Unmissable Things To See And Do In Capri, Italy

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Six small photos taken in different places on the island of Capri in Italy with an orange color block and white text reading fun things to do in Capri: what you can't miss on a first visit by Where Are Those Morgans

Capri was our favorite stop on the 2-week Amalfi Coast trip we took in May 2022. We loved Sorrento’s relaxed atmosphere, Positano’s ritzy vibe, Ravello’s villas, and Pompeii’s ruins, but Capri had something the other places didn’t – a surprising amount of genuinely fun things to see and do. We’d heard about the infamous Blue Grotto – that turned out to be just okay, but it was just the beginning – we ended up filling our 3 days in Capri with great hikes, stunning villas, striking views, and delicious food.

We know a lot of people go to Capri for honeymoons, weddings, or just to relax around the plush hotel pool. But we’re not the sit around and relax types when we visit new places, we love to get out and explore – and Capri was perfect for exploration because it was small enough to easily get around by foot or bus, and the island was filled from coastline to coastline with attractions or trails. We stayed near Marina Grande, which turned out to be an okay location, but next time we’d bite the bullet and pay more to stay right in Capri Town.

Photo of Mark and Kristen Morgan from Where Are Those Morgans taking a selfie at the top of Monte Solaro on a beautiful sunny day in Capri, Italy
Mark and Kristen at the top of Monte Solaro on Capri

Hi, we’re Mark and Kristen Morgan. We left our scientific careers in 2018 to become travel writers and photographers, and since then our expert guides have helped millions of travel planners take better trips. Read more about us.

Why trust us with your Capri bucket list? We spent 3 amazing days exploring all of Capri and Anacapri in May 2022. We know what’s worth the time and what isn’t. As always, every photo in this guide is ours.

Our favorite things to do in Capri were taking the chair lift to Monte Solaro, visiting Villa Lysis and Villa San Michele, seeing Via Krupp from the beautiful Gardens of Augustus, eating superb food in both Capri Town and Anacapri, seeing the Faraglioni from Belvedere Tragara, and hiking Capri’s entire western coastline from the Blue Grotto to Faro di Punta Carena lighthouse along the fort trail. If you only have one day in Capri you won’t be able to do everything in this guide, but with two, three, or four full days, you can really start to get stuck into them.

Our advice? Don’t get too hung up on the Blue Grotto. We did it, and it was fine, but we wouldn’t plan a whole trip around it. Based on our action-packed 3-day trip, we’re going to walk you through the experiences we consider unmissable for a first-timer visiting Capri. Let’s dive in!

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Map of Capri with annotations showing the locations of top attractions across the island, created by Where Are Those Morgans
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Going Inside The Blue Grotto

Photo of Mark and Kristen Morgan on a small boat inside the Blue Grotto sea cave in Capri
Mark and Kristen on a rowing boat inside the Blue Grotto

Let’s get the elephant out of the room right off the bat and talk about Capri’s notorious Blue Grotto. It’s the only attraction in Capri that divides opinion. Some people love it, and others hate it. We did it in 2022, and in truth you’d find us leaning slightly towards the negative side.

Now, we don’t want to put you off. On the plus side, it was cool to see the inside of the Blue Grotto – which was essentially a small sea cave with brilliant blue lights dancing around the walls. And it was beautiful. Ducking down in the rowing boat and going through the low entrance felt like being warped into a tranquil ocean-themed disco. We genuinely did enjoy the very brief time we spent inside.

But we also want to be realists and tell you why it gets so much negativity, to make sure you know what you’d be getting into:

First, the Blue Grotto is a pain to reach because it’s secluded on the northwest side of the island, which is nowhere near Capri Town. We took a cheap bus to Anacapri, then another cheap bus from Viale T. De Tommaso in Anacapri to the very last stop at the Blue Grotto for a land arrival. A popular and cheap alternative is to take a €24 boat from Marina Grande to arrive by sea. But the line of boats was way longer than the line of people on land, so those people will have lost a lot of time just floating around waiting to go in.

Second, the whole thing felt like an inconvenience for the boat skippers. It was so clear and obvious they just wanted to herd people through as quickly as possible, so they could make more money from tips, which felt awkwardly forced. We’d already paid €18 each for entry, so with a “compulsory” €5 per person tip on top, we ended up spending close to €50. Was it worth it? We’re not sure.

Luckily the line on land wasn’t too bad when we arrived at 2:00 PM on a weekday in May. But we’ve read forums and reviews online, and lots of people say the waiting time can be ridiculous in summer, both on land and by sea. And considering that we were inside the Blue Grotto for a few minutes at the most, it would be a lot of effort, cost, and waiting around for such a quick activity.

Overall, we’d say plan to visit the Blue Grotto if you don’t mind paying over the odds, dealing with smarmy boat boys, and potentially losing a good few hours of one day on your Capri trip. We strongly encourage you to read our experience at Capri’s Blue Grotto before committing it to your itinerary – there’s loads of useful tips in the guide about hours, closures, and visiting options.

Sailing Around Capri On A Boat Tour

Several small boats floating near a cave in Capri with people on board waiting to be picked up by rowing boats to go inside the Blue Grotto

Because we spent three full days exploring attractions, hikes and landmarks on both sides of Capri, we didn’t have time to take a boat tour around the island. But since our trip, we’ve done lots more research – and Mark has done dozens of trip planning sessions with people heading to Italy, and many of them were desperate to do a boat tour around Capri. So it turns out it’s one of those true bucket list, once in a lifetime kind of activities.

Now, there are dozens of different small group and private boat tours going around Capri each day, and some also stop at the Blue Grotto, so that could be another way to visit the famous cave if you don’t want to go by land or the big, cheap public boat. For us personally, we’d strongly consider this top rated private boat tour with flexible options if we were actually staying on Capri, or this private boat tour with amazing reviews if we wanted to sail around Capri for a day as part of a larger group – but we were staying in Sorrento, Naples or Positano.

But honestly, now that we’ve done the Blue Grotto, we’d never do it again. Instead, next time we’re in Capri, we’d 100% visit the Grotta Verde and the Grotta Bianca as part of a far more relaxing boat tour without the drama of the Grotta Azzurra. The green and white caves don’t have land access or massive hype, so there’d barely be any tourists around, and you can actually jump in the sea and go swimming near the caves on the boat tours.

This affordable boat tour with Viator has sky-high ratings, lasts 2 hours, and includes both the white and green grottoes along with limoncello. It looks perfect for couples or small groups who wants to skip the drama of the Blue Grotto but still see Capri’s sea caves, but don’t have enough people to justify paying more for a private tour. Or if we visited with friends or extended family, we’d look to book a private sailing like this 3 hour boat tour with near perfect ratings.

You probably could book a boat tour in person on the island. But honestly, that would mean not having your plans already laid out, you’d have to go find a boat tour, haggle out a price, hope for availability, and have no idea about reviews or quality. So for us, we’d just book one of those boat tours with Viator and take the stress out of it – even if it turned out we paid $50 more than we would have in person. We’d be happy with that trade-off.

Riding The Chair Lift To Monte Solaro

Photo of a chair lift above the island of Capri with views of the sea and Vesuvius
Mark was pleased with this photo overlooking Ischia on the chair lift down from Monte Solaro

One of our absolute favorite experiences from Capri was taking a 13-minute chair lift from Anacapri Town to the summit of Monte Solaro – the tallest point on the island at 589 meters (1,932 feet) in elevation. It was easy, quick, cheap, and well worth the time.

After visiting Villa San Michele (we cover this later) first thing in the morning, we jumped on two of the 158 single-person chair lifts at the Seggiovia di Monte Solaro at around 10:30 AM, and enjoyed stunning views open up over the Gulf of Naples, Vesuvius and Ischia as we gradually climbed to the top in silence.

After arriving at the summit, we walked around the old fortress, soaked up genuinely outstanding views (some of the best we had on the Amalfi Coast), took far too many photos, grabbed a quick beer in the overpriced restaurant (it was a rip off but we were paying for the view), and returned down to Anacapri on the chair lift. Here’s how to visit Monte Solaro with our experience taking the chair lift and important mistakes to avoid.

Tickets cost €11 one-way (either up or down) and €14 round trip. We bought return tickets because we were against the clock and had loads more to see, but you can buy one-way tickets if you plan to hike up or down the mountain. Here’s information about the hiking trail.

We booked our tickets in-person on the day because we wanted to make sure the weather was clear before going up. We’re pretty confident that Monte Solaro wouldn’t be worth doing on a cloudy day with poor visibility. Here’s more information on the chair lift.

Chair lift hours vary by season:

  • March-April – 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
  • November-February – 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
  • May-October – 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM

Exploring The Gardens Of Augustus

Photo of small statues and a stone circle walkway in gardens with flowers
We had to wait ages to get this people-free photo in the gardens

We’d read that the Gardens of Augustus were basically picturesque botanical gardens with a view. And you know what? It didn’t disappoint. The terraced gardens were perched right on the edge of a sheer cliff with views over the Gulf of Naples, The Faraglioni (three rock stacks in the sea) and Via Krupp which we cover next. So we didn’t just get flowers, we got flowers backed by striking ocean vistas.

The best part? The Gardens of Augustus is just an easy and flat 5-minute walk from the main square in Capri Town on Via Vittorio Emanuele, Via Federico Serena and Via Matteotti. Our slow walk around the curated Giardini di Augusto was lovely, but it did feel busy because it’s small, it’s close to Capri Town’s main built up area, and there’s no hike required.

Tickets only cost us €2.50 per adult and it’s free for kids up to 12 years old. We joined a small line of maybe 3 or 4 groups after arriving, and we were inside within a few minutes, so there’s no need to book in advance. Overall, we thought it was well worth doing, not just for the gardens and views, but also to access the top of Via Krupp which is on the far side of the gardens.

During peak visiting months from May to September the gardens are open 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM, but they close earlier between October and April. We didn’t do either but if you’re hungry or feel in the mood for a cocktail, there’s a restaurant and cocktail bar on the southeast side of the gardens. Both look pretty expensive!

Kristen’s hidden gem find: Near the gardens you can visit the Capri Archaeological Museum (€10 entry) and a monastery called Certosa San Giacomo between the hours of 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM. We were disappointed to find them both closed by the time we arrived during our visit, but they’re a couple of lesser-known spots we’d definitely visit next time.

Walking Via Krupp

Photo of a stone path with switchbacks built into a tall cliff next to the sea called Via Krupp
Mark took this photo around half way up the cliff-hugging Via Krupp path

If we’re being honest, we had no idea what to expect from Via Krupp. We’d read about it being a “shortcut” path connecting the Gardens of Augustus and Marina Piccola, built by a German industrialist in the early 1900’s for quicker access from the marina to town.

But it turned out to be so much more impressive than just a path. It was more like a super-scenic and photogenic cobblestone footpath built into a sheer cliffside with a series of 8 dramatic-looking switchbacks. Sounds interesting right? Well, it’s even more striking in person.

Now, one of the only mistakes we made in Capri was doing the common route of Gardens of Augustus → Via Krupp → Marina Piccola beach → bus back to Capri Town the wrong way around. We went to the beach first, then walked up Via Krupp to the gardens in the afternoon. It was still fine, but walking up Via Krupp wasn’t as easy or scenic as going down would have been.

After arriving at the top, we walked along a path cutting through the gardens, paid to enter the gardens, walked up the main viewing area and finally got to see Via Krupp properly from above. You can do it either way, but top-down is the more iconic and lower effort route.

Relaxing On Marina Piccola Beach

Photo of two wooden boats and tourists relaxing on a stone beach with trees on a hill behind
Mark took this photo of the Marina Piccola beach as we were leaving

None of Capri’s beaches are dreamy, expansive white sand, Instagram-shoot worthy. Even though we knew they were rocky rather than sandy, we were still disappointed by the lack of space or authenticity. We managed to visit three “beaches” – effectively rocky headlands – in Capri, and of them all, Marina Piccola’s was the best because it was far from the port, and it at least felt kind of like a beach. The others did not.

So what you’re left with is a tiny, rocky beach with lots of underwhelmed people who expected to spend time relaxing on the sand because, you know, this is Capri, Italy we’re talking about. Now, we still think Marina Piccola is worth visiting if you have two or more days in Capri, because it’s easy to reach from Capri Town by bus or Via Krupp, and it’s a major part of the island – just don’t expect a magical experience.

We walked down to the beach from Capri Town in the morning because we wanted to get a good spot before it got too busy, and we arrived just in time because there weren’t many pebbles left exposed from all the towels already down. There were a few places to eat but they all seemed low quality or overpriced, so we just got ice creams and coffees from snack bars to put us on until later in the day.

Despite the pebbles, crowds and commercialized feel, it was nice to relax, read, and swim in the crystal clear waters. We like beaches, but we can only do a few hours before getting antsy, and by the time we left at midday the beach was jam-packed. Bear in mind this was in May, so we can only imagine what it’s like in July or August.

Overall, we’d say if you’re going to Capri for a chilled out vacation and you don’t want to be doing too much walking, Marina Piccola is the best and most popular beach, so plan to spend your time there. Just make sure you arrive early to get a spot. Oh, and here’s a top tip – the sun disappears behind a headland to the west in the afternoon. A shadow was already starting on the pebbles by the time we left.

Mark’s activity tip: Looking for something fun to do at the beach? Take a look at this top rated kayak tour going to hidden beaches, caves and swimming spots. It looks great for anyone who can’t sit still on the beach all day like us.

Hiking The Sentiero Dei Fortini

Photo of a rocky coastline with an old fort above an inlet of the sea
This inlet and fort view was one of our favorite parts of the hike

The best thing for us about going to the Blue Grotto was getting out of the cave and already being at the northern terminus of a long hiking path called the Sentiero dei Fortini – or Path of the Forts Trail – that spans the island’s entire western coastline down to Punta Carena Lighthouse.

If you’re looking for a hike to do on Capri, the Path of the Forts is it. We hiked the whole thing from top to bottom during a beautifully sunny late afternoon in May – passing by Orrico Fort, Mesola Fort and Pino Fort before ending at the lighthouse. It was immense.

The path hugged the coastline almost the whole way, so it was non-stop sea views. And we barely saw another soul the whole time so it felt like a real escape for such a densely tourist-packed island. At the end we took a swim near the lighthouse, then bought a few cold crisp beers and sat on Lido Beach for half hour before taking two bus rides back to Capri town.

It was a 3.3-mile hike with 650 feet elevation gain in total, but it actually wasn’t as easy as we expected. Not in terms of length or elevation, but because the path wasn’t always easy to follow, and the terrain had lots of rocky sections. We were glad to be wearing robust shoes for the rocks. But it was a hot afternoon and the trail was totally exposed, so we got torched – even though we’d planned well, packed water and applied plenty of sunscreen.

Seeing The Faraglioni From Belvedere Tragara

Photo of The Faraglioni from Belvedere Tragara viewpoint on a sunny and clear day in Capri
This was our view of The Faraglioni from Belvedere Tragara

We enjoyed so many panoramic viewpoints all over Capri, but one of the most visually spectacular was the iconic I Faraglioni from Belvedere Tragara. It’s amazing how three big rocks sticking out of the sea can demand so much attention, but I Faraglioni and the deep blue Tyrrhenian Sea really did draw our eye anytime we had south facing views.

The viewpoint is conveniently located at the end of a flat and endlessly picturesque walkway lined with elegant villas and lush greenery, just an easy 15-minute stroll from Piazzetta di Capri. Some of the posher hotels and vacation rentals are in this area to the southeast of Capri Town – the Hotel Punta Tragara is literally at the viewpoint. See our guide on where to stay in Capri if you’re still not sure where to book.

There really wasn’t much to do at the viewpoint, except look at the sea and rocks. But it was such a peaceful spot away from the crowds in town. We loved the walk and the views, and we do think it’s a must-visit place for every visitor to easily experience the best of Capri’s natural beauty. If you can make it work, sunrise would be amazing from Belvedere Tragara, so try to factor it into your plans. We’d definitely do a sunrise there next time.

Photo of Capri with a smartphone showing a Capri guidebook sold by Where Are Those Morgans

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Hiking Via Del Pizzolungo

Photo of a stone staircase curving through a forest in Italy
This long switchback staircase was the steepest section of the hike as we got close to Arco Naturale

We planned to hike Via del Pizzolungo so we could connect from Belvedere Tragara and Arco Naturale (which we cover next) instead of walking back into town and then taking another road out to see the arch. It was far more efficient to take the coastal path instead, and it turned out to be a fun hike, a solid thigh-burner, and a different way to experience Capri that very few others bother with.

Almost immediately after leaving the viewing terrace at Belvedere Tragara, we reached a stunning viewpoint overlooking the “other side” of I Faraglioni, then we saw Casa Malaparte precariously perched on a narrow cliff, and finally the path disappeared into trees and passed by caves via long stone staircases.

We were surprised at how varied the hike was, and we hadn’t seen much information about it online so it was all a bit unexpected in the best possible way. But we have to admit the staircase going up wasn’t easy in the heat, and we ended up sweating buckets by the time we reached the arch. In hindsight, we should have done this route in reverse, going mostly downhill on Via del Pizzolungo from Arco Naturale to Belvedere Tragara.

Photographing The Arco Naturale

Photo of a huge natural arch with a view through to rocks and the sea
This was the window-like view we had at Arco Naturale

After exploring the world for years and seeing so many cool landscapes, our expectations were pretty low for Arco Naturale on the east side of Capri. And you know what? It didn’t change our lives by any stretch, but it was surprisingly photogenic, and we thought it was still cool to see a massive natural rock formation with a giant arch-shaped hole framing the sea beyond.

If you’re visiting Capri and have an interest in photography, use the limestone arch as a frame to put the sea and boats inside. Or, consider walking out to the arch at sunrise – the view is east facing so it could be a pretty awesome spot at dawn.

Would we say Arco Naturale should be on every first-timers Capri bucket list? No. But if you’ll be heading out that way to Villa Lysis (which we cover next), Villa Jovis, or hiking Via del Pizzolungo, then it is worth adding in a short detour to see it.

Visiting Villa Lysis

Photo of a small statue in a terrace with far reaching views over Capri town in the distance below
This was our awesome view over Marina Grande from Villa Lysis

Our Google Maps app showed that Villa Lysis was a bit of a trek from Capri Town, but it looked like a great place to visit so we walked mostly uphill for 30 minutes to see it. And we were so glad we made the effort. The villa is Count Fersen’s former residence – he had it built in 1904 during a self imposed exile from Paris, and we really enjoyed the eccentric architectural styles, its beautiful gardens, and its outstanding views over Capri.

It only cost us €2.50 each to get in at the time, but since our visit it’s now €8 to go inside the villa and €2.50 only grants access to the gardens. It’s free for under 12’s. The villa opens at 10:00 AM and closes between 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM depending on season. It’s also closed completely from November to mid-March with the exception of a few weeks around Christmas and New Year.

Was it worth the long walk? Yes. But we wouldn’t prioritize visiting Villa Lysis if we only had one day in Capri. It’s a place we’d add in if we had at least two full days, or if we didn’t plan to do much else on the island other than visit old villas like this one.

Our Villa Jovis mistake: Our original plan was to combine Villa Lysis with Villa Jovis (remains of a grand Roman palace built by Emperor Tiberius in 27 AD) because they’re close together. But we went on a Monday, the only day of the week it’s closed. Tickets to Villa Jovis cost €6 and it opens at 10:00 AM each morning, before closing between 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM depending on season. Here’s a top tip – stop at Parco Astarita on the way to Villa Jovis for more special views over the sea.

Shopping On Via Camerelle

Photo of a white painted entrance to a linen clothes store in Capri Italy
This was one of the very Capri-looking shops we visited on Via Camerelle

It wasn’t until we were walking down the narrow Via Camerelle that Capri’s ritzy, upscale, millionaire’s playground feel really hit home. All the usual suspects were there like Gucci and Dior, but there were also local independent stores, and even places to have custom sandals made like Canfora. If you’re in Capri to shop, this is where you want to be.

Now, we don’t mind a bit of retail therapy every now and then, but you won’t find us in Louis Vuitton any time soon. Personally, we’d rather spend $500 on a private boat tour around the island than a t-shirt. But even if you don’t go in a single one of the luxury-brand stores, Via Camerelle is still a lovely avenue to walk down, and it leads to Belvedere Tragara so you’ll probably walk down it anyway.

Climbing Or Descending The Scala Fenicia

Photo of a tourist walking down a narrow steep stone staircase
Kristen walking down a portion of the very steep stone staircase called Scala Fenicia

As a tourist, there are two cheap ways to travel from the island’s Capri side to the Anacapri side. First is by bus – easy, cheap, no effort. We took the bus early one morning heading west to Anacapri and it was great. The second way is even cheaper (it’s free!), but it’s not easy and it requires a lot of effort – climbing the intimidating stone staircase called The Scala Fenicia or the Phoenician Steps. As a side note, a taxi would be the third option but taxis are outrageously expensive on Capri, so avoid that if you value your bank balance.

Why is the Scala Fenicia intimidating? Well, because it has over 900 very steep and very large steps. So it’s no joke. The staircase was built way back between the 7th and 6th centuries BC by Greek colonists, and for a long time it was the only way to reach Anacapri from the main port at Marina Grande. Even today, it’s the only way you can walk to Anacapri without going on the road.

After spending a full day exploring the west side of Capri, we walked back down The Scala Fenicia towards Marina Grande, and even going downhill was surprisingly challenging because the steps had such big drops. We had those strange calf wobbles by the end, but it was genuinely cool to walk down a stone staircase built by the Greeks and the views were brilliant. Going up would be a beast, so make sure you’re up to it before committing.

Exploring The Quieter Anacapri Town

Photo of a floor mosaic inside a church in Anacapri
This stunning floor mosaic inside the church of San Michele was a highlight for us in Anacapri

The overwhelming majority of first-timers stay on the Capri side of the island because it’s easier logistically for short trips. That means the higher up Anacapri side is usually very quiet, which we don’t mind at all. We spent a few hours wandering through Anacapri’s tiny town and it felt pleasantly tranquil, way less chaotic than Capri Town.

After visiting Villa San Michele (which we cover next), we took the chair lift to Monte Solaro, dropped back to town and ate lunch at Sciue Sciue. It was excellent, the lemon ravioli Mark had was especially delicious.

Then after lunch we went to Museo Casa Rosa which if we’re being honest you should skip, and finally we visited the Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo which cost €2 each and was great. The floor mosaic in the church was wonderful, we were so surprised by it. Overall we wouldn’t say walking around Anacapri is essential for a first visit, but for anyone staying two or more full days, it’s worth a few hours.

Visiting Villa San Michele

Statues and busts in an outdoor walkway with marble floor and columns in a villa in Capri
This was the stunning outdoor walkway in the grounds of Villa San Michele

Other than Monte Solaro, the only other must-see attraction in Anacapri is Villa San Michele. The villa was once the home of famous Swedish doctor and author Axel Munthe, and today it houses antiquities from the Roman, Etruscan and Egyptian eras.

We enjoyed walking around the villa and learning about the history of how it came to be, but for us, the visit became even better when we stepped outside into the beautiful gardens with exceptional views over the Gulf of Naples. It was impossible not to get amazing photos. Seriously, this place really felt like what we’d expect to see in movie about ancient Italy.

Villa San Michele is one of the most popular places to visit in Capri and we do think it’s worth paying €12 each (free for under 12’s). It’s open 9:00 AM until 3:30 PM – 7:00 PM depending on season, and from March to November it’s open every single day.

Soaking Up Ocean Views From Faro di Punta Carena

Photo of Kristen Morgan hiking to a lighthouse in Capri Italy
Kristen at the end of our hike to Faro di Punta Carena in the late afternoon

At the end of our Sentiero dei Fortini hike we expected to just hop on a bus and head straight back to Capri Town. But once we arrived at Faro di Punta Carena and saw people sunbathing on the rocky headland with ocean views and cocktails in hand, we decided it would be rude not to join in the fun.

So we took a quick dip in the sea (which felt amazing after the hike), grabbed a few beers and snacks from the little beach bar, and simply celebrated being in Capri with such amazing views. There really wasn’t much to do, but it was way quieter and less commercialized than Marina Piccola.

What we should have done next was wait for the sunset because we were already at the best sunset spot on the island. The only reason we didn’t was because we were starving, sun-kissed, exhausted, and ready for a shower. But if you’re looking for a great place to watch a sunset in Capri, it doesn’t get much better than the rocks, beach and lighthouse here in the far southwest of the island.

Eating Dinner In Piazzetta Di Capri

Photo of Piazzetta di Capri at dusk with fairy lights on
Kristen took this photo of Piazzetta di Capri as we wandered through town with a gelato after dinner

Capri’s tiny main square is a bustling hive of activity by day and night, and if you stay on the island you simply have to do at least one evening meal somewhere nearby. We found it to be especially attractive at night when the temperatures had cooled, the square was illuminated by rows of fairy lights, and the atmosphere was buzzing with people enjoying life.

Now, we do recommend skipping any and all of the restaurants right in the middle of Piazzetta di Capri. The ones spilling out into the street that look fantastic? They’re overpriced and the quality isn’t good. Just look at Google Maps and click on any of the restaurants there, you’ll see low ratings. Instead, eat dinner away from the main square first and then head into the square for drinks afterwards. Yes, they will be overpriced, but you’re paying for atmosphere.

Our favorite dinner was at Pulalli – the restaurant was very small and intimate, and there were tables in the stairway and on balconies which was interesting to see. Oh, and the food was fantastic. Pizzeria Longano had excellent pizzas, and we also liked the look of Hangout Capri, Salotto Bohemien Wine Terrace, La Capannina Ristorante, Pescheria Le Botteghe. There’s a few highly rated spots to get you started.

After dinner and plenty of wine, there was only one place we were going and it was called Buonocore Gelateria Pasticceria for ice cream. This place was also a lifesaver in the mornings with affordable and tasty coffee and pastries.

Another big tip you should pay attention to? Book all restaurant reservations well in advance of your visit, otherwise you might not get in. These places are tiny, and there’s a lot of people in Capri Town in peak months. Or if you’d like to try something a bit different and get away from the crowds, take a look at this top rated cooking class with wine pairings not far from the main square. It looks superb.

What To Skip

Did we do anything in Capri that underwhelmed us, frustrated us, or left us feeling like we’d wasted time? Yes, but not many things and overall we were pleasantly surprised at how great most things turned out to be. Here’s what we think you might want to skip based on different types of visitor:

Blue Grotto: This is the big one, and we don’t want to rehash what we already stated earlier in the guide. It is cool inside, but it’s not worth all the hype and drama surrounding it. Especially not for the price it all ends up being. Do it if you really want to see the inside, and you also don’t mind dealing with severe tourist-trap type experiences – otherwise skip it and do the Green Grotto and White Grotto on a boat tour instead.

Hiking: The Sentiero dei Fortini is a proper hike, so don’t try doing it in flip-flops after the beach. Only commit to hiking it if you can see it through because there aren’t any bus stops in-between. Via del Pizzolungo is nowhere near as hard or long but it’s still a lung-buster (going up), so take it seriously. The Scala Fenicia is a monster climb, so again, only do it if you feel capable.

Beaches: Don’t expect golden sandy beaches in Capri, you’re not going to get them. If you want to spend time on a beach around the Amalfi Coast region, go to Ischia’s black sand beaches instead. We did think Positano’s two beaches were better than Marina Piccola on Capri, but they still weren’t sandy.

Next Steps

We hope our guide on the top things to do in Capri helps with planning your trip.

Don’t forget you can buy a pdf version of our Capri itinerary with instant download to your phone. Or if you’d like more personalized help, we offer expert travel planning consultations where we answer any questions you have, help you avoid tourist traps and plan out your entire itinerary step by step. See our packages and reviews.

Still researching for your trip?

Finally, if you’ll be visiting more places on the same trip, we recommend reading our Italy travel guide for helpful tips and advice.

Happy travels,

Mark and Kristen

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