The Island of Capri

A trip to the iconic island of Capri is a must for anyone spending a few days in Sorrento.

There are many agencies offering organised tours; but you can also easily organise your own day trip to Capri.

Arriving on Capri from Sorrento

Reaching Capri from Sorrento is very easy: just arrive at the Port of Sorrento in Marina Piccola, taking the stairs that start from Piazza Tasso. Alternatively, there are two bus lines that connect Piazza Sant’Agnello with Piazza Tasso and the port. The bus is especially advisable on the return journey.

From the port, you can take one of the many hydrofoils and ferries that leave for Capri every day, on average every 30 minutes.

From spring to autumn the runs are very frequent but can also be very crowded. It is advisable to always take a return ticket and perhaps book on the internet. Especially if you travel in August or during the Easter holidays, 25 April and 1 May.

On the hydrofoil, sitting on the left-hand side you can admire the coast from Sorrento to Punta Campanella and then the Salto di Tiberio and Villa Lysis on Capri.

The journey time from Capri to Sorrento is about 25 minutes and the ticket price ranges from 14.70 euro to 18.30 euro.

Tickets for the Capri funicular and bus can also be bought at the tobacconist’s at the port of Sorrento.

It is advisable to do this here in order to skip the queue at the Capri ticket office

What to do as soon as you land on Capri?

At the port of Marina Grande, during the summer months, there is always a lot of crowds and confusion. This is why it would be better to arrive on the island already with a clear idea of what you want to do! There are as many alternatives as there are places worth visiting.

Island tour by boat and Blue Grotto

If your intention is to visit the Blue Grotto, the best thing to do is to do it early in the morning, as soon as you arrive, to avoid the long queue that is created during the day. At the jetty in Marina Grande you will find the ticket offices of the Laser and Motoscafisti di Capri companies, which offer boat tours of the island and transport to the Blue Grotto. Or you can book a private boat tour.
Admission to the Grotta Azzurra is paid at the entrance and costs 14 euro. It is NEVER included in any tour.

Anacapri with chairlift to Monte Solaro and Villa San Michele

From the port of Marina Grande you can take the direct bus to Anacapri and then take the chairlift up to Monte Solaro, where you can admire a spectacular panorama. If the line for the direct line is rather long, the buses hold 25 people, it is preferable to board the bus to Capri first and then take the bus to Anacapri from there.

Once in Piazza Vittoria in Anacapri, visit Villa San Michele with its fantastic park. Then a few steps away is the stop for the chairlift to Monte Solaro, from where you can enjoy a superb 360° panorama of the island of Capri.

The centre of Capri with La Piazzetta and the belvedere of Tragara

To get to the Piazzetta from the harbour, you just have to take the funicular, which takes only three minutes. The problem is the long queues at the entrance. To avoid them, arrive early in the morning, buy your ticket for the funicular from the tobacconist at the port of Sorrento and as soon as you get off the hydrofoil head for the funicular entrance (the tunnel in front of the arrival pier). From the Piazzetta you can take a leisurely stroll to the Gardens of Augustus and then along Via Camerelle, admiring the designer boutiques to the Punta Tragara belvedere.

Where to stop for lunch during a trip to Capri

If you want to take a quick break without sitting in a restaurant, you can get the famous Caprese sandwich at the salumeria ‘Da Aldo’ in Marina Grande (they are the best on the island). An ice cream from Buonocore, near the Piazzetta, is also a cool alternative for lunch.

If, on the other hand, you want to taste Capri cuisine and fresh fish, the L’Approdo Restaurant is definitely the place to go; located in the less chaotic area of Marina Grande, near the Porto Turistico. Also recommended for a quick but tasty Neapolitan pizza.

The problem of queues and crowds

A chronic problem on Capri during the peak tourist season (from the beginning of May to the end of September) is the high number of groups arriving to visit the island in a single day, creating long queues at the funicular and buses. The problem is especially acute in July and August, when the heat also makes everything more complicated.

In these months it becomes quite complicated to follow the itineraries.

The best solution in these cases might be to spend the day on the boat or on the beach, reserving a visit to the Piazzetta for early morning and late afternoon.

The costs of a day in Capri starting from Sorrento

Here is how much (more or less) you need to budget for a day on Capri

• Hydrofoil return ticket: 35 euro
• 2 Funicular tickets: 4 euro
• Tour of the island by boat: 18 euro
• Entrance to the Blue Grotto: 13 euro
• Chairlift to Monte Solaro: 11 euro
• Entrance to Villa San Michele: 7 euro
• Lunch at the restaurant: from 10 euro upwards
• Coffee in the Piazzetta: 5 euro
• Ice cream: 4 euro

Boat tour from Sorrento to Capri

A great alternative to the independent trip from Sorrento to Capri are the semi-private boat tours. You set off from Sorrento on a boat for 10-12 people, stop off at Punta Campanella for a swim and arrive in Capri. Here you disembark at Marina Piccola where there is some free time to visit the centre of Capri or stop for lunch at a restaurant by the sea. Afterwards you continue with the tour of the island and return to Sorrento.