Amalfi Coast Adventures: Capri
- Amin Esmaily
- Apr 12, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 15, 2024
In my last post, I talked about our adventures in Positano, perhaps the most iconic destination on the Amalfi Coast. Many of the pictures you see of the Amalfi Coast on postcards, magazines, websites, etc are taken in Positano. Nonetheless, there is more to the region than just this one town.
The Amalfi Coast consists of towns such as Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, Maiori, Minori, Vietri sul Mare, and others. Similar to Cinque Terre, many of these towns are perched on cliffs above the coastline, offering panoramic views of the seaside, lovely beaches, narrow streets lined with charming shops, cafes, and restaurants, and an overall relaxed atmosphere. While the towns are similar in many facets, they offer their own unique flavor.
My family and I didn't have much time to explore the region so we chose to visit Positano on our first day. We had planned to potentially visit Amalfi and/or Ravello the next day but since we only had one more day of good weather before the rains came, we opted to explore Capri instead.
While Capri is not part of the Amalfi Coast, it is a short distance away by ferry (roughly 40 minutes). We had tried to book a tour of Capri and the Blue Grotto through our accommodation but due to the rough sea conditions, it was cancelled at the last minute. So instead, we used Ferryhopper to purchase our ferry tickets to Capri. Tickets were $65 USD roundtrip per person.
When we arrived in Capri, we disembarked at Marina Grande, the main port of the island, and were immediately greeted with restaurants, shops, and cafes. It was packed with people!
After strolling around for a bit, we headed off to Piazzetta di Capri, perhaps the most popular square of the island. The journey on foot took about 20 minutes and the path was almost exclusively stairs. Unbeknownst to us at the time, there was a funicular that led from Marina Grande to Piazzetta. We attempted to take it on the way down but the queue was long and moved very slowly.
The Piazzetta (also called Piazza Umberto I) is very interesting and offers a contrast to other areas of the island. We explored much of the surrounding area and then decided to head down to a nearby beach (Spiaggia Torre Saracena) as my brother and father really wanted to go for a swim.
On the way, we encountered the Gardens of Augustus (Giardini di Augusto). We didn't get to explore them because the queue was so long and they were only letting in a limited number of people at a time. However, from the outside, the gardens seemed lovely, with panoramic views of the ocean. I will say that you can get such views for free walking along Via Krupp, the winding footpath that leads from the gardens down to the seaside.
After going down Via Krupp, we reached a dead end and couldn't go any further. However, we noticed a staircase that led down to the beach (Spiaggia Torre Saracena). There was a sign that said the beach was closed but we saw others making their way up and down the narrow staircase so we decided to check it out.
The beach had a small strip of sand but was primarily surrounded by massive boulders. The ocean current was very violent that day. While we saw some people attempt to get in the water, we felt it was too risky. We stayed for a bit and then slowly made our way back up to Piazzetta while enjoying some breathtaking views of the surrounding area.
When we arrived back at Piazzetta, we decided to grab a small bite to eat before heading down to catch our ferry back to Sorrento. We chose to sit on the terrace of a cafe/bar called Chiosco, primarily because of its beautiful views of the surrounding area and its proximity to the path back down to Marina Grande. Having now been to other touristy areas around Italy, we knew we weren't going to get the highest quality food in Piazzetta so we opted for a small snack and a drink. While the food wasn't bad, it was pricey.
After we finished, we debated taking the funicular down as it was right next to Chiosco, but the line was incredibly long and moved very slowly. Thus, we decided to just walk back down. When we arrived at Marina Grande, we checked out some of the souvenir shops before catching our ferry back to Sorrento.
And that's a wrap from Capri! I hope you enjoyed reading about our day to the island! Stay tuned for more travel tales and discoveries in future posts.
With gratitude,
Amin
Comments