naples or Sorrento for about €30 roundtrip or less. The ferry ride to Capri can take anywhere between 50 and 80 minutes depending on how fast the ferry is. Upon arriving make sure you find out what time the last ferry leaves so that you do not get stuck on the island overnight! Second tip: Pack a lunch. Visit a grocery store or local market on the main land before getting on the ferry and buy some snakes for lunch and dinner. Food and drinks on Capri are often over priced and honestly, nothing special unless you find out where the locals eat. Also make sure to bring plenty of water with you so that you do not get dehydrated. Third tip: Make sure to find out the weather forecast for the island before leaving mainland. There is nothing worse than having a wet and cold experience on the island. Forth tip: Have fun and don’t forget to travel off the beaten path explore the island!
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| View from Villa Jovis after a long and tiring journey up |
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