The island of Capri is a beautiful small island located in the Gulf of Naples, right off the tip of the Sorrento Peninsula.
If you truly want to experience the magic of the island, it's best to spend there a couple of days.
If you only have a day to visit the island, this article is for you! It's fine, the island is really small, so it is possible to see a lot of it in only a day.
Here, first, I will write about how to get there, then, I will suggest activities on the island and how to spend the day, so after reading this post, you will have all the information you need to plan your trip and fall in love with Capri!
Also below, you will find links to respected providers that you may want to use to arrange your visit.
There are 2 ways to visit Capri on a day trip from Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Salerno or Naples:
By Ferry:
If you are on a tight budget, the most affordable way to experience the island is to take a ferry.
Taking the ferry is also the best way to go if you want to spend more time on the island because most boat tours are more focused on sailing around the island.
If you choose to go by ferry, several ferry companies run in the area. The one I prefer to use is Alilauro but you can also check out Caremar and NLG.
Even though Alilauro is my favorite, when I am choosing a ferry, my main guideline is the timing. Time on the island goes by quickly, there is lots to see and lots to do, so pick a ferry that will bring you to the island by 10 AM and book the return to the mainland sometime after 4 PM. The more time you have on the island - the better!
Bonus tip 1 - Make sure to remember exactly where in port your ferry docked, and remeber the name of your ferry boat - this will help you find your ferry when you will be going back. (it gets hectic in the port with crowds, especially in peak season)
Bonus tip 2 - if you take the ferry from Salerno, Maiori, or Minori, you will sail along the most beautiful area of the Amalfi Coast, so not only you visit the island of Capri, but you will also enjoy the sail, marveling the stunning UNESCO protected Amalfi Coast.
Visiting the island of Capri By Boat:
If you choose to visit Capri by boat, it's a beautiful boat trip to do, they normally take you sailing along the most attractive parts of the island's coast, and the views are stunning. Typically, they also take you to the Blue Grotto, but on the spot, you have to pay extra for the entrance, with one of the local small boats. The entrance into the Blue Grotto depends on the weather. The Cave entrance is tiny, and if the Sea is rough, it is hazardous to go in, so if there is any indication of wind, currents, or high tide, they do not offer visits to the Blue Grotto.
If you are lucky enough to be able to visit the Blue Grotto, it is one of the most beautiful places on earth! Enjoy!
But the sail around the island with its rugged coast and amazing views is a delight even if the Blue Grotto is off limits. You will enjoy the views of the Faraglioni, the sea grottos, and the swim/snorkel stops along the way.
There are several small group boat tours that I can recommend, as well as charter companies that you might want to use.
Using Viator is perfect for this because they offer the option to book now and pay later, so you can secure your spot, but pay for the experience much closer to the date, But there are also a few providers below who are not on Viator, so I am including their direct website.
Here are the different recommended boat tours ( I used them all for my clients over the years, with great feedback)
Small group boat tours to Capri from Sorrento:
Small group boat tours from Amalfi & Positano
Sail & Fun from Positano
Plaghia Charter from Amalfi, Praiano & Positano
Positano Boats from Praiano & Positano
You Know from Amalfi
If you want more freedom and have a larger budget to splurge on a charter, these are my recommended providers:
From the Amalfi Coast, they will pick you up anywhere between Salerno and Positano: AMALFI CHARTER
Feel free to tell them that Alida sent you :) I do all the charters for my clients and my groups on the Amalfi Coast with them, they are the absolute best!
Also very good on the Amalfi Coast:
From Sorrento, I recommend using
What to see and what to do on the island of Capri?
Whether you arrive at Marina di Capri (the main port on the island) by ferry or private boat, this is how I would recommend spending the day:
Explore the island of Capri by boat
If you arrive by ferry but want to go see the Blue Grotto, upon arrival in port look for "DOCK ZERO" - that is the pier from where the small boats sail to the Blue Grotto, there is also a large sign that says "Grotta Azzurra" - from here you can get your ticket and sail to the Blue Grotto.
If you prefer to book it in advance, here is a very good provider, but make sure to adjust the tour time you pick with the arrival of your ferry, and always leave some wiggle time because ferries are sometimes a bit delayed. The boat trip provider is Discover Capri and they do a great job. If you wish to have a private sailing experience around the island, I would suggest Living Capri Boat tours - it's an amazing experience.
If you take a boat trip, keep in mind it takes at least 3 hours! So, make sure to have enough time to also visit some spots on land...
Explore the Island of Capri on land
If you want to spend more time exploring the island, when you arrive by ferry at Marina di Capri, look for the Tourist bus station or the Taxi Station. Both are located in the central area of the port. The tourist bus only costs a few euros, but I recommend taking one of the old-timer cabriolet taxis! They charge around 30 Euros for the ride from the port up to the town of Anacapri. Taking the cabriolet taxi is so much fun! I have done it 3 times so far, with the yearly group I host on the Amalfi coast (by the way, if you want to join one of my tours check out my agency, Vagabonda Travel)
Whether you take the bus or the Taxi, I recommend going to Anacapri first.
Both the bus and the taxi will drop you off in the Piazzetta, and from there, you can walk everywhere!
The main attraction in Anacapri is to take the chairlift to the top of Mount Solaro. This is my favorite activity on the island, The views are stunning - along the way and from the top! Don't miss this one! The ride up and down takes around 20 minutes each way, so the minimum timeframe you need for the chairlift is 1 hour, of course, more if you want to sit and have a drink on the top - there is a bar/restaurant. It is pricy, and definitely not the best food on the island, but the setting is fantastic. Personally, here, I like to just take Crema di Caffe! If you like coffee, try it!
What to see and do in Anacapri?
Besides the chairlift, the 2nd attraction in town is Villa San Michele, which is interesting and beautiful. Even if you don't visit the Villa itself, I recommend walking the path toward it. Along the way, there are many cute shops, and you can admire the work of the shoemakers. (If you decide to get the custom-made sandals, please note it takes them around 30 minutes to finish a pair). Continue to walk the path, pass in front of the entrance to Villa San Michele, and continue just a bit further until you get to a marvelous viewpoint! Enjoy the view!!
Walking back, I recommend stopping to smell all the amazing Carthusia fragrances. That is a local perfume factory in Capri. They have a long tradition, and in my opinion, this is the best souvenir you can get, and the best gift to bring back to your loved ones. Their perfumes are not cheap, but are unique and every time you put it on, the smell will bring you back to Capri. They have several shops on the island, and even at Naples the airport.
What to see and do in the town of Capri?
The town of Capri is just a few minutes drive from Anacapri. You can catch a bus or taxi from the Piazzetta to easily get there.
In the town of Capri, you will find all the luxury brands. If you want to spend some money on brand items, it is very easy to do that in Capri! From jewelry to watches, clothes, bags, shoes... You name it, Capri has it!
If you are not that much into shopping, take a walk through the streets, it's nice and picturesque.
Another amazing place to visit in Capri is the Gardens of Augustus, a pretty and peaceful, picture-perfect botanical garden
How to return to port for your ferry?
First of all, make sure to return in time! Especially if you are there in the peak season - the port gets very hectic! Just walking through the crowds, to your ferry - takes time! Aim to be back in port at least 30-25 minutes before your ferry departure time.
From Anacapri - the best is to take the bus or the taxi, from the Piazzetta
From Capri - the best is to walk down! Just follow the arrows that show the way down to the port, the walk is downhill, pleasant, and picturesque. You can also take a taxi or bus, OR you can take the Capri funicular located in Piazza Umberto, the town of Capri. I don't like the funicular because every single time I was there, it was crowded and it took forever to buy tickets. So by the time you wait in line to get the ticket for a 5-minute ride down, you can walk to port.
Where to eat in Capri?
I have 2 places where I always go back to grab a bite. The first one is in Anacapri and it's called Bistro Anacapri, the second one is in Capri and it's called La Capannina
I hope this information will help you plan your day trip to the island of Capri!
If you want me and my team to book your trip to Italy, including the day to Capri, please visit my travel agency page Vagabonda Travel, and check out the private trip planning services.
Love you!
Alida
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