There is a version of Capri that exists only in the imagination, or rather, in the collective memory of everyone who has ever read about it, painted it, filmed it or simply fallen helplessly under its spell. The island that Gracie Fields called home, that drew Augustus and Tiberius long before the first yacht dropped anchor in the Marina Grande, that gave Brigitte Bardot and Pablo Neruda and a generation of mid-century bohemians somewhere beautiful to be unobserved. An island of bougainvillea so violent in its pinks it seems almost aggressive against the white of the walls; of lemon groves hanging heavy above terraced cliffs that plunge into the Mediterranean. Then there’s the piazzetta, a small, sun-drenched square ringed by café tables which has forever been the place to be for an early evening aperitivo or the iconic Da Luigi ai Faraglioni and La Fontelina beach clubs, whose nostalgic aura has been immortalised by Slim Aarons. In fact, no one captured Capri quite like Slim Aarons. The American photographer spent decades documenting what he called “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places,” and the island provided an inexhaustible supply of all three. So for travellers visiting Capri today, this is our guide on what to do, see, where to eat, drink and sleep and bare in mind that the shoulder season (May/June and September/October) is undoubtedly the best time to visit.
What to do
Rent a boat
The island is as perfect by sea as it is by land; arguably more so, since the water removes you entirely from the crowds and reveals a different perspective of this picture-perfect island. Hire a boat, either with or without a skipper, and discover all the nooks and crannies around Capri. Highlights include the Grotta Azzurra and, of course, sailing through the Faraglioni rocks.
Aperitivo in la Piazzetta
Pull up a chair at one of the café tables as the afternoon softens into evening, order a Campari and watch the last of the day’s light turn the surrounding walls the colour of warm honey. It is a ritual that Marlene Dietrich, Jackie Kennedy and Graham Greene all observed before you, and it has lost none of its appeal. Our favourite? Bar Tiberio, family led since 1980s, for a nice glass of sparkling wine, nibbles and piazzetta views.
Hike up to Monte Solaro
At 589 metres, Monte Solaro is the highest point on the island and the views from the summit extend across the Bay of Naples, towards Vesuvius and the Amalfi Coast on one side and the open Tyrrhenian on the other. Take the chairlift up from Anacapri and walk down through terraced gardens and lemon groves passing ancient stone walls, wild rosemary and the occasional ruined chapel or save yourself entirely and ride both ways. The descent on foot takes roughly 45 minutes and is well-marked; the path winds through some of the island’s most unspoilt terrain, far from the crowds of the Piazzetta below.
Spend the day at a beach club
While La Fontelina and Da Luigi ai Faraglioni remain the most iconic with their striped umbrellas and peak faraglioni views, they are firmly aimed at high-spenders. There are equally beautiful alternatives: Bagni di Tiberio, one of the island’s oldest bathing establishments (reachable in five minutes by boat from the harbour), Da Gemma and Torre Saracena near Marina Piccola, and Lido del Faro perched on the south-western tip of the island.
After-hours at Taverna Anema e Core
This place is an absolute institution. Since 1969, Taverna Anema e Core is where Capri’s nights end properly. Think live music (italian classics that you must sing along to), dancing on tables, flowing Negroni’s and a genuine good vibe.
What to see
Villa San Michele & Axel Munthe Museum
Built by Swedish physician and author Axel Munthe on the ruins of a Roman imperial villa, this extraordinary property sits in Anacapri and is filled with an eclectic collection of Roman antiquities, medieval sculptures and decorative objects accumulated over a lifetime. The gardens, which extend along the cliff edge above the Bay of Naples, contain a sphinx that has sat with its back to the sea since Munthe placed it there, supposedly granting anyone who touches it the fulfilment of a secret wish. The view from this point alone is worth the visit.
Villa Lysis
Built in 1905 by French poet and aristocrat Jacques d’Adelswärd-Fersen, who fled Paris following a scandal that ended his social career, Villa Lysis is one of Capri’s most singular and overlooked sites. The Art Nouveau interiors are striking, particularly the opium room in the basement, designed for the rituals Fersen conducted there until his death in 1923.
Villa Jovis
The grandest of the twelve villas built on Capri by Emperor Tiberius, Villa Jovis sits at the island’s northeastern tip after a steep but rewarding forty-minute walk from the centre. This is where Tiberius ruled the Roman Empire for the last decade of his life.
Giardini di Augusto
Originally created within the estate of German steel magnate Friedrich Alfred Krupp, who purchased this stretch of land at the turn of the 20th century to build his home, the gardens bore his name until 1918, when they were renamed the Giardini di Augusto. From here, a sweeping 180-degree panorama takes in Monte Solaro, the bay of Marina Piccola, the Via Krupp and the iconic Faraglioni rocks.
Where to eat
Zuma
Located on the rooftop of the Capri Jumeriah Palace, Zuma is the ultimate destination for those seeking an intimate, high-quality dinner with one of the best sunset views of Anacapri. As you walk in, the atmosphere is vibrant, with the bar on one side, the three cooking areas (kitchen, sushi bar and robata grill) on the other and, in between, a sea of tables, gently candle-lit. The menu is an exquisite feast of contemporary Japanese dishes aimed for sharing. Memorable highlights include the thinly sliced seabass with yuzu, tuna and salmon tartare with oscietra caviar, marinated black cod and, of course, the pure breed japanese wagyu.
a-Ma-Re Capri
A-Ma-Re Capri has always been one of the island’s more quietly compelling addresses within the Jumeriah Capri Palace, and this season it got considerably more interesting with the arrival of Pizzaingrammi, the celebrated Neapolitan concept known for its highly hydrated doughs, long natural leavening and meticulous sourcing. Beyond the pizza, Resident Chef Nicola Giovanni Maiello and Executive Chef Salvatore Elefante hold the kitchen together with a menu that celebrates regional Mediterranean tradition with technical precision and contemporary flair. Highlights include a reinterpretation of the classic Neapolitan ‘o per e o muss served with a yellow lupini seafood salad, and a Mafalda pasta finished by the guest at the table.
Pulalli
Perched above the Piazzetta, Pulalli is a quiet local favourite for contemporary dining and an excellent selection of wines. Dishes are simple and deeply rooted in seasonality while each ingredient has been carefully and locally sourced from the region. Also, there is one special table on a balcony, which is perhaps the most romantic experience on the island so, if you would like that table we advise to book well in advance.
Le Grottelle
Unlike anywhere else on the island, Le Grottelle is built directly into the natural rock caves above the sea near the Arco Natural; rustic in the best possible sense, with a timeless elegance that makes you understand immediately why a certain kind of person has been coming here for decades. And while the setting does a considerable amount of the work, the cooking holds its own: grilled meats, fresh seafood, homemade pasta. Order the ravioli Capresi. It’s a non-negotiable.
Il Riccio
High on the rocks of Anacapri with the sea practically lapping at the terrace, Il Riccio is the place for a long, languorous seafood lunches and romantic candle-lit dinners. The menu is an elevated interpretation of traditional mediterranean cuisine; so whether you wish to splurge on lobster and seafood plateau’s or opt for a lighter carpaccio, salad or sea urchin pasta (an Italian’s summer favourite) each dish is beautifully executed. You may or may not know that there’s a special room dedicated to all kinds of desserts to make sure to leave plenty of space for a slice of caprese and more.
Concettina ai 3 Santi
Since 1951, the Oliva family’s Concettina ai Tre Santi has been one of the great institutions of the Rione Sanità in Naples, a pizzeria so deeply embedded in the neighbourhood’s identity that it has become, over three generations, something close to a cultural monument. Two years ago, it made the crossing to the island, opening a second location in the heart of 17th-century Capri. The experience is faithful to the original: a journey through the flavours and memories of Ciro Oliva, told through a tasting menu that moves from pizza to pizza fritta, frittini, montanara and pizza a tegamino.
Casa Tua Capri
This year, Casa Tua made its long-awaited Italian debut at Hotel La Palma, steps from the Piazzetta. The fit is immediate and obvious: two properties that share the same fundamental belief that the best hospitality makes you feel not like a guest, but like you belong. On Capri, Casa Tua unfolds across four distinct spaces: an all-day Mediterranean restaurant open from breakfast through to late-night dinner; Fuoco, a panoramic rooftop terrace where dishes are prepared over a wood-fired oven in full view of the guests and the island spread out below; Mare, a beach club and restaurant at Marina Piccola for long, sun-drenched afternoons by the water; and an intimate lounge for everything in between.
Pescheria Le Botteghe
Pescheria Le Botteghe is easily overlooked as it’s well camouflaged amongst the little shops on the main street in Capri town. In the morning this spot is a fresh fish market and at 1PM it turns into a restaurant dishing up the finest mediterranean cuisine. You don’t have to chose between taste and aesthetics – the chef will create a plate for you that is sublime to taste and to look at – a creative work of high quality art. On the menu you will find a combination of raw and cooked fish and seafood – the tartars are a must to try and if you cannot chose between salmon and tuna you can order a taste of the two; other things that are not to miss are the Capri burger, the platter of mixed fried seafood and the pasta of the day. On the weekends I would recommend booking in advance
Drink
Nox
Within the Jumeriah, Nox‘s concept is built around a curated, immersive nocturnal experience that unfolds gradually as the evening progresses, revealing itself in stages to artists, creatives and music lovers willing to surrender to it. Designed by architect Antonio Girardi, whose interiors draw on the textures and atmosphere of the Mediterranean, the space is deliberately intimate and atmospheric. Open from Wednesday – Sunday.
Shop
Canfora
When Jackie Kennedy came to Capri, Canfora was always a stop. The historic sandal shop still holds her measurements in its archives; proof, if any were needed, that true style doesn’t date. The styles are the originals: the timeless chain-strap flip flop alongside cleaner, more contemporary minimalist silhouettes. Have a pair made to measure and carry Capri home on your feet.
Chantecler
Since 1947, this is Capri’s jeweller par excellence. It all began with a bell, the kind the island’s donkeys once wore, that the city gifted to an American president, and which inspired the house’s founding motif. Today, Chantecler‘s coral, gold and enamel pieces are as much a part of the island’s identity.
Carthusia
Legend says that in 1380, the father prior of the Carthusian Monastery of St. James picked a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers of the island that remained in the same water for three days and, as he went to throw them away, he noticed that it had acquired a mysterious fragrance – this water ended up being the first perfume of Capri. The first Carthusia perfume laboratory opened in 1948 and has been developing a unique culture of perfume, always 100% carried out by hand in order to guarantee the accurate application of the natural methods involved and the precious care of traditional craftsmanship. You can come along to the laboratory in Capri to see how these scents are made.
Cathaleia Capri
Founded by Carolina Rodriguez D’Acri, Cathaleia is one of the coolest concept stores on the island with a curated selection of jewellery, accessories, homeware and beauty.
Pasticceria Buonocore
Few things on Capri are as old, as local or as quietly essential as Buonocore. The story begins in 1950, when Raffaele Buonocore opened a salumeria on Via Roma; a simple deli that became a friggitoria by 1952, serving what was effectively the island’s first street food. By 1973, the family added a pasticceria and gelateria to the operation. The gelato is among the finest in Italy, and it arrives the way it should: scooped into a freshly warmed cone.
Where to sleep
Hotel La Palma
Capri’s oldest hotel, originally opened in 1822 as Locanda Pagano, first stop for poets, painters and the island’s earliest eccentrics, has been reborn under Oetker Collection as La Palma. Maltese-British designer Francis Sultana has created fifty rooms of quiet, residential elegance: all white with touches of cave-water blue and green, every space individually conceived yet unmistakably coherent. This year, the hotel welcomes Casa Tua, the Miami-born lifestyle brand celebrating its 25th anniversary with its Italian debut, across four distinct spaces: an all-day Mediterranean restaurant, Fuoco, a rooftop terrace with wood-fired cooking and views over the island, Mare, a beach club at Marina Piccola, and The Club, an intimate late-night lounge.
JUMERIAH Capri Palace
A byword for Capri glamour since the 1960s, the Capri Palace in Anacapri has long operated in a category of its own. Now under Jumeirah management, the whitewashed property houses 72 rooms and suites, with Patricia Urquiola-designed interiors of soft arched architecture and earthy Mediterranean palettes as well as a fabulous suite signed Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva. Dining is the real showstopper: L’Olivo holds two Michelin stars, while Il Riccio, perched directly above the sea near the Blue Grotto, is one of the great seafood terraces in Italy. Zuma occupies the rooftop, A-Ma-Re delivers Neapolitan pizza, the Capri Medical Spa is renowned across Europe for its wellness programmes, and a fleet of private boats means the sea is always within reach.
Capri Tiberio Palace
Steps from the Piazzetta and the beginning of the path to Villa Jovis, Capri Tiberio Palace is the island’s most boldly designed boutique address with 54 rooms conceived by Milan designer Giampiero Panepinto in a riot of hand-painted Caprese tiles, retro curios, vintage collectibles from around the world and bold pops of turquoise, coral and saffron that make every space feel like a private cabinet of curiosities. The landmark Jacky Bar, with its white grand piano, wall of Borsalino panama hats and terrace views over the Mediterranean, is one of the great bars on the island regardless of where you’re sleeping. The Terrazza Tiberio restaurant offers panoramic sea views and a menu of Mediterranean cuisine.
Hotel La Minerva
Family-run for three generations since the early 20th century, La Minerva is Capri at its most quietly essential; 19 individually designed rooms spread across six descending terraced levels, each one featuring vaulted ceilings, hand-painted majolica floors and private terraces framed by bougainvillea. It is a property that has no interest in competing with the island’s grander addresses and is all the better for it. The pool, set in a fragrant garden of citrus and almond trees with views of the sea and the medieval Charterhouse of San Giacomo, is exactly where you want to spend a Capri afternoon.
Punta Tragara
Designed by Le Corbusier as a private villa in the 1920s, and later requisitioned as American Command headquarters during the Second World War, where Eisenhower and Churchill both stayed, Punta Tragara is one of those hotels whose history alone earns it a visit. Perched above the Faraglioni with the sea on three sides, the interiors are a considered mix of sculptures, antiquities, contemporary art and architectural detail that rewards close attention. The Michelin-starred Le Monzù restaurant, two pools and a newly redesigned suite collection inspired by the mythological sirens of Capri complete the property.
J.K. Place
The only hotel on Capri built directly on the coast, J.K. Place sits above the beach of Marina Grande in a gleaming white 18th-century villa with views across the Bay of Naples towards Vesuvius and the Sorrentine Peninsula. Florentine architect Michele Bönan has designed 22 individually styled rooms of genuine character; navy and coral curtains, luminous white floors, precious marble bathrooms, vintage artworks alongside carefully chosen contemporary pieces. JKitchen, the hotel’s sole restaurant under Executive Chef Eduardo Estatico, serves traditional Neapolitan cuisine on a panoramic terrace.
IL CAPRI HOTEL
Tucked inside a 19th-century Neo-Gothic Venetian palazzo steps from the Piazzetta, Il Capri Hotel is a 20-room property created by Neapolitan-Parisian duo Graziella Buontempo and Arnaud Lacombe is bohemian in the truest sense: sisal floors, antiques, wicker, hand-woven textiles, and a personal art collection. The rooftop Osteria delle Sirene, all blue-and-white checked tablecloths and Campanian seafood, joins a new Irene Forte spa treatment room, a 300-square-metre Athletic Club with daily group classes above the Gulf of Naples, and Rumore, a basement nightclub. The rooftop pool, ringed by scarlet parasols, is reserved for guests only and is the perfect place to unwind under the sunshine.
Villa Marina Capri
Occupying a beautifully restored early 20th-century villa on the old road between Marina Grande and the Piazzetta, Villa Marina Capri is one of the island’s most culturally considered hotels. Each of its 22 rooms individually inspired by and named after a figure who shaped Capri’s intellectual and creative life: Pablo Neruda, Axel Munthe, Filippo Marinetti, and others whose ghosts still haunt the island in the best possible sense. The lush Mediterranean park, with its views of the Bay of Naples and the Sorrentine Peninsula, provides a genuine sense of seclusion within walking distance of both the port and the centre. Some suites open directly onto private plunge pools overlooking the sea. The restaurant Ziqù brings contemporary Mediterranean cooking to the table with evident intelligence, and the Stai spa takes care of everything else.
Hotel Caesar Augustus
Perched on the cliffs of Anacapri at 300 metres above the Bay of Naples, Hotel Caesar Augustus occupies the site of an ancient Roman villa and has been a Signorini family property for over sixty years. The view, a sweeping panorama that takes in Vesuvius, the Sorrentine Peninsula, the islands of Ischia and Procida and the open Tyrrhenian, is among the most extraordinary of any hotel in Italy, and the double-level infinity pool, designed to appear to merge seamlessly into the sea below, is where most guests spend the majority of their time. The 55 rooms and suites are individually furnished with antiques and artworks from the owners’ private collection, and the Farouk Suite named for King Farouk of Egypt, who reserved it year after year, remains the most coveted address on the property. La Terrazza di Lucullo, the cliff-edge restaurant, completes the experience.