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Island of Capri

You can choose to join the crowd and live unforgettable days sitting at the many bars in the “piazzetta” , shopping at the elegant boutiques in Camerelle Street or eating at the local restaurants in Capri, where the person sitting at the table next to yours may be a wealthy and famous one.

But you can also choose the peace and quietness of the streets in Anacapri or the solitary paths to the sea with breathtaking landscapes.

Welcome to Capri: 11 sq km of natural and artificial beauties. The Emperor Augustus was the first one to discover this magnificent place, it was the year 29 B.C. After him Tiberius and many others: Lenin, Mussolini, the Swedish doctor Axel Munthe and the factory owners Knupp. Each one of them left something to the island which has never stopped enchanting people.

Not to miss anything here is an itinerary by sea.

Let’s sail from Marina Grande, the port, towards Noth east, leaving the centre of Capri. Soon after we’ll get to Anacapri, covered by Mount Solaro its highest spot. The landscape is marked by terraced gardens, white houses and farmed land.

Here life has slower rythms that why it is becoming the ideal place for people loving peace and relax. It is here that Axel Munthe decided to stop at the end of the 18th century. Next to the ruins of an old roman Palace he built Villa St. Michele, a meseum-house which contains his collections. From we get to the Blue Grotto, it is only one of the 60 caves on the island, but obviously the most popular. Sometimes, in summer, you may wait even more than 1 hour to be able to visit it. The best time to see it and admire its colurs is after 17.00. At that time people from Capri and tourists usually swim there even if forbidden. Just above it, plunged in the green nature, you’ll see the ruins of Villa Damecuta, one of the 11 residences of Tiberius: it was the year 27 A.C and since then Capri has become the famous place it today. We are now in Cala Del Rio, a small bay with ancient Roman ruins.

In summer it is crowed with boats but the most famous swimming resorts are farther. At Punta Carena, with the omonimous lighthouse, you will find a swimming estabilishment , “Lido Faro” one of the few beaches you can also reach by bus and therefore usually crowded. Now we are on the west side of the island, its wildest corner. Here we’ll discover the Esmerald grotto with its wonderful colours. The real attraction of this coastline is Marina Piccola, once old fishermen village, and since the 50s one of the most exclusive beaches. Famous people and wealthy pop stars own their villas here (Rocco Barocco, di Diego Della Valle). Here is located one of the best hotels in Capri as well: Hotel Punta Tragara with an amazing view over “the Faraglioni” rocks. Not far another famous house: Villa Curzio Malaparte, planed by the writer himself. The beauty of the scenery goes up to the Natural arch, a huge rock with a big central hole casued by erosion. The White grotto is our next stop: here the erosion has created stalactites and stalagmites with fantastic shapes. Going past the famous “ salto di tiberio” where it is said the Emperor used to throw his victims, and Villa Jovis, the most spectacular of Tiberius’ villas, we are coming back to the port; here the bronze statue with the young boy seems to wave goodbye: our trip has come to an end.

[Photo Credits]

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