Exploring Capri by Boat: The Best Way to See the Island
Most visitors to Capri arrive by ferry and spend their time in the town squares, but the island reveals its real character from the water. The coastline is riddled with sea caves, natural arches, and rocky inlets that are completely inaccessible on foot. A boat tour gives you access to all of it.
The Blue Grotto is the obvious starting point. Arriving by private boat rather than the crowded public rowboats means you can time your visit for early morning, when the light inside the cave is at its most intense and the tour groups have not yet arrived. The water turns an electric cobalt blue thanks to sunlight filtering through a submerged opening, and the effect is genuinely unlike anything else in the Mediterranean.
Beyond the grotto, the Faraglioni rock formations on the island’s southeastern tip are a highlight of any coastal circuit. Three towering limestone stacks rise straight out of the sea, and boats can pass directly through the arch of the middle stack. Local tradition says that kissing your partner as you pass through brings good luck. Whether or not you buy into that, the scale of the rocks up close is impressive.
The White Grotto, the Green Grotto, and the natural arch at Arco Naturale are all best appreciated from a boat. A private boat tour to Capri from Sorrento lets you cover all of these at your own pace, stopping for a swim at Punta Carena near the lighthouse on the western tip, where the water is clear and the crowds are thinner than anywhere near the main harbor.
What to Do on Land: Capri Town and Anacapri
On land, the island splits into two distinct personalities. Capri town sits at a lower elevation and draws the bulk of the day-tripper crowds. The Piazzetta is the social center, a small square surrounded by cafes where people-watching is practically a sport. It gets extremely busy between 11am and 4pm in summer, so aim to visit early or in the evening when the day boats have left and the atmosphere is far more relaxed.
The Gardens of Augustus are a short walk from the Piazzetta and offer some of the best panoramic views on the island, looking directly down over the Faraglioni. Admission is inexpensive and the terraced gardens are rarely as crowded as the square above.
Anacapri, reached by bus or taxi along a winding road that climbs the island’s upper plateau, has a quieter and more local feel. The chairlift to Monte Solaro is the main draw here. The ride takes about 12 minutes and deposits you at 589 meters above sea level, with views stretching across the Bay of Naples to Vesuvius, the Amalfi Coast, and on clear days, the distant outline of the Calabrian mountains. The summit is peaceful and the descent on foot through terraced farmland takes around 45 minutes.
Villa San Michele, the former home of Swedish physician Axel Munthe, is one of the most visited sites in Anacapri. The gardens are beautifully maintained and the loggia at the northern end frames a view over the bay that stops most visitors in their tracks. The attached museum provides good context on Munthe’s life and his role in preserving the island’s natural heritage.
For those coming from further along the coast, a private luxury yacht tour from Salerno allows you to combine the coastal boat circuit with a few hours ashore in both Capri and Anacapri, making the most of a single day on the island without the stress of public ferry schedules.