Becks and the Cities

Monday ~ June 20th, 2022

Today we went to Capri! Yes, the island in Italy’s Bay of Naples known for its rugged landscape, upscale hotels and designer shopping- that was our destination! How were we getting there?- by boat of course!

A bus picked us up from our hotel and dropped us off at Marina Lobra, where we were placed into groups with a designated skipper. Within 15 minutes we were setting sail towards the “Island of Love”.

After we docked in Marina Grande, we had 4-hours to explore as many places as possible on the island. Our skipper informed us there were four main ways to get around the island: walking (it’s very steep and you wouldn’t have time to see everything), public transport (you’d have to wait in long lines), taxies (it’s very expensive), or an enticing private transfer that would take you to the main areas of the island for 15€ per person. Was the last option was a sneaky deal that gave kickback to our boating company? Maybe, but we didn’t care! This appeared to be the best option (and now writing this I can say it was!).

We were taken to a Biglietteria autobus stop to purchase tickets for the day. They explained to us that you’d have a certain amount of time to spend at each place (in order to see everything) and all you had to do was come back to the bus drop and you’d be picked up and taken to the next stop. This was a continuous system so you would have a different driver each time, but guaranteed a ride to the next spot!

The first stop was to the station for the chair lift in Via Caposcuro in Anacapri, near Piazza Vittoria.
We bought our tickets (12€ each) and hopped in line, which appeared long at first. Fortunately, the group keeps it moving (it’s a single chair lift that doesn’t stop, so the line moves quickly). There is also an option to hike up and/or down (but ain’t nobody got time for that).

During the 13-minute ride to the top, I had the opportunity to enjoy the splendid views of the Gulf of Naples with Vesuvius in the background, the Gulf of Salerno, Anacapri, and the Isle of Ischia. Monte Solaro is the highest point on Capri and the views alone were well worth the trip to the top! We knew the only thing better than this view was this view + a limoncello spritz! Fortunately for us, Caffe Vergnano had just what we needed!

After descending back down the mountain, Tristan and I took a brief stroll/photoshoot in the streets of Anacapri- how gorgeous are these trees?

The next stop on the bus was towards the main area of Capri! We explored the streets, popped in the designer shops, and grabbed a bite to eat accompanied with…you guessed it… limoncello spritzes! As a natural observer, I can confidently say bougie Capri is one of the most interesting places to people watch at. 😂

After we finished exploring the island, we hopped back on the boat and started our tour of the island from the water!

Our first stop was to see the natural rock that appears to be a statue of the Virgin Mary that looks down upon the White Grotto. The second stop was to see the Arco Naturale, which is a natural arch on the east coast of the island dating from the Paleolithic age. The arch is the remains of a collapsed grotto and consists of limestone and 18 meters above the ground. Here, we had a chance to jump in and swim around, which was awesome!

Next, we came across the Lighthouse of Punta Carena, which was built in 1866, and is situated on the Southwestern coast of the island of Capri. This lighthouse is the second tallest in Italy (after Genoa), and plays a significant role in guarding over the Tyrrhenian Sea. Behind it, we could see the precipice of the Migliera, which are defense walls built by the British at the start of the 19th century to protect the island from invasion. The front of the lighthouse extends all the way to Sicily!

Next, we came across the Lido Del Faro, a beach club tucked among the white cliffs jutting out into the sparkling Mediterranean waters. I later saw on Tiktok that there was a Dior pop-up shop, which makes sense when you see the “J’Adior Capri” sign in the front (peep the pink Lady Dior bag in the window)!

Next, we went to see the faraglioni stacks, formed by coastal and oceanic rock formations eroded by waves. Our skipper explained there is a legend that says if lovers kiss while passing under the arch of the middle rock they will have 30 years of happiness. Despite questioning the legend as a touristy ploy, I couldn’t help but hope he was right! As we passed under, our guide set the scene and quite literally belted out “That’s Amore”.💋 (If you want to see the video of him singing, scroll to the bottom!)

Capri is best known for its natural sites like the Blue Grotto (a dark cavern where the sea glows electric blue). Today, this is a protected site and it’s about 14€ per person to see it in a row boat for only a few minutes. Our skipper brought us to the site, showed us a photo of what’s inside and said “there! You’ve seen it and I’ve saved you money- Next!” 😂

We had the best time and was one of our favorite experiences on the entire trip!