Across the Sea to visit Capri

Capri in a day is an article featuring our most recent visit to give you plenty of options on a Capri day visit.

Capri is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea in the bay of Naples, off the Sorrentine Peninsula.

Home to many designer shops, pristine streets, incredible floral gardens,  luxurious hotels, a blue grotto, a dramatic coast, a wobbly chair lift, and epic cliff top views.

All of this combined with the leisurely Italian atmosphere means Capri draws ferries full of tourists and luxury Yachts from all over the world to it’s glistening blue seas.

Get an early Sorrento to Capri Ferry

We set off super early for our Capri in a day adventure, on the first Sorrento to Capri ferry leaving Sorrento at 7:15 am.

Early starts are highly recommended during a Sorrento summer, but we were also on a mission to squeeze as much as possible from our Capri day visit.

Time to explore and a relaxed journey to start the day were important, anyone who has visited Capri in the busy summer months will tell you the Sorrento to Capri ferries get busy.

Like-minded travellers desperate to see this magnificent Isle, but there are only so many ferries to transport them across.

So plan your day, book your tickets and get an early start are my words of wisdom for this one.

Venture to the top of Ana Capri

The plan was to venture to the top of the Island, then go to the highest point Monte Solaro, via the apparently wobbly, creaky, scary chairlifts.

Monte Solaro was an area we hadn’t seen on our previous visits, in the past we had only ever been on Capri day trips from a cruise ship, which are sometimes a little rushed.

There is so much to see and do in the space of a day in the main town and the Marina.

Many people don’t go higher up the hills to Ana Capri or Mount Solaro, make sure you do!

Today we had timed things well and had the whole day to explore a little further around one of our favourite places, at a less frantic pace.

We were absolutely buzzing to be re-visiting Capri again.

The Capri Funicular transports you from the port in Marina Grande where your Ferry will dock, then it’s a short climb uphill through the lemon groves and gardens to the Piazzetta in Capri town.

Once off the Funicular and in Capri town we took a scenic pit stop at the Funicular Cafe to savour a tasty Italian morning coffee. Watching as the Island started to come alive, absorbing the first of many epic views that day.

It was absolutely fantastic, these are the unique moments we travel for! 

Delighted with our day so far we wandered along the road, through Capri town and hopped on one of the frequent buses to our next stop, Ana Capri.

As it was still early in the day, the bus was just full with people seated and a few standing, but at peak times and on our way back down that afternoon the little bus was absolutely rammed like a can of beans.

If you don’t mind being a bean get the bus, otherwise Taxi’s are an option.

The bus navigated the narrow Island lanes on route to Ana Capri,  gradually winding higher and expertly manoeuvring the tight hilltop bends as us tourists took in the picture-perfect scenery across the bay.

A hair-raising chairlift trip to the top of Mount Solaro

Once off the bus in Anacapri, it was time for the next leg of our journey via a chairlift to the very top of Capri.

The chairlift had just opened for the day so we had no queues, and more importantly no time to stand around thinking about how dodgy the thing looked.

Anticipation and slight nerves started to build as we passed a few fellow tourists who were put off by the openness of the chairs, how small the chairs were, how much they were swinging and the height of the lift.

As the large group debated in entertaining and animated fashion whether to risk their lives, we boarded the swinging lift.

I’m not the greatest with heights, but from my worldwide experience of height adventures the more you think about it,  the more fear can try and take over.

I told them to stop worrying and to get on because there are Limoncello shops at the top……….only one of them laughed! 

If you have visited this area before you will know that is comedy genius, a hilarious joke told to cheer them up.

For me, It was an adrenaline-pumping journey to the top, in phenomenal surroundings.

The ride up was actually very quiet and relaxing as I think most people are frozen into silence by the chairlift or the views.

Once the chairlift throws you off at the top of the Island on Monte Solaro, you are rewarded with spectacular panoramic views. 

Mont Solaro views are epic!

The views on the way up are only bettered by the views from the top.

Everyone was in awe as they watched Capri from high above in all its splendour.

You are able to have a good walk around at the top and see the Island from several viewpoints, the steep cliffs lead majestically down to the sparkling blue sea and rocks below as birds fly beneath you.

After exploring, shaking out the jelly legs from the lift and a quick kiss of the ground we relaxed with an ice cold beer.

There is a well-stocked bar at the top for a refreshing beer or something stronger to calm the nerves if you’re scared of heights, ha ha.

Plenty of photo’s later and mesmerised by the Islands beauty, we were back on the chairlift, more entertainment passing a few more petrified travellers and even greater views on the descent to Anacapri.

I’m not exaggerating but these views I keep raving on about will take your mind off the fact you are basically sat in what looks like a small wobbly 100-year-old garden chair, 30ft above the hillside. Connected to a wire by what looked like a giant paperclip, this short trip to the top is a must must must do when you visit. DO IT! 

I can now say after experiencing both if you only have one day or a few hours to visit Capri and you are in anyway adventurous you should skip the glamorous shops and hop on a bus to Anacapri, then ride the chairlift up to Mount Solaro and stand at the top just looking down.  

Not only will you get to experience the scary 10-minute chairlift, you will see Anacapri which is a quieter, less frenetic part of the island. 

As you can tell I thought the chairlift was great fun, another interesting, memory making travel experience to add to my list of adventures.

It was one of the highlights of our day in Capri, and our entire Italy trip.

Anacapri 

Safely back on earth again, and filled with a great sense of satisfaction for stepping out of my comfort zone, it was time to move on with our sightseeing adventures.

A very nice leisurely walk around the elegant streets and peaceful surroundings of Anacapri, passing small shops, friendly people and a noisy Parrott.

( Anacapri smells of lemons) 

Anacapri was briefly explored, we got back on the squashed like a bean in a can bus/rollercoaster for the short trip returning to Capri.

Squashed bus leaves you near Piazza Umberto and Via Camerelle, this attracts keen shoppers for the biggest brands of designer fashion and jewellery.

These streets and lanes are another sight typical of Capri, a very special area adorned with multicoloured flowers and stylish boutiques.

Do what we did, get to the top early to admire fantastic views across the island, then get back down below to enjoy a walk through the piazzas and the island town centre.

Best of both Capri’s.

Plenty of time to get back down for a gelato and a dip in the Sea via the Funicular.

Mid-afternoon is when things start to get a little more hectic on the streets of Capri as day-trippers rush back to catch a ferry. 

Our timekeeping and planning were so good that day I even got a chance to join in a little water polo action at the beach club.

Before we set off on the ferry back to Sorrento we sat in the sunny Marina soaking up the rays deciding what to do next time we visit.

Capri is very busy with tourists but who can blame us for wanting to visit this incredible destination to enjoy Capri in a day.

I am also keen for an overnight stay next time to experience the Capri nightlife/atmosphere when all of the day trippers from Naples and Sorrento have left.

Now we know the Island a little better I will hike to the top of the Island when there isn’t a heatwave. 

One of the most popular tourist attractions which we didn’t do that day but have before is the famous Blue grotto dark cavern boat trip. Where the sea glows a dazzling electric blue as the sunlight shines through underwater caves.

Another unforgettable experience well worth doing.

Emperor Augustus

You must visit Capri

You can’t visit Sorrento, Naples or the Amalfi Coast without a day of adventure to Capri.

It’s a place that you can revisit time and time again, Capri and the Amalfi Coast can be a destination of a lifetime, incredible coastlines, art, history, culture, fine cuisine, epic views and a wobbly chairlift.

There you go, so that’s a pretty decent itinerary of Capri in a day, you see plenty of the island at a relaxed pace

1. Go early and enjoy the sunrise, as I said you get to see the Island come alive.

2. Hop on the funicular and drink some coffee.

3. Get the squashed bus to Anacapri. 

4. Then scramble onto the wobbly, but fun, and worth it chairlift to Mount Solaro.

5. Enjoy phenomenal views and take lots of pictures.

6. Pluck up the courage to get back on the chairlift. (you survived it once)

7. Take a walk around the elegant quiet streets of Anacapri.

8. Get back on the squashed bus to Capri for some shopping in the designer boutiques.

9. Get back down below on the funicular in time for Gelato and a dip in the sea.

10.Cruise back across the blue waters full of happiness and satisfied wanderlust. 

For us it was a very chilled out day, reminiscing old memories and creating many new ones.

Just a seriously beautiful place even on the busiest of days, full of fun, wow moments, and spectacular scenery.

After my third visit, I’d actually say Capri is one of my favourite places on earth, it’s just incredibly unique and stunning, the whole place is remarkable. 

You can see why so many have chosen the Isle of Capri as their holiday hotspot for centuries.

Enjoy

About the author
Lee Murrin
The Personal Trainer and Worldwide Traveller behind Fitness World Explorer.
He has worked in his passion as a Personal Trainer and coach for 16 years. His travels have taken him worldwide to 78 different countries on many adventures.
[email protected]