Just an hour south of Naples, and without a hint of big-city chaos, serene Sorrento makes an ideal home base for exploring this fascinating region. From this easy-to-enjoy town, you can take day trips to Naples, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, the Greek temples at Paestum, and the romantic island of Capri. And every night you can return “home” to Sorrento, to enjoy its elegant strolling scene and sort through its many fine restaurant options.
Wedged on a ledge under the mountains and over the Mediterranean, spritzed by lemon and olive groves, Sorrento is an attractive resort of 20,000 residents and, in summer, just as many tourists. It’s as well-located for regional sightseeing as it is a fine place to stay and stroll. The Sorrentines have gone out of their way to create a safe and relaxed place for tourists to come and spend money. As 90 percent of the town’s economy is tourism, everyone seems to speak fluent English and work for the Chamber of Commerce. This gateway to the Amalfi Coast has an unspoiled old quarter, a lively shopping street, and a spectacular cliffside setting. Residents are proud of the many world-class romantics who’ve vacationed here, such as famed tenor Enrico Caruso, who chose Sorrento as the place to spend his last months in 1921.
Sorrento itself has no world-class sights, but it can easily give you a few pleasant hours. More importantly, Sorrento is a fine base for visiting nearby destinations, all reachable within an hour or so: Naples (by boat or train); Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Mount Vesuvius (by train, plus a bus for Vesuvius); the Amalfi Coast (by bus or boat); and the island of Capri (just 30 minutes by boat). Even Paestum’s Greek temples, a 2.5-hour train ride away, can be seen from Sorrento in one long day.
Sorrento hibernates in winter. Many places close down in November—others after the New Year—and stay closed until the town reawakens sometime in March.
Downtown Sorrento is long and narrow. Piazza Tasso marks the town’s center. The congested main drag, Corso Italia, runs parallel to the sea, passing 50 yards below the train station, through Piazza Tasso, and then out toward the cape, where the road’s name becomes Via Capo. Nearly everything mentioned here (except Marina Grande and the hotels on Via Capo) is within a 10-minute walk of the station. The town is perched on a cliff (some hotels have elevators down to sundecks on the water); the best real beaches are a couple of miles away.
Sorrento has two separate port areas: Marina Piccola, below Piazza Tasso, is a functional harbor with boats to Naples and Capri, as well as cruise-ship tenders. (While the big cruise ships dock in Naples, smaller ships drop anchor at Sorrento.) Marina Grande, below the other end of downtown, is a little fishing village, with recommended restaurants and more charm.
The helpful regional TI (labeled Azienda di Soggiorno)—located inside the Foreigners’ Club—hands out a great city map and schedules for boats and buses (Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, Sun until 18:00 except closed Sun April-May; Nov-March Mon-Fri 8:30-16:00, closed Sat-Sun; Via Luigi de Maio 35, tel. 081-807-4033, www.sorrentotourism.com; Fabiola). If you arrive after the TI closes, look for their useful handouts in the lobby of the Foreigners’ Club (open until midnight, closed in winter).
Small “Info Points” are conveniently located around town, where you can get answers to basic questions (open in warm months only). Find them just outside the train station in the green caboose; near Piazza Tasso at the corner of Via Correale (under the yellow church); at Marina Piccola, where cruise-ship tenders and boats from Naples arrive; and at the Achille Lauro parking garage.
By Train or Bus: Sorrento is the last stop on the Circumvesuviana train line from Naples. In front of the train station is the town’s main bus stop, as well as taxis waiting to overcharge you (€15 minimum). All recommended hotels—except those on Via Capo—are within a 10-minute walk. (For details on taking the bus to hotels on Via Capo, see “Getting to Via Capo” on here.)
By Boat: Passenger boats and cruise-ship tenders dock at Marina Piccola. As you walk toward town from the marina, go up the big staircase where the pier bends. Standing on the promenade and facing town, you’ll see the bus stop directly ahead; a TI kiosk and ticket windows for boats to Capri and Naples in the lower area to your left; and the elevator up to town to the right, about a five-minute walk along the base of the cliff (follow lift/acensore signs).
The elevator (€1; faster, cheaper, and more predictable than a bus) takes you to the Villa Comunale city park. From there, exit through the park’s gate and bear left; Piazza Tasso is about four blocks away. Buses take you directly to Piazza Tasso (city bus #B or #C, buy €1.20 ticket at newsstand or tobacco shop); for more on buses, see “Getting Around Sorrento,” later.
By Car: The Achille Lauro underground parking garage is centrally located, just a couple of blocks in front of the train station (€2/hour, €24/24 hours, on Via Correale).
Church Services: The cathedral hosts an English-language Anglican service at 17:00 most Sundays from April to October (but not in August). At Santa Maria delle Grazie (perhaps the most beautiful Baroque church in town), cloistered nuns sing from above and out of sight during a Mass each morning at 7:30 (on Via delle Grazie).
Bookstore: Libreria Tasso has a decent selection of books in English, including this one (daily 9:30-22:00, closed in winter, Via San Cesareo 96, one block north of cathedral, near Sorrento Men’s Club, tel. 081-807-1639).
Laundry: Sorrento’s handy self-service launderette is a couple of long blocks past the station (daily 8:00-24:00, shorter hours off-season, at the corner of Corso Italia and Via degli Aranci, mobile 333-206-2208).
Haircuts: Satisfhair, a fun hair salon for men run by hairless Luca and Tony, makes for a happy memory (€17 for a good cut, closed Sun-Mon, Via S. Maria della Pieta 17, tel. 081-878-3476).
Guided Tours of Pompeii, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri: Naples-based Mondo Guide offers affordable tours of these destinations, including an Amalfi Coast drive that starts from Sorrento (meet in front of the Hotel Antiche Mura). You’ll sign up in advance and team up with fellow Rick Steves readers to split the cost. For details, see here.
Local Guides: Giovanna Donadio is a good tour guide for Sorrento and Amalfi (€100/half-day, €160/day, same price for any size group, mobile 338-466-0114, giovanna_dona@hotmail.com) and can also escort up to six people from Sorrento on a well-organized full day of fun on Capri (€160 plus public transportation expenses and admissions). Giovanni Visetti is a high-energy nature lover, mapmaker, and orienteer who organizes hikes and has a fine website describing local trails (mobile 339-694-2911, www.giovis.com, giovis@giovis.com).
By Bus: City buses all stop near the main square, Piazza Tasso, and run until at least 20:00 (for info, see www.eavsrl.it). Bus #A (3/hour) takes a long route parallel to the coast, heading east to Meta beach or west to the hotels on Via Capo before continuing to Massa Lubrense; buses #B and #C loop up and down, connecting the port (Marina Piccola) to the town center; and minibus #D heads to the fishing village (Marina Grande). The trip between Piazza Tasso and Marina Piccola (or Marina Grande) costs just €1.20; for other trips, tickets cost €1.60 and are good for up to one hour (purchase at tobacco shops and newsstands). Stamp your ticket upon entering the bus. The €8, 24-hour Costiera SITA Sud pass, good for the entire Amalfi Coast, also covers local buses in Sorrento.
Bus stops can be tricky to find. Buses #A and #D stop where Corso Italia passes through Piazza Tasso. If you’re heading west (to Via Capo or Marina Grande), find the stop at the west end of the piazza, across from the statue of Torquato Tasso. If you’re heading east (to Meta), catch the bus in front of the yellow church at the east end of the piazza. Buses #B and #C stop at the corner of Piazza Sant’Antonino, just down the hill toward the water.
By Scooter: Several places near the station rent motor scooters for about €35 per day, including Europcar (Corso Italia 210p, tel. 081-878-1386, www.sorrento.it) and Autoservizi De Martino, in Hotel Nice (Corso Italia 259, tel. 081-878-2801, www.admitaly.com). Don’t rent a vehicle in summer unless you enjoy traffic jams.
By Taxi: Taxis charge an outrageous €15 for the short ride from the station to most hotels (more for Via Capo). Because of heavy traffic and the complex one-way road system, you’ll get to most central locations faster by walking. If you do use a taxi, even if you agree to a set price, be sure it has a meter (all official taxis have one). I think taxis here are a huge rip-off, since city officials don’t have the nerve to regulate them, and hotels are afraid to alienate them. Walk or take the bus instead.
Get to know Sorrento with this lazy self-guided town stroll that ends down by the waterside at the small-boat harbor, Marina Grande.
• Begin on the main square. Stand under the flags between the sea and the town’s main square...
1 Piazza Tasso: As in any southern Italian town, this “piazza” is Sorrento’s living room. It may be noisy and congested, but locals want to be where the action is...and be part of the scene. The most expensive apartments and top cafés are on or near this square.
Look out at the Bay of Naples. You can see the city of Naples in the distance. The gorge divides the old city (left) and the new (right). It’s a five-minute walk—including 130 stairs—from here to the harbor (cruise-ship tenders, boats to Capri and Naples). On the right side of the gorge, overlooking the bay, is Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. This elegant, 19th-century Grand Tour hotel is where tenor Enrico Caruso (who died in 1921) spent his last months.
Turn to face the square. City buses stop here on their way to Marina Piccola and Via Capo. The train station is a five-minute walk to the left. A statue of St. Anthony, patron of Sorrento, is surrounded by traffic. He faces north as if greeting those coming from Naples (on festival days, he’s equipped with an armload of fresh lemons and oranges).
This square bridges the gorge that divides downtown Sorrento. The newer section (now to your left) was farm country just two centuries ago. The older part (to your right) retains its ancient Greek gridded street plan. (Like much of southern Italy, Sorrento was Greek-speaking for centuries before it was Romanized.)
For a better glimpse of the city’s gorge-gouged landscape, consider this quick detour: With the water to your back, cross through the square and walk straight ahead a block inland, under a canopy of trees and past a long taxi queue. Belly up to the green railing in front of Hotel Antiche Mura and look down to see steps that were carved centuries before Christ. In more modern times, this was called the “Valley of the Mills” and was busy with river-powered saw- and flour-mills, along with a public laundry, until well into the 19th century.
The combination of the gorge and the seaside cliffs made Sorrento easy to defend. A small section of wall closed the landward gap in the city’s defenses (you can still see a surviving piece of it a few blocks away, near Hotel Mignon).
Sorrento’s name may come from the Greek word for “siren,” the legendary half-bird, half-woman who sang an intoxicating lullaby. According to Homer, the sirens lived on an island near here. All those who sailed by the sirens succumbed to their incredible musical charms...and to death. But Homer’s hero Ulysses was determined to hear the song and restrain his manhood. He put wax in his oarsmen’s ears and had himself lashed to the mast of his ship. The sirens, thinking they had lost their powers, threw themselves into the sea, and the place became safe to inhabit. Ulysses’ odyssey was all about the westward expansion of Greek culture, and to the ancient Greeks, places like Sorrento were the wild, wild west.
• Back at Piazza Tasso, head to the far-left inland corner of the square. You’ll find a...
2 Statue of Torquato Tasso: The square’s namesake, a Sorrento native, was a lively Renaissance poet—but today he seems only to wonder which restaurant to choose for dinner. Directly behind the statue, pop into the Fattoria Terranova shop, one of many fun, family-run, and touristy boutiques. Susy sells regional goodies and offers free biscuits and tastes of liqueurs at this shop that makes all of its entirely organic products on its agriturismo outside the city. The gifty edibles spill into the courtyard of Palazzo Correale, which gives you a feel for an 18th-century aristocratic palace’s courtyard, its walls lined with characteristic tiles from 1772.
• As you’re leaving the courtyard, on your immediate left you’ll see the narrow...
3 Via Santa Maria della Pietà: Here, just a few yards off the noisy main drag, is a street that goes back centuries before Christ. About 100 yards down the lane, at #24 (on the left), find a 13th-century palace (no balconies back then...for security reasons), now an elementary school. A few steps farther on, you’ll see a tiny shrine across the street. Typical of southern Italy, it’s where the faithful pray to their saint, who contacts Mary, who contacts Jesus, who contacts God. This shrine is a bit more direct—it starts right with Mary.
• Continue down the lane (passing a recommended kebab shop and trattoria, and under the clock tower) to reach the delightful...
4 Cathedral: Walk alongside this long church (free, daily 8:00-12:30 & 16:30-21:00) until you reach the doors facing the street, halfway down. Step inside the outer door and examine the impressive intarsio (inlaid-wood) interior doors. They show scenes of the town and its industry, as well as an old-town map (find Piazza Tasso, trace the fortified walls, and notice the Greek street-grid plan). These doors were made to celebrate Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1992. Now enter the church for a cool stroll around the ambulatory, checking out the intricate inlaid Stations of the Cross. Notice the fine inlaid-marble seat of the bishop and how the church’s elegance matches that of the town. Work your way toward the back door. Before exiting, on the right find the presepe (manger scene) with its lovingly painted terracotta figures, each with an expressive face. This takes Bethlehem on that first Christmas and sets it in Naples—with pasta, mozzarella, salami, and even Mount Vesuvius in the background. Exiting through the back door, notice that these doors are also finely inlaid wood.
• Backtrack 10 yards down Via Santa Maria della Pietà, turn left at the passage under the covered arcade, and cross busy Corso Italia.
5 Corso Italia and the Old Town: In the summer, this stretch of road is closed to traffic each evening, when it hosts a wonderful passeggiata. Look back at the bell tower, with the scavenged ancient Roman columns at its base. Now go straight down Via P. Reginaldo Giuliani, following the old Greek street plan. Locals claim the ancient Greeks laid out the streets east-west for the most sunlight and north-south for the prevailing and cooling breeze. Pause at the poster board on your right to see who’s died lately.
• One block ahead, on your right, the 14th-century loggia (called Sedil Dominova) is home to the...
6 Sorrento Men’s Club: Once the meeting place of the town’s nobles, for generations now the Sedil Dominova has been a retreat for retired working-class men. Strictly no women—and no phones.
Italian men venerate their mothers. (Italians joke that Jesus must have been a southern Italian because his mother believed her son was God, he believed his mom was a virgin, and he lived at home with her until he was 30.) But Italian men have also built into their culture ways to be on their own. Here, men play cards and gossip under an historic emblem of the city and a finely frescoed 16th-century dome, with its marvelous 3-D scenes.
• Turn right for a better view of the Men’s Club and a historical marker describing the building. Then continue along...
7 Via San Cesareo: This touristy pedestrian-only shopping street leads back to Piazza Tasso. It’s lined with competitive little shops where you can peruse (and sample) lemon products. Notice the huge ancient doorways with their tiny doors—to let the right people in, carefully, during a more dangerous age.
• After a block, take a left onto Via degli Archi, go under the arch, and then hang a right (under another arch) to the square with the...
8 Statue and Basilica of St. Anthony (Antonino): Sorrento’s town saint humbly looms among the palms, facing the basilica of St. Anthony. Step inside and descend into the crypt (free, stairs beside main altar) where you’ll find a chapel and reliquary containing a few of Anthony’s bones surrounded by lots of votives. Locals have long turned to St. Anthony when faced with challenges and hard times. Exploring the room, you’ll find countless tokens of appreciation to the saint for his help. Before tourism, fishing was the big employer. The back walls feature paintings of storms with Anthony coming to the rescue. Circle behind the altar with Anthony’s relics and study the shiny ex-votos (religious offerings) thanking the saint for healthy babies, good employment, surviving heart attacks and lung problems, and lots of strong legs.
• Exit the square at the bottom-left (following Lift to the Port signs; don’t go down the street with the line of trees and Porto signs). Watch on the left for The Corner Shop, where Giovanni sells a wide variety of wines, limoncello, pastas, and other foods, specializing in high-quality gifty edibles from the Campania region. (Across the street is a travel agency that sells train tickets for a 10 percent commission—handy if you’re heading to Rome.) Soon after, on the right you’ll see the trees in front of the Imperial Hotel Tramontano, and to their right a path leading to the...
9 Villa Comunale: This fine public park overlooks the harbor. Belly up to the banister to enjoy the view of Marina Piccola and the Bay of Naples. Notice Naples’ skyline and the boats that commute from here to there in 35 minutes. Imagine the view in A.D. 70 when Vesuvius blew its top and molten mud flowed down the mountain, burying Pompeii. From here, steps zigzag down to the harbor, where lounge chairs, filled by vacationers working on tans, line the sundecks (there’s also the elevator to the harbor). The Franciscan church fronting this square faces a fine modern statue of Francis across the street.
Next to the church is a dreamy little cloister. Pop inside to see local Gothic—a 13th-century mix of Norman, Gothic, and Arabic styles, all around the old pepper tree. This is an understandably popular spot for weddings and concerts.
At the far side of the cloister, stairs lead to a photo exhibit: The Italians shows off the work of local photographer Raffaele Celentano, who artfully captures classic Italian scenes from 1990 to 2016 in black and white (€2.50, daily 10:00-22:00, great prints for sale, fun photo-op through the grand tree on their deck, adjacent music box exhibit is free).
• From here, you can quit the walk and stay in the town center, or continue another few minutes downhill to the waterfront at Marina Grande.
10 To continue to Marina Grande, return to the road and keep going downhill. At the next square (Piazza della Vittoria, with a dramatic WWI memorial and another grand view), cut over to the road closest to the water. After winding steeply down for a few minutes, it turns into a wide stairway, then makes a sharp and steep switchback (take the right fork to continue downhill). Farther down, just before reaching the waterfront, you pass under an...
Ancient Greek Gate: This gate fortified the city of Sorrento. Beyond it was Marina Grande, technically a separate town with its own proud residents—it’s said that even their cats look different. Because Marina Grande dwellers lived outside the wall and were more susceptible to rape, pillage, and plunder, Sorrentines believe that they come from Saracen (Turkish pirate) stock. Sorrentines still scare their children by saying, “Behave—or the Turks will take you away.”
• Now go all the way down the steps into Marina Grande, Sorrento’s “big” small-boat harbor.
Marina Grande: Until recently, this little community was famously traditional, with its economy based on its fishing fleet. To this day, fathers pass their houses and fishing-boat stalls down to their sons. Locals recall when women wore black when a relative died (1 year for an uncle, aunt, or sibling; 2-3 years for a husband or parent). Men got off easy, just wearing a black memorial button.
Two recommended restaurants are on the harbor. Trattoria da Emilia has an old newspaper clipping, tacked near the door, about Sophia Loren filming here. On the far side of the harbor, Ristorante Delfino boasts a delightful sundeck for a lazy drink before or after lunch (free access for those with this book).
• From here, where the road hits the beach, buses return to the center at Piazza Tasso every hour (pay the driver). Or you can walk back up.
Each balmy evening Sorrento offers one of Italy’s most enchanting passeggiata scenes. Take time to explore the surprisingly pleasant old city between Corso Italia and the sea. The views from Villa Comunale, the public park next to Imperial Hotel Tramontano, are worth the detour. Each night in summer (May-Oct at 19:30; Nov-April weekends only), the police close off Corso Italia to traffic, and Sorrento’s main drag becomes a thriving people scene. The passeggiata peaks at about 22:00.
Via San Cesareo is lined with hardworking rival shops selling a mind-boggling array of lemon products and offering samples of lots of sour goodies. You’ll find limoncello, lemon biscuits, lemon pasta, lemon drops, lemon chocolate, lemon perfume, lemon soap, and on and on. Poke around for a pungent experience (and read the “Lemons” sidebar, later). A few produce stands are also mixed in.
This lemon-and-orange grove, lined with shady, welcoming paths, was rescued from development by the city of Sorrento and turned into a park. The family that manages it has seasoned green thumbs and descends from the family that started working here decades ago, when the grove was still in private hands. The garden is dotted with benches, tables, and an inviting little tasting (and buying) stand. You’ll get a chance to sniff and taste the varieties of lemons and enjoy free samples of limoncello along with other homemade liqueurs made from mandarins, licorice, or fennel. Check out how they’ve grafted orange-tree branches onto a lemon tree so that both fruits grow on the same tree.
Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:00-sunset, closed in rainy weather, tel. 081-878-1888, www.igiardinidicataldo.it. Enter the garden on Corso Italia (100 yards north of the train station—where painted tiles show lemon fantasies) or at the intersection of Via Capasso and Via Rota (next to Hotel La Meridiana).
Eating: For a cheap and relaxing meal, get a big-enough-to-split saltimbocca sandwich to-go from the recommended Pizzeria da Franco (across the street on Corso Italia) and enjoy it in the lemon grove.
Around here, limoni are ubiquitous: screaming yellow painted on ceramics, dainty bottles of limoncello, and lemons the size of softballs at the fruit stand.
The Amalfi Coast and Sorrento area produce several different kinds of lemons. The gigantic, bumpy “lemons” are actually citrons, called cedri, and are more for show—they’re pulpier than they are juicy, and make a good marmalade. The juicy sfusato sorrentino, grown only in Sorrento, is shaped like an American football, while the sfusato amalfitano, with knobby points on both ends, is less juicy but equally aromatic. These two kinds of luscious lemons are used in sweets such as granita (shaved ice doused in lemonade), limoncello (a candy-like liqueur with a big kick, called limoncino on the Cinque Terre), delizia (a dome of fluffy cake filled and slathered with a thick whipped lemon cream), spremuta di limone (fresh-squeezed lemon juice), and, of course, gelato or sorbetto al limone.
Nearby: The entrepreneurial family’s small “factory”—where you can see how they use the lemons, and buy a tasty gelato, granita, or lemonade—is just past the parking garage along the road below the garden (Via Correale 27). They also have a small shop across from the Corso Italia entrance (at #267).
Sorrento doesn’t have much in the way of museums, but if you want to get out of the heat and crowds, this is a good place to do it. It’s not only a collection of inlaid wood, but also a painting gallery featuring scenes of 19th-century Sorrento, antique maps, and portraits, and a fine decorative arts collection. The basement displays modern examples of inlaid wood. While pricey, it’s serious, thoughtfully presented, and bursting with local pride.
Cost and Hours: €8, daily 10:00-18:30, Nov-March until 17:30, Via San Nicola 28, tel. 081-877-1942, www.museomuta.it.
If you require immediate tanning, you can rent a chair on a pier by the port. There are no great beaches in Sorrento—the gravelly, jam-packed private beaches of Marina Piccola are more for partying than pampering, and there’s just a tiny spot for public use. The elevator in Villa Comunale city park (next to the Church of San Francesco) gets you down for €1. There’s another humble beach at Marina Grande, and Ristorante Delfino has a pier lined with rentable lounge chairs (€10 but free for those with this book).
The classic, sandy Italian beach two miles away at Meta is generally overrun by teenagers from Naples. Bus #A goes directly from Piazza Tasso to Meta beach (last stop, schedule posted for hourly returns; you can also get there on the Circumvesuviana but the Meta stop is a very long walk from the beach). At Meta, you’ll find pizzerias, snack bars, and a little free section of beach, but the place is mostly dominated by several prawling private-beach complexes—if you go, pay for a spot in one of these, such as Lido Metamare (lockable changing cabins, lounge chairs, tel. 081-532-2505). It’s a very Italian scene—locals complain that it’s “too local” (i.e., inundated with riffraff)—with light lunches, a playground, a manicured beach, loud pop music...and no international tourists.
More relaxing beaches are west of Sorrento. Tarzan might take Jane to the wild and stony beach at Punta del Capo, a 15-minute bus ride from Piazza Tasso (the same bus #A explained above, but in the opposite direction from Meta; 2/hour, get off at stop in front of the American Bar, then walk 10 minutes past ruined Roman Villa di Pollio).
Another good choice is Marina di Puolo, a tiny fishing town popular in the summer for its sandy beach, surfside restaurants, and beachfront disco (to get here, stay on bus #A a bit farther—ask driver to let you off at Marina di Puolo—then follow signs and hike down about 15 minutes).
Tamara’s Sorrento Food Tour: Run by a US expat, this outfit offers an information-filled, fast-paced food tour. Tamara and colleagues dish up a parade of local edibles interspersed with lots of food history, stopping at eight places in three hours (€75, 15 percent discount for Rick Steves readers, use code “ricksteves”; departures at 10:30 and 16:00 with demand, maximum 12 people; mobile 331-304-5666, www.sorrentofoodtours.com).
Tennis: The Sorrento Sport Snack Bar has two tennis courts open to the public (long hours daily, pay to use the court and rent equipment, call to reserve, across from recommended Grand Hotel Ambasciatori at Via Califano 5, tel. 081-807-1616).
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving: To snorkel or scuba dive in the Mediterranean, contact Futuro Mare for details on a one-hour boat ride to the protected marine zone between Sorrento and Capri (options for snorkelers, beginners, and experienced certified divers; about 3 hours round-trip, call 1-2 days in advance to reserve, mobile 349-653-6323, www.sorrentodiving.it, info@futuromare.it).
Motorboat Rental: You can rent motorboats big enough for four people (with your back to the ferry-ticket offices, it’s to the left around the corner at Via Marina Piccola 43; tel. 081-807-2283, www.nauticasicsic.com).
Sorrento is a fun place to enjoy a drink or some dancing after dinner. The crowd is older, and the many local English expats seem to have paved the way for you.
The Fauno Bar, which dominates Piazza Tasso with tables spilling onto the square, is a fine place to make the scene over a drink any time of day.
Daniele’s Club is run by DJ Daniele, who tailors music to the audience (including karaoke, if you ask nicely). The scene, while sloppy, is generally comfortable for the 30- to 60-year-old crowd. If you’re alone, there’s a pole you can dance with (no cover charge, try their signature cocktail, “Come Back to Sorrento,” a mojito made with limoncello; no food, nightly from 21:30, down the steps from the flags at Piazza Tasso 10).
The English Inn offers both a streetside sports pub and a more refined-feeling garden out back—at least until the evening, when the music starts blaring. English vacationers come to Sorrento in droves (many have holidayed here annually for decades). The menu includes fish-and-chips, all-day English breakfast, baked beans on toast, and draft beer (daily, Corso Italia 55, tel. 081-878-2570).
The Foreigners’ Club offers live Neapolitan songs, Sinatra-style classics, and jazzy elevator music nightly at 20:00 throughout the summer. It’s just right for old-timers feeling frisky (in the center).
At Teatro Tasso, a hardworking troupe puts on The Sorrento Musical, a folk-music show that treats visitors to a schmaltzy dose of Neapolitan Tarantella music and dance—complete with “Funiculì Funiculà” and “Santa Loo-chee-yee-yah.” The 75-minute Italian-language extravaganza features a cast of 14 playing guitar, mandolin, saxophone, and tambourines, and singing operatically from Neapolitan balconies...complete with Vesuvius erupting in the background. Your €25 ticket (€50 with 4-course dinner) includes a drink before and after the show. Maurizio promises my readers a €5 discount if you buy directly from the box office and show this book (2 tickets/book, 3-5 nights/week mid-April-Oct at 21:30, bar opens 30 minutes before show, dinner starts at 20:00 and must be reserved in advance—in person or by email, box office open virtually all day long, theater seats 500, facing Piazza Sant’Antonino in the old town, tel. 081-807-5525, www.teatrotasso.com, info@teatrotasso.com).
Given the location, hotels here often have beautiful views, and many offer balconies. At hotels that offer sea views, ask for a room “con balcone, con vista sul mare” (with a balcony, with a sea view). “Tranquillo” is taken as a request for a quieter room off the street.
Hotels listed are either near the train station and city center (where balconies overlook city streets) or on cliffside Via Capo (with sea-view balconies). Via Capo is a 20-minute walk—or short bus ride—from the station.
You should have no trouble finding a room any time except in August, when the town is jammed with Italians and prices often rise above the regular high-season rates.
The spindly, more exotic, and more tranquil Amalfi Coast town of Positano (see next chapter) is also a good place to spend the night.
$$$$ Hotel Antiche Mura, with 50 rooms and four stars, is sophisticated, elegant, and plush. It offers all the amenities, including an impressive breakfast buffet. Surrounded by lemon trees, the pool and sundeck are a peaceful oasis. Just a block off the main square, it’s quieter than some central hotels because it’s perched on the ledge of a dramatic ravine (RS%, some rooms with balconies, family rooms, air-con, elevator, pay parking, closed in winter, a block inland from Piazza Tasso at Via Fuorimura 7, tel. 081-807-3523, www.hotelantichemura.com, info@hotelantichemura.com, Michele). Meet in front of the hotel for the Mondo Guide full-day Amalfi Coast Minibus tour (see here).
$$$$ Palazzo Tasso, nicely located near the center, has 11 small, sleek, fashionably designed modern rooms; there’s no public space except for the breakfast room (some rooms with balconies, air-con, elevator, Via Santa Maria della Pietà 33, tel. 081-878-3579, www.palazzotasso.com, info@palazzotasso.com, Valentina).
$$$$ Plaza Sorrento is a contemporary-feeling, upscale refuge in the very center of town (next-door to Antiche Mura but not as elegant). Its 65 rooms mix mod decor with wood grain, and the rooftop swimming pool is inviting (RS%, some rooms with balconies, air-con, elevator, closed in winter, Via Fuorimura 3, tel. 081-878-2831, www.plazasorrento.com, info@plazasorrento.com).
$$$ Il Palazzo Starace B&B, conscientiously run by Massimo, offers seven tidy, modern rooms in a little alley off Corso Italia, one block from Piazza Tasso (RS%, use code “RS2018,” some rooms with balconies, family room, air-con, lots of stairs, no elevator but a luggage dumbwaiter, ring bell around corner from Via Santa Maria della Pietà 9, tel. 081-807-2633, mobile 366-950-5377, www.palazzostarace.com, info@palazzostarace.com).
$$$ Hotel Mignon rents 22 soothing blue rooms with beautiful, tiled public spaces, a rooftop sundeck, and a small garden surrounded by a lemon grove (RS%, most rooms have balconies but no views, air-con, closed in winter; from the cathedral, walk a block farther up Corso Italia and look for the hotel up a small gated lane to your left; Via Sersale 9, tel. 081-807-3824, www.sorrentohotelmignon.com, info@sorrentohotelmignon.com, Paolo).
$$$ Casa Astarita B&B, hiding upstairs in a big building facing the busy main street, has a crazy-quilt-tiled entryway and eight bright, tranquil, creatively decorated, air-conditioned rooms (three with little balconies). Thin doors, echoey tile, and a buzzing location can result in noise...bring earplugs (air-con, open year-round, 50 yards past the cathedral on Corso Italia at #67, tel. 081-877-4906, www.casastarita.com, info@casastarita.com, Annamaria and Alfonso). If there’s no one at reception, ask at Hotel Mignon (described above)—the same family runs both hotels.
$$ Hotel Nice rents 29 simple, cramped, cheap rooms with high ceilings 100 yards in front of the train station on the noisy main drag. This overpriced last resort is worth considering only for its very handy-to-the-train-station location. Alfonso promises a quiet room—critical given the thin windows and busy location—if you request it when you book by email (RS%, air-con, elevator, rooftop terrace, closed Nov-March, Corso Italia 257, tel. 081-878-1650, www.hotelnice.it, info@hotelnice.it).
$ Ulisse Deluxe Hostel is the best budget deal in town. This “hostel” is actually a hotel, with 56 well-equipped, marble-tiled rooms and elegant public areas, but it also has two single-sex dorm rooms with bunks (RS%, family rooms, breakfast buffet extra, air-con, elevator, spa and pool use extra, pay parking, closed Jan-mid-Feb, Via del Mare 22, tel. 081-877-4753, www.ulissedeluxe.com, info@ulissedeluxe.com, Chiara). It’s a five-minute walk from the old-town action: From Corso Italia, walk down the stairs just beyond the hospital (ospedale) to Via del Mare. Go downhill along the right side of the big parking lot to find the entrance.
$$$$ Grand Hotel Ambasciatori is a sumptuous five-star hotel with 100 rooms, a cliffside setting, a sprawling garden, and a pool. This is Humphrey Bogart land, with plush public spaces, a relaxing stay-awhile ambience, and a free elevator to its “private beach”—actually a sundeck built out over the water (RS%, some view rooms, balconies in all rooms, air-con in summer, elevator, pay parking, closed Nov-March, Via Califano 18, tel. 081-878-2025, www.ambasciatorisorrento.com, ambasciatori@manniellohotels.com). It’s a short walk from the town center (10-15 minutes from the train station or Piazza Tasso).
These cliffside hotels are outside of town, toward the cape of the peninsula (from the train station, go straight out Corso Italia, which turns into Via Capo). Once you’re set up, commuting into town by bus or on foot is easy. Hotel Minerva is my favorite Sorrento splurge, while Hotel Désirée is a super budget bet with comparable views. If you’re in Sorrento to stay put and luxuriate, especially with a car, these accommodations are perfect (although I’d rather luxuriate in Positano—see next chapter).
Getting to Via Capo: From the city center, it’s a gradually uphill 15-minute walk (20 minutes from train station, last part is a bit steeper), a €20 taxi ride, or a cheap bus ride. If you’re arriving with luggage, you can wait at the train station for one of the long-distance SITA buses that stop on Via Capo on their way to Massa Lubrense (about every 40 minutes; some buses heading for Positano/Amalfi also work—check with the driver). Frequent Sorrento city buses leave from Piazza Tasso in the city center, a five-minute walk from the station (go down a block and turn left on Corso Italia; from far side of the piazza, look for bus #A, about 2-3/hour). Tickets for either bus are sold at the station newsstand and tobacco shops (€1.60). Get off at the Hotel Belair stop for the hotels listed here.
Getting from Via Capo into Town: Buses work great once you get the hang of them (and it’s particularly gratifying to avoid the taxi racket). To reach downtown Sorrento from Via Capo, catch any bus heading downhill from Hotel Belair (2-3/hour, buses run all day and evening).
$$$$ Hotel Minerva is a sun-worshipper’s temple. The road-level entrance (on a busy street) leads to an elevator that takes you to the fifth-floor reception. Getting off, you’ll step onto a spectacular terrace with outrageous Mediterranean views. Bright common areas, a small rooftop swimming pool, and a cold-water Jacuzzi complement 60 large, tiled, colorful rooms with views, some with balconies (3-night peak-season minimum, air-con, pay parking, closed Nov-March, Via Capo 30, tel. 081-878-1011, www.minervasorrento.com, info@minervasorrento.com).
$$$$ Hotel La Tonnarella is an old-time Sorrentine villa-turned-boutique-hotel, with several terraces, stylish tiles, and indifferent service. Eighteen of its 24 rooms have views of the sea, and you can pay extra for a terrace (air-con, pay parking, small beach with private elevator access, closed Nov-March, Via Capo 31, tel. 081-878-1153, www.latonnarella.it, info@latonnarella.it).
$$$ Albergo Settimo Cielo (“Seventh Heaven”) is an old-fashioned, family-run cliffhanger sitting 300 steps above Marina Grande. The reception is just off the waterfront side of the road, and the elevator passes down through four floors with 50 clean but spartan rooms—all with grand views, and many with balconies. The rooms feel dated for the price—you’re paying for the views (family rooms, air-con in summer, parking, inviting pool, sun terrace, closed Nov-March, Via Capo 27, tel. 081-878-1012, www.hotelsettimocielo.com, info@hotelsettimocielo.com; Giuseppe, sons Stefano and Massimo, and daughter Serena).
$ Hotel Désirée is a modest affair, with reasonable rates, humbler vistas, and no traffic noise. The 22 basic rooms have high, ravine-facing or partial-sea views, and half come with balconies (all the same price). There’s a fine rooftop sunning terrace and a lovable cat, Tia. Owner Corinna (a committed environmentalist), daughter Cassandra, and receptionist Antonio serve an organic breakfast and are hugely helpful with tips on exploring the peninsula (family rooms, most rooms have fans, lots of stairs and no elevator, laundry services, free parking, shares driveway and beach elevator with La Tonnarella, closed early-Nov-Feb except open at Christmas—rare for this area, Via Capo 31, tel. 081-878-1563, www.desireehotelsorrento.com, info@desireehotelsorrento.com).
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
In a town proud to have no McDonald’s, consider eating well for a few extra bucks. Both of these places are worthwhile splurges run by a hands-on boss with a passion for good food and exacting service. The first is gourmet and playful. The second is classic. Both are romantic. Be prepared to relax and stay awhile.
$$$$ Ristorante il Buco, once the cellar of an old monastery, is now a small, dressy restaurant—with spacious seating—that serves delightfully presented, playful, and creative modern Mediterranean dishes under a grand, rustic arch. Peppe holds a Michelin star, and he and his staff love to explain exactly what’s on the plate—often sophisticated dishes with an emphasis on seafood, but a good vegetarian selection as well. They offer lots of fine wines by the glass. Reserve ahead (extravagant-tasting €75-100 fixed-price meal, 10 percent discount when you show this book, Thu-Tue 12:30-14:30 & 19:30-22:30, closed Wed and Jan; just off Piazza Sant’Antonino—facing the basilica, go under the grand arch on the left and immediately enter the restaurant at II Rampa Marina Piccola 5; tel. 081-878-2354, www.ilbucoristorante.it).
$$$$ L’Antica Trattoria enjoys a sedate, romantico, candlelit ambience, tucked away in its own little world. The cuisine is traditional but with modern flair, and the inviting menu is fun to peruse (though pricey). Run by the same family since 1930, the restaurant has a trellised garden outside and intimate nooks inside. Aldo and sons will take care of you while Vincenzo—the Joe Cocker-esque resident mandolin player—entertains. Readers who show this book can choose a 10 percent discount on a fixed-price meal or a free limoncello if ordering à la carte. Reservations are smart (good vegetarian options, daily 12:00-23:30, closed Jan-Feb, air-con, Via Padre R. Giuliani 33, tel. 081-807-1082, www.lanticatrattoria.it).
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
$$$ Inn Bufalito specializes in all things buffalo: mozzarella di bufala (and other buffalo-milk cheeses), steak, sausage, salami, carpaccio, and buffalo-meat pasta sauce on homemade pasta. The smartly designed space has a modern, borderline-trendy, casual atmosphere and a fun indoor-outdoor vibe (don’t miss the seasonal specialties on the blackboard, Wed-Mon 12:00-23:00, closed Tue and Jan-March, Vico I Fuoro 21, tel. 081-365-6975).
$$ Ristorante Pizzeria da Gigino, lively and congested with a sprawling interior and tables spilling onto the street, makes huge, tasty Neapolitan-style pizzas in their wood-burning oven. Their linguine gigino and the seafood salad are favorites (daily 12:00-24:00, closed Jan-Feb, just off Piazza Sant’Antonino at Via degli Archi 15, tel. 081-878-1927, Antonino).
$$ Chantecler’s Trattoria is a hole-in-the-wall, family-run place with delicious food, a casual familial interior, and a long string of tables outside; it’s on the narrow lane that leads to the cathedral. Their lunch menu is very affordable; at dinner, prices are slightly higher but still easy on the budget (good vegetarian dishes, take out or eat in, Tue-Sun 12:00-15:00 & 18:30-23:00, closed Mon, Via Santa Maria della Pietà 38, tel. 081-807-5868; Luigi, Francesco, and family).
With a Sea View: $$$ The Foreigners’ Club Restaurant has some of the best sea views in town (with a sprawling terrace under breezy palms), live music nightly at 20:00 (May-mid-Oct), and affordable—if uninspired—meals. It’s a good spot for dessert or an after-dinner limoncello (“snack” menu with light meals, daily, bar opens at 9:30, meals served 11:00-23:00, Via Luigi de Maio 35, tel. 081-877-3263). If you’d enjoy eating along the water (rather than just with a water view), see “Harborside in Marina Grande,” later.
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
Pizza: $ Pizzeria da Franco is Sorrento’s favorite place for basic, casual pizza in a fun, untouristy atmosphere. There’s nothing fancy about this place—just locals on benches eating hot sandwiches and great pizzas served on waxed paper in a square tin. It’s packed to the rafters with a youthful crowd that doesn’t mind the plastic cups. Consider their saltimbocca, a baked sandwich with top-quality prosciutto and mozzarella on pizza bread—splittable and perfect to-go (daily 8:00-late, just across from Lemon Grove Garden on busy Corso Italia at #265, tel. 081-877-2066).
Kebabs: $ Kebab Ciampa, a little hole-in-the-wall, has a passionate following among eaters who appreciate Andrea’s fresh bread, homemade sauces, and ethic of buying meat fresh each day (and closing when the supply is gone). This is your best cheap, non-Italian meal in town. Choose beef or chicken—locals don’t go for pork—and garnish with fries and/or salad (Thu-Tue from 17:00, closed Wed, before the cathedral off Via Santa Maria della Pietà, at Vico il Traversa Pietà 23, tel. 081-807-4595).
Picnics: Get groceries at the Decò supermarket (Mon-Sat 8:30-20:00, shorter hours Sun, Corso Italia 223) or at the Carrefour supermarket underneath Hotel Mignon (daily 8:00-22:00).
Gelato: Near the train station, Gelateria David has many repeat customers (so many flavors, so little time; they make 155 different flavors, but have about 30 at any one time). In 1957, Augusto Davide opened a gelateria in Sorrento, and his grandson Mario proudly carries on the tradition today, still making the gelato on-site. Before choosing a flavor, sample Profumi di Sorrento (an explosive sorbet of mixed fruits), “Sorrento moon” (white almond with lemon zest), or lemon crème (daily 9:00-24:00, shorter hours off-season, closed Dec-Feb, a block below the train station at Via Marziale 19, tel. 081-807-3649). Mario also offers gelato-making classes (€12/person, 5-person minimum, 1 hour, call or email ahead to reserve, www.gelateriadavidsorrento.it, info@gelateriadavidsorrento.it). Don’t mistake this place for the similarly named Gelateria Davide, in the town center.
At Gelateria Primavera, Antonio and Alberta whip up 70 exotic flavors...and still have time to make pastries for the pope and other celebrities—check out the nostalgic photos in their inviting back room, proving this is a Sorrento institution (daily 9:00-24:00, just west of Piazza Tasso at Corso Italia 142, tel. 081-807-3252).
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
For a decent dinner con vista, head down to either of these restaurants by Sorrento’s small-boat harbor, Marina Grande. To get to Marina Grande, follow the directions from Villa Comunale on my self-guided Sorrento walk, earlier. It’s about a 15-minute stroll from downtown. You can also take minibus #D from Piazza Tasso. Be prepared to walk back (last bus leaves at 20:00) or spring for a pricey taxi.
$$$ Ristorante Delfino serves fish in big portions to hungry locals in a quiet and bright, Seattle-style pier restaurant. The cooking, service, and setting are all top-notch. The restaurant is lovingly run by Luisa, her brothers, Andrea and Roberto, and her husband/chef, Antonio. Show this book for a free glass of limoncello to cap the meal. If you’re here for lunch, take advantage of the sundeck—travelers with this book are welcome to relax and digest on the lounge chairs for free (daily 12:00-14:30 & 18:30-21:30, closed Nov-March, reservations recommended for dinner; at Marina Grande, facing the water, go all the way to the left and follow signs; tel. 081-878-2038).
$$ Trattoria da Emilia, at the opposite end of the tranquil Marina Grande waterfront, is considerably more rustic, less expensive, and good for straightforward, typical Sorrentine home-cooking, including fresh fish, lots of fried seafood, and gnocchi di mamma—potato dumplings with meat sauce, basil, and mozzarella (daily 12:00-15:00 & 19:00-22:30, closed Nov-Feb, no reservations taken, indoor and outdoor seating, tel. 081-807-2720).
It’s impressively fast to zip by boat from Sorrento to many coastal towns and islands during the summer—in fact, it’s quicker and easier for residents to get around by fast boat than by car or train (see “By Boat,” later, and the map on here).
From Sorrento to Naples, Pompeii, and Herculaneum by Circumvesuviana Train: This commuter train runs twice hourly between Naples and Sorrento (www.eavsrl.it). The schedule is available at the TI: Pompeii (30 minutes, €2.20); Herculaneum (50 minutes, €2.70); and Naples (70 minutes, €3.60). If there’s a line at the train station, you can also buy tickets at the snack bar (across from the main ticket office) or downstairs at the newsstand. To confirm the latest departures, look for the electric schedule above the ticket window. For more about the Circumvesuviana, see “Getting Around the Region” on here of the Naples chapter. Note that the risk of theft on this train is mostly limited to suburban Naples. Going between Sorrento and Pompeii or Herculaneum is generally safer.
From Sorrento to Naples Airport: Six Curreri buses run daily to the airport (€10, pay driver, daily at 6:30, 8:30, 10:30, 12:00, 14:00, and 16:30, likely 2 additional departures in summer, 1.5 hours, departs from in front of train station, tel. 081-801-5420, www.curreriviaggi.it). From Naples Airport to Sorrento, the bus departs at 9:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:30, 16:30, 18:00, and 19:30.
From Sorrento to the Amalfi Coast: See here.
From Sorrento to Rome: Most people ride the Circumvesuviana 70 minutes to Naples, then catch the Frecciarossa or Italo express train to Rome. Another option is the Sorrento-Rome bus: It’s direct, comfortable, cheaper, and all on one ticket—although the departure times can be inconvenient (Mon-Sat at 6:00 and 17:00, Sun at 17:00; off-season Mon-Sat at 6:00, Fri-Sun at 17:00; 4 hours; departs Sorrento from Corso Italia 259B, by Bar Kontatto, a block from the train station, and runs to Tiburtina bus station in Rome; buy tickets at www.marozzivt.it—in Italian only, at some travel agencies, or on board for a surcharge; tel. 080-579-0111).
The number of boats that run per day varies: The frequency indicated here is for roughly mid-May through mid-October, with more boats per day in the peak of summer and fewer off-season. The specific companies operating each route also tend to change from season to season. Check all schedules locally with the TI, your hotel, or online (use the individual boat-company websites—see below—or visit www.capritourism.com, select English, and click “Shipping timetable”). Although some ferry-company websites sell tickets online, for ease, and to keep your departure options open, you can always buy tickets at the port (especially if you’re watching the weather); next-day tickets typically go on sale starting the evening before. All boats take several hundred people each and (except for the busiest days) rarely fill up.
From Sorrento to Capri: Boats run at least hourly. Your options are a fast ferry (traghetto or nave veloce, takes cars, 4/day, 30 minutes, Caremar, tel. 081-807-3077, www.caremar.it) or a slightly faster and pricier hydrofoil (aliscafi, up to 20/day, 20 minutes, Gescab, tel. 081-807-1812, www.gescab.it). To visit Capri when it’s least crowded, it’s best to buy your ticket at 8:00 and take the 8:30 hydrofoil (try to depart by 9:45 at the very latest). If you make a reservation, it’s not changeable. These early boats can be jammed, but it’s worth it once you reach the island.
From Sorrento to Other Points: Naples (6/day, more in summer, departs roughly every 2 hours starting at 7:20, few or no boats on winter weekends, arrives at Molo Beverello, 35 minutes), Positano (mid-April-mid-Oct only, 4-6/day, 35 minutes), Amalfi (mid-April-mid-Oct only, 4-6/day, 1 hour).
Getting to Sorrento’s Port (Marina Piccola): To walk, either hike steeply down directly from Piazza Tasso (find the stairs under the flags, 5-minute walk), or walk to the Villa Comunale public park (see my self-guided Sorrento Walk, earlier), where you can pay €1 to ride the elevator down (from the bottom, it’s a 5-minute walk to the port). Otherwise, catch bus #B or #C from Piazza Sant’Antonino (buy ticket at tobacco shop and specify that you’re going to the porto; pay driver, buses cost €1.20 and run 3/hour).
Capri was made famous as the vacation hideaway of Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius. In the 19th century, it was the haunt of Romantic Age aristocrats on their Grand Tour of Europe. Later it was briefly a refuge for Europe’s artsy gay community: Oscar Wilde, D. H. Lawrence, and company hung out here back when being gay could land you in jail...or worse. And these days, the island is a world-class tourist trap, packed with gawky, nametag-wearing visitors searching for the rich and famous—and finding only their prices.
About 12,000 people live on Capri (although many winter in Naples) and during any given day in high season, the island hosts another 20,000 tourists. The “Island of Dreams” is a zoo in July and August—overrun with tacky, low-grade group tourism at its worst. At other times of year, though still crowded, it can provide a relaxing and scenic break from the cultural gauntlet of Italy. Even with its crowds, commercialism, fame, and glitz, Capri is a flat-out gorgeous place: Chalky white limestone cliffs rocket boldly from the shimmering blue-and-green surf, and the Blue Grotto sea cave glows with reflected sunlight. Strategically positioned gardens, villas, and viewpoints provide stunning vistas of the Sorrento Peninsula, Amalfi Coast, Vesuvius, and Capri itself. And, if you study this chapter carefully, you’ll find that it’s very well-organized for its many visitors.
This is the best see-everything-in-a-day plan from Naples or Sorrento:
• Take an early hydrofoil to Capri (from Sorrento, buy ticket at 8:00, boat leaves around 8:30 and arrives around 8:50—smart).
• At the port, decide among three boating options: Enjoy the scenic circle-the-island tour with a visit to the Blue Grotto (1.5-2 hours); circle the island without Blue Grotto stop (1 hour); or just visit the Blue Grotto. (There are generally spaces available for departures every few minutes.)
• Arriving back at Marina Grande, catch a bus to Anacapri, which has two or three hours’ worth of sightseeing.
• In Anacapri, see the town, ride the chairlift to Monte Solaro and back (or hike down), stroll out from the base of the chairlift to Villa San Michele for the view, and eat lunch.
• Afterward, catch a bus to Capri town, which is worth an hour of browsing.
• Finally, ride the funicular from Capri town down to the harbor and laze on the free beach or wander the yacht harbor while waiting for your boat back to Sorrento.
If you’re heading to Capri specifically to see the Blue Grotto, be sure to check the weather and sea conditions. If the tide is too high or the water too rough, the grotto can be closed. Ask the TI or your hotelier. If the Blue Grotto is closed or you’re not keen on seeing it, you can still enjoy a leisurely day on the island seeing the sights in Anacapri and Capri town. Or, for the same amount of time and less money, you can skip the Blue Grotto and enjoy circling the entire island by boat (an experience I find even more fun than the famed grotto).
Efficient travelers can see Capri on the way between destinations: Sail from Sorrento, check your bag at the harbor, see Capri, and take a boat directly from there to Naples or to the Amalfi Coast (or vice versa).
If you buy a one-way ticket to Capri (there’s no round-trip discount), you’ll have maximum schedule flexibility and can take any convenient hydrofoil or ferry back. (Check times for the last return crossing upon arrival with any TI on Capri, or at www.capritourism.com; the last return trips usually leave between 18:30 and 19:30.) During July and August, however, it’s wise to get a round-trip boat ticket (ensuring you a spot). On busy days, be 20 minutes early for the boat, or you can be bumped.
Starting your day as early as is reasonably possible is key to an enjoyable trip to Capri. Legions of day-trippers on big bus tours come down from as far as Rome, combining with cruise-ship excursion groups to create a daily rush hour in each direction (arriving between 10:00-11:00, leaving around 17:00) and packing the island through the early afternoon. If you arrive before them, the entire trip to and into the Blue Grotto might take just a half-hour (10 minutes there, 10 minutes in the dingy going inside, and 10 minutes back); arrive later and you might face a two-hour delay.
For instructions on getting to Capri by scheduled ferry, see the “Connections” sections of the Sorrento and Naples chapters, and the “Getting Around the Amalfi Coast” section of the Amalfi Coast chapter.
Another option is to visit Capri by tour boat. Mondo Guide offers my readers a great-value, no-stress, all-day itinerary for €90: You’ll be picked up at your Sorrento hotel around 8:00 and driven to the port, where you’ll board a small boat (maximum 12 people, shared with other Rick Steves readers) and be taken across to Capri to visit the Blue Grotto (optional entry fee to hop in one of the little rowboats to go in). Then you’ll continue to Marina Grande for about four hours of free time on the island—just enough to head to Anacapri for sightseeing and the Monte Solaro chairlift (island transportation and admissions on your own). Finally, you’ll reboard the boat for a lightly narrated circle around the island and pass through the iconic Faraglioni Rocks (includes drinks, a snack, and—conditions permitting—a chance to swim from the boat). Considering the expense and hassle of doing all this on your own, the tour is a good value—you’re basically paying about €20-30 extra for a less stressful, more personalized experience. The trip only goes if enough people sign up, and reservations are required—book online at www.mondoguide.com. For details on Mondo and their tours, see here. Tempio Travel—based at the Sorrento train station—offers a similar trip at a similar price (tel. 081-878-2103, www.tempiotravel.com, or drop by their office).
First thing—pronounce it right: Italians say KAH-pree, not kah-PREE like the song (or the pants). The island is small—just four miles by two miles—and is separated from the Sorrentine Peninsula by a five-mile-wide strait. Home to 12,000 people, Capri has only two towns to speak of: Capri and Anacapri. The island also has some scant Roman ruins and a few interesting churches and villas. But its chief attraction is its famous Blue Grotto, and its best activity beyond the boat rides is the chairlift from Anacapri up the island’s Monte Solaro (“the sunny mount”).
Capri’s efficient English-speaking TI has branches in Marina Grande, Capri town, and Anacapri. Their well-organized website has schedules and practical information in English (www.capritourism.com). At any TI, pick up the free map or pay for a better one if you’ll be venturing to the outskirts of Capri town or Anacapri.
The Marina Grande TI is by the Motoscafisti Capri tour-boat dock (Mon-Sat 9:00-13:30 & 15:30-18:00, Sun 9:00-13:00, shorter hours off-season, tel. 081-837-0634).
The Capri town TI fills a closet under the bell tower on Piazza Umberto I and is less crowded than its sister at the port (same hours as Marina Grande TI, WC and baggage storage downstairs behind TI, tel. 081-837-0686).
The tiny Anacapri TI is on the main pedestrian/shopping street, Via Orlandi, at #59 (Mon-Sat 9:00-15:00, closed Sun, shorter hours Nov-Easter, tel. 081-837-1524).
Get oriented on the boat before you dock, as you near the harbor with the island spread out before you. The port is a small community of its own, called Marina Grande, connected by a funicular and buses to the rest of the island. Capri town fills the ridge high above the harbor. The ruins of Emperor Tiberius’ palace, Villa Jovis, cap the peak on the left. To the right, the dramatic “Mamma mia!” road arcs around the highest mountain on the island (Monte Solaro), leading up to Anacapri (the island’s second town, just out of sight). Notice the old zigzag steps below that road. Until 1874, this was the only connection between Capri and Anacapri. (Though it’s quite old, it’s nowhere near as old as implied by its nickname, “The Phoenician Stairway.”) The white house on the ridge above the zigzags is Villa San Michele (where you can go later for a grand view).
Arrival at Marina Grande: Upon arrival, get your bearings. Find the base of the funicular railway (signed funicolare) that runs up to Capri town, and stand facing it, with your back to the water.
The fourth little clothing-and-souvenir shop to the right of the funicular provides baggage storage (€3/bag, look inside for left luggage sign on far back wall, daily 9:00-18:00, tel. 081-837-4575, shorter hours or closed in winter).
The ferry-terminal building facing the funicular has ticket windows with counters for funicular and bus tickets (same price for both—don’t line up without one) and for boat tickets to Naples and Sorrento. (Notice the grand electronic departure board on the terminal building listing all boats leaving in the next couple of hours.) Adjacent is the stop for buses to the rest of the island. Notice how long the line is for your destination, and how small the buses are—and line up accordingly: to Anacapri or San Costanzo (for Capri town). Across the street is a pay WC, and a little farther on is Marina Grande’s pebbly public beach.
Two companies offer boat trips around the island and to the Blue Grotto: Laser Capri and Motoscafisti Capri. Motoscafisti Capri’s ticket shed is along the pier; Laser Capri’s office is halfway down the waterfront to the left at Via Cristoforo Colombo 69. Both offer similar services (see “Sights in Capri,” later).
From the port, you can take a boat to the Blue Grotto or around the island, the funicular to Capri town, or a bus to various destinations on Capri. The steep paved footpath that connects the port area with Capri town starts a block inland from the ferry dock (follow the signs to Capri centro; I’ve heard it takes 30 minutes).
Cheap Tricks: A cheap day trip to Capri is tough, as you’ll pay about €20 each way just to get there and about €30 to see the Blue Grotto. That’s €70 already. But if you picnic and ride buses rather than enjoying restaurants and taxis, you’ll find your time on the island itself to be relatively inexpensive. Many of Capri’s greatest pleasures are free.
Best Real Hike: Serious hikers love the peaceful and scenic three-hour Fortress Hike, which takes you entirely away from the tourists. You’ll walk under ruined forts along the rugged coast, from the Blue Grotto to the faro (lighthouse). From there, you can take a bus back to Anacapri (3/hour). The TI has a fine map/brochure.
Free Beach: Marina Grande has a free pebbly beach (pay at the bar for a shower).
Local Guides: Anna Bilardi Leva lives on Capri and is licensed to guide both on the island and elsewhere around the region. She seems to know everybody and every trick on the island (groups of up to six people: €150/half-day, €220/day, mobile 339-712-7416, www.capritourinformation.com, annaleva@hotmail.it).
By Bus and Funicular: Tickets for the island’s buses and funicular cost €2 per ride and are available at newsstands, tobacco shops, or official ticket offices. Validate your ticket when you board. The €10 all-day pass (available only at official ticket offices) isn’t a good value for most visitors.
Schedules are clearly posted at all bus stations. Public buses are orange, while gray and blue buses are for private tour groups. Public buses from the port to Capri town, and from Capri town to Anacapri, are frequent (4/hour, 10 minutes). The direct bus between the port and Anacapri runs less often (2/hour, 25 minutes). From Anacapri, branch bus lines run to the parking lot above the Blue Grotto and to the lighthouse (3/hour). Buses are teeny (because of the island’s narrow roads) and often packed, the aisles filled with people standing. At most stops, you’ll see ranks for passengers to line up in (locals feel free to cut the line). If the driver changes the bus’s display to read completo (full), you’ll need to wait for the next one.
By Taxi: Taxis have fixed rates, listed at www.capritourism.com (Marina Grande to Capri town-€17; Marina Grande to Anacapri-€28). You can hire a taxi for about €70 per hour—negotiate.
By Scooter: If you’re an experienced scooter rider, this is the perfect way to have the run of the island. (For novice riders, Capri’s steep and narrow roads aren’t a good place to start.) Capri Scooter proudly rents bright-yellow scooters with 50cc engines—strong enough to haul couples. Rental includes a map and instructions with parking tips and other helpful information (€15/hour, €55/day, 10 percent discount with this book for 2 hours or more; includes helmet, gas, and insurance; daily April-Oct 9:30-18:00, may open in good weather off-season, at Via Don Giobbe Ruocco 55, Marina Grande, mobile 338-360-6918, www.capriscooter.com).
▲▲▲Capri Boat Circle (Giro dell’ Isola)
Villa Jovis and the Emperor’s Capri
▲Villa San Michele and Grand Capri View
▲▲Chairlift up to Monte Solaro
You have three boat-tour options: circle the island with a stop at the Blue Grotto, circle only, or Blue Grotto only.
For me, the best experience on Capri is to take the scenic boat trip around the island. It’s cheap, comes with good narration and lots of curiosities, and there are plenty of departures from Marina Grande.
Both Laser Capri and Motoscafisti Capri run trips that circle the island and pass stunning cliffs, caves, and views that most miss when they go only to the Blue Grotto (€18, no one-way discount; Motoscafisti Capri—tel. 081-837-7714, www.motoscafisticapri.com; Laser Capri—tel. 081-837-5208, www.lasercapri.com). The circular tour comes with a live guide and takes about an hour (1.5-2 hours with Blue Grotto stop). As you circle the dramatic limestone rock called Capri, you’ll see quirky sights (a solar-powered lighthouse, tiny statues atop desolate rocks, holes in the cliffs with legends going back to Emperor Tiberius’ times), pop into various caves and inlets, power through a tiny hole in the famed Faraglioni Rocks, hear stories of celebrity-owned villas, and marvel at a non-stop parade of staggering cliffs.
With both companies, you can combine the boat trip with a stop at the Blue Grotto at no extra charge (this adds about an hour; check schedules to find out which tours include the optional Blue Grotto stop). As the 10-minute ride just to the grotto costs €15 (no one-way discount), the island circle is well worth the extra three euros.
All boats leave daily from 9:00 until at least 13:00 (or later, depending on when the Blue Grotto rowboats stop running—likely 16:00 in summer).
Three thousand tourists a day visit Capri’s Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra). I did—early (when the light is best), without the frustration of crowds, and with choppy waves nearly making entrance impossible...and it was great.
The actual cave experience isn’t much: a five-minute dinghy ride through a three-foot-high entry hole to reach a 60-yard-long cave, where the sun reflects brilliantly blue on its limestone bottom. But the experience—getting there, getting in, and getting back—is a scenic hoot. You get a fast ride and scant narration on a 30-foot boat partway around the gorgeous island; along the way, you see bird life and dramatic limestone cliffs. You’ll understand why Roman emperors appreciated the invulnerability of the island—it’s surrounded by cliffs, with only one good access point, and therefore easy to defend.
Just outside the grotto, your boat idles as you pile into eight-foot dinghies that hold up to four passengers each. Next, you’ll be taken to a floating ticket counter to pay the grotto entry fee. From there, your ruffian rower will elbow his way to the tiny hole, then pull fast and hard on the cable at the low point of the swells to squeeze you into the grotto (keep your head down and hands in the boat). Then your man rows you around, spouting off a few descriptive lines and singing “O Sole Mio.” Depending upon the strength of the sunshine that day, the blue light inside can be brilliant.
The grotto was actually an ancient Roman nymphaeum—a retreat for romantic hanky-panky. Many believe that, in its day, a tunnel led here directly from the palace, and that the grotto experience was enlivened by statues of Poseidon and company, placed half-underwater as if emerging from the sea. It was ancient Romans who smoothed out the entry hole that’s still used to this day.
When dropping you off, your boatman will fish for a tip—it’s optional, and €1 is enough (you’ve already paid plenty). If you don’t want to return by boat, ask to be let off at the little dock, where stairs lead up to a café and the Blue Grotto bus stop.
Cost: The €14 entry fee (separate from the €15 ride from Marina Grande and back) includes €10 for the rowboat service plus €4 for admission to the grotto itself. Though some people swim in for free from the little dock after the boats stop running (about 17:00), it’s illegal and can be dangerous.
Timing: When waves or high tide make entering dangerous, the boats don’t go in—the grotto can close without notice, sending tourists (flush with anticipation) home without a chance to squeeze through the little hole. (If this happens to you, consider the one-hour boat ride around the island instead.)
If you’re coming from Capri’s port (Marina Grande), allow 1-2 hours for the entire visit, depending on the chaos at the caves. Going with the first trip (around 9:00) will get you there at the same time as the boatmen in their dinghies—who hitch a ride behind your boat—resulting in less chaos and a shorter wait at the entry point.
If you arrive on the island later in the morning—when the Blue Grotto is already jammed—you could try waiting to visit until about 15:00, when most of the tour groups have vacated. But this may only work by bus (not boat). Confirm that day’s closing time with a TI before making the trip.
Getting There: You can take the boat from Marina Grande (either as part of a longer circle-the-island tour-€18, or directly-€15, 10 minutes; see details on both options earlier), as most people do, or save money by taking the bus via Anacapri. You’ll save almost €8, lose time, and see a beautiful, calmer side of the island (roughly 3/hour, 10 minutes; buses depart only from the Anacapri bus station at Piazza della Pace—not from the bus stop at Piazza Vittoria 200 yards away). If you’re coming from Marina Grande or Capri town and want to transfer to the Blue Grotto buses, don’t get off when the driver announces “Anacapri.” Instead, ride one more stop to Piazza della Pace. If in doubt, ask the driver or a local. At the Piazza della Pace bus station, notice the two lines: “Grotta Azzurra” for the Blue Grotto, and “Faro” for the lighthouse.
Getting Back from the Blue Grotto: You can take the boat back or ask your boatman to drop you off on the small dock next to the grotto entrance (for a small tip), from where you climb up the stairs to the stop for the bus to Anacapri (if you came by boat, you’ll still have to pay the full round-trip boat fare).
This is a cute but extremely clogged and touristy shopping town. It’s worth a brief visit, including the Giardini di Augusto, before moving on to more interesting parts of the island.
The funicular drops you just around the corner from Piazza Umberto I, the town’s main square. With your back to the funicular, the bus stop is 50 yards straight ahead down Via Roma. The TI is under the bell tower on Piazza Umberto (see “Tourist Information,” earlier). The footpath to the port starts just behind the TI (follow signs to Il Porto, 15-minute walk).
Capri town’s main square is dedicated to the second king of Italy. Enjoy what’s considered the “Living Room of Capri.” Imagine the days when, rather than fancy cafés, the square was filled with a public market. Today, Capri town is traffic-free with only electric service minitrucks scooting here and there. While a coffee costs €1 at any bar, it’s €5 at a table on the square.
To the left of City Hall (Municipio, lowest corner), a narrow, atmospheric lane leads into the medieval part of town, which has plenty of eateries and is the starting point for the 45-minute hike to Villa Jovis.
Capri town’s multidomed Baroque cathedral, which faces the square, is worth a quick look. Its multicolored marble floor at the altar dates from the 1st century A.D.—it was scavenged from Emperor Tiberius’ villa and laid here in the 19th century.
The lane to the left of the cathedral (past Bar Tiberio, under the wide arch) is a fashionable shopping strip that’s justifiably been dubbed “Rodeo Drive” by residents. Walk a few minutes down the street (past Gelateria Buonocore at #35, with its tempting fresh waffle cones—you’ll smell them as you approach) to Quisisana Hotel, the island’s top old-time hotel (formerly a 19th-century sanitorium). From there, head left for fancy shops and villas, and right for gardens and views. Between the lane and the sea is a huge monastery (Certosa di San Giacomo, described below; access to the left).
To the right and downhill, a five-minute walk leads to this lovely public garden (€1, daily 9:00-19:30, Nov-March until 17:30, free to enter off-season, no picnicking). While the garden itself is modest, it boasts great views over the famous Faraglioni Rocks—handy if you don’t have the time, money, or interest to access the higher vantage points near Anacapri (Monte Solaro, Villa San Michele).
One of the most historic buildings on the island is the Certosa di San Giacomo (€4, €3 combo-ticket with Giardini di Augusto at the garden entry, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, later in summer, closed Mon). The stark monastery has an empty church and sleepy cloister. But the finest piece of art on Capri is over the church’s front entrance: an exquisite 14th-century fresco of Mary and the baby Jesus by the Florentine Niccolo di Tommaso. Today, the monastery hosts the Museo Diefenbach, a small collection of dark and moody paintings by eccentric German artist Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach, who walked around naked in Capri in the early 1900s, when this was a gay, political, and avant-garde place.
Even before becoming emperor, Augustus loved Capri so much that he traded the family-owned Isle of Ischia to the (then-independent) Neapolitans in exchange for making Capri his personal property. Emperor Tiberius spent a decade here, A.D. 26-37. (Some figure he did so in order to escape being assassinated in Rome.)
Emperor Tiberius’ ruined villa, Villa Jovis, is reachable only by a scenic 45-minute hike from Capri town. You won’t find any statues or mosaics here—just an evocative, ruined complex of terraces clinging to a rocky perch over a sheer drop to the sea...and a lovely view. You can make out a large water reservoir for baths, the foundations of servants’ quarters, and Tiberius’ private apartments (fragments of marble flooring still survive). The ruined lighthouse dates from the Middle Ages.
Cost and Hours: €4, Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue, shorter hours and closed off-season—check at Capri TI.
Capri’s second town has two or three hours’ worth of interesting sights. Though Anacapri sits higher up on the island (“ana” means “upper” in Greek), there are no sea views at street level in the town center.
When visiting Anacapri by bus, note that there are two stops: Piazza Vittoria, in the center of town at the base of the Monte Solaro chairlift; and 200 yards farther along at Piazza della Pace (pronounced “PAH-chay”), a larger bus station near the cemetery. Piazza Vittoria gets you closer to the main sights (chairlift and Villa San Michele), while Piazza della Pace is where you transfer to the Blue Grotto bus. When leaving Anacapri for Capri town or Marina Grande (marked San Costanzo), buses can be packed. Your best chance of getting a seat is to catch the bus from Piazza della Pace (the first stop).
Anacapri’s pedestrianized main drag takes you through the charming center of town. It’s just a block or so from either bus stop. (From Piazza Vittoria, the street is right there—just go down the lane to the right of the Anacapri statue. From Piazza della Pace, cross the street and go down the small pedestrian lane called Via Filietto.) Anacapri’s TI is at Via Orlandi 59, near Piazza Vittoria.
To see the town, stroll along Via Orlandi for 10 minutes or so. Signs propose a quick circuit that links the Casa Rossa, St. Michael’s Church, and peaceful side streets. You’ll also find shops and eateries, including good choices for quick, inexpensive pizza, saltimbocca (prosciutto and mozzarella on baked pizza bread—great for a filling picnic), panini, and other goodies. These two are both open daily in peak season: $ Sciué Sciué (same price for informal seating or takeaway, 50 yards below the TI at #73, tel. 081-837-2068) and $ Pizza e Pasta (takeaway only, just before the church at #157, tel. 328-623-8460).
Of the sights below, the first two are in the heart of town (on or near Via Orlandi), while the next two are a short walk away.
This “Pompeiian-red,” eccentric home, a hodgepodge of architectural styles, is the former residence of John Clay MacKowen, a Louisiana doctor and ex-Confederate officer who moved to Capri in the 1870s and married a local girl. (MacKowen and the Villa San Michele’s Axel Munthe—see later—loathed each other, and even tried to challenge each other to a duel.) Its small collection of 19th-century paintings of scenes from around the island recalls a time before mass tourism. Don’t miss the second floor, with more paintings and four ancient, sea-worn statues, which were recovered from the depths of the Blue Grotto in the 1960s and 1970s.
Cost and Hours: €3.50; discounted to €1 with ticket stub from Blue Grotto, Villa San Michele, or Monte Solaro chairlift; Tue-Sun 10:00-13:30 & 17:30-20:00; shorter hours April-May and Oct; closed Nov-March and Mon year-round, Via Orlandi 78, tel. 081-838-2193.
This Baroque church in the village center has a remarkable majolica floor showing paradise on earth in a classic 18th-century Neapolitan style. The entire floor is ornately tiled, featuring an angel (with flaming sword) driving Adam and Eve from paradise. The devil is wrapped around the trunk of a beautiful tree. The animals—happily ignoring this momentous event—all have human expressions. For the best view, climb the spiral stairs from the postcard desk. Services are held only during the first two weeks of Advent, when the church is closed to visitors.
Cost and Hours: €2, daily 9:00-19:00, Nov and mid-Dec-March usually 10:00-14:00, closed late-Nov-mid-Dec, in town center just off Via Orlandi—look for San Michele signs, tel. 081-837-2396, www.chiesa-san-michele.com.
This is the 19th-century mansion of Axel Munthe, Capri’s grand personality, an idealistic Swedish doctor who lived here until 1946 and whose services to the Swedish royal family brought him into contact with high society. Munthe was gay at a time when that could land you in jail. He enjoyed the avant-garde and permissive scene at Capri, during an era when Europe’s leading artists and creative figures could gather here and be honest about their sexual orientation.
At the very least, walk the path from Piazza Vittoria past the villa to a superb, free viewpoint over Capri town, Marina Grande, and—in the distance—Mount Vesuvius and Sorrento. Paying to enter the villa lets you see a few rooms with period furnishings (follow the one-way route, good English descriptions); an exhibit on Munthe; and one of this region’s most delightful gardens, with a chapel, the Olivetum (a tiny museum of native birds and bugs), and a view that’s slightly better than the free one outside. Throughout the gardens and the house, you’ll see a smattering of original ancient objects unearthed here—and lots and lots of copies. A café (also with a view) serves affordable sandwiches.
Cost and Hours: €8, daily 9:00-18:00, closes earlier Oct-April, tel. 081-837-1401, www.villasanmichele.eu.
Getting There: From Piazza Vittoria, walk up the grand staircase and turn left onto Via Capodimonte. At the start of the shopping street, on your right, pass the deluxe Capri Palace Hotel—venture in if you can get past the treacherously eye-catching swimming pool windows (behind the pillars). After lots of overpriced shops, just before the villa, notice the Swedish consulate. In honor of Munthe, Swedes get into the villa for free.
From Anacapri, you can ride the chairlift (seggiovia) to the 1,900-foot summit of Monte Solaro for a commanding view of the Bay of Naples. Work on your tan as you float over hazelnut, walnut, chestnut, apricot, peach, kiwi, and fig trees, past a montage of tourists (mostly from cruise ships; when the grotto is closed—as it often is—they bring passengers here instead). Prospective smoochers should know that the lift seats are all single. As you ascend, consider how Capri’s real estate has been priced out of the locals’ reach. The ride takes 13 minutes each way, and you’ll want at least 30 minutes on top, where there are picnic benches and a café with WCs.
Cost and Hours: €8 one-way, €11 round-trip, daily 9:30-17:00, last run down at 17:30; March-April until 16:00, Nov-Feb until 15:30, tel. 081-837-1438, www.capriseggiovia.it. Note that the lift gets more crowded with tour groups in the afternoon.
Getting There: From the Piazza Vittoria bus stop, just climb the steps and look right.
At the Summit: You’ll enjoy the best panorama possible: lush cliffs busy with seagulls enjoying the ideal nesting spot. Find the Faraglioni Rocks—with tour boats squeezing through every few minutes—which are an icon of the island. The pink building nearest the rocks was an American R&R base during World War II. Eisenhower and Churchill met here. On the peak closest to Cape Sorrento, you can see the distant ruins of Emperor Tiberius’ palace, Villa Jovis. Pipes from the Sorrento Peninsula bring water to Capri (demand for fresh water here long ago exceeded the supply provided by the island’s three natural springs). The Galli Islands mark the Amalfi Coast in the distance. Cross the bar terrace for views of Mount Vesuvius and Naples.
Hiking Down: A highlight for hardy walkers (provided you have strong knees and good shoes) is the 40-minute downhill hike from the top of Monte Solaro, through lush vegetation and ever-changing views, past the 14th-century Chapel of Santa Maria Cetrella (at the trail’s only intersection, it’s a 10-minute detour to the right), and back into Anacapri. The trail starts downstairs, past the WCs (last chance). Down two more flights of stairs, look for the sign to Anacapri e Cetrella—you’re on your way. While the trail is well established, you’ll encounter plenty of uneven steps, loose rocks, and few signs.
The lighthouse (faro), at the rocky, arid, and desolate southwestern corner of the island, is a favorite place to enjoy the sunset. This area has a private beach, pool, small restaurants, and a few fishermen. Reach it by bus from Anacapri (3/hour, departs from Piazza della Pace stop).
From Capri’s Marina Grande by Boat to: Sorrento (ferry: 4/day, 30 minutes, www.caremar.it; hydrofoil: up to 20/day, 20 minutes, www.gescab.it), Naples (roughly hourly, more in summer, hydrofoil: 45 minutes, arrives at Molo Beverello; ferries: 50-80 minutes, arrive at Calata Porta di Massa), Positano (mid-April-mid-Oct, 4-6/day, 30-60 minutes), Amalfi (mid-April-mid-Oct, 4-6/day, 1.5 hours). Confirm the schedule carefully at TIs or www.capritourism.com (under “Shipping Timetable”)—the last boats back to the mainland usually leave around 18:00-20:00. For a steep price, you can always hire a water taxi (weather permitting).