Italy Diary : Part II
Capri is an Island off the Amalfi Coast and is often known as a vacation destination for the rich and famous…we are neither but we still wanted to venture around this beautiful little island while on our trip! For the sake of remaining completely transparent with you guys, I would say that Capri, although beautiful, is a great place to visit but maybe on a return to trip to Italy when you’ve had a chance to see your bucket list places…if you read part I of our Italy trip you should definitely have Positano at the top of that list!! Having only spent one night there I feel a bit conflicted; on one hand I feel like there was still so much to explore in terms of the island itself such as getting down to the water, finding a beach, and exploring the grottos but on the other hand I feel like our day and a half there felt somewhat limited. The day we arrived was very overcast for a good portion of the day. We had booked a private cruise around the island which I have read time and again is the very best way to see Capri but it was canceled due to rough waters. With no other plans except a fabulous dinner that was gifted to us as an incredibly thoughtful wedding gift, we set off to explore the island.
Where to Stay:
We chose to stay one night on Capri because its turns into such a quiet town once the last ferry has left with the tourists who visit just for the day. Friends of ours had also visited Capri for their honeymoon a few months before and raved about the restaurant at the Hotel Villa Brunella…to make things easy we chose to stay at the hotel and had nothing but incredible service and beautiful views! They were incredibly accommodating and even upgraded our room for free since we were on our honeymoon!!
What to Do:
Capri has one of the most incredible collections of designer showrooms I’ve ever seen! The way these shops are tucked away into the little alleys that wind through the city center is what I imagine when I think of an Italian island. B & I each bought ourselves a souvenir on the island and it definitely felt fun to splurge a bit!
The cruise we had booked was through a company called Capri Boat Service. I am still so bummed we weren’t able to take our cruise but can say that it’s definitely still on my list and I plan on booking the same company. They didn’t charge us a thing and tried to get us out on the water…sadly we just ran out of time!
If you don’t care to stay the night, another great option is to take a day trip to Capri. From Positano and several other towns along the Amalfi Coast, it’s a quick 45 minute boat ride and at peak season the first ferry arrives as early as 8:30-9am
Get cocktails or an apertivo in the Piazetta after the crowds have gone. Talk about a charming way to start your evening...most streets on Capri lead back to the Piazetta or the main square of Capri town
Explore Giardini di Augusto for beautiful views of the Faraglioni from above!
What to Eat:
When you do visit Capri you have to treat yourself to a limone granitas…we tried three different places and by far our favorite was right outside of the Funiculare station!
Like I said before, we were gifted a wonderful four course meal as a wedding gift at Ristorante Terrazza Brunella. My two favorite dishes of the meal were the fortino di melanzane antipasto {baked cow cheese rolled up in thinly sliced and eggplant…I think I need the Italians to show me a thing or two when it comes to eggplant} and the risotto cremoso al limone {lemon risotto}. Capri, like Positano is known for their lemons!
You also have to give limoncello a try while in Capri! It’s a sour-sweet lemon liqueur that’ll absolutely knock you off your feet if you’re not careful…we brought a bottle home as a souvenir!
Tips for visiting Capri:
1. If you plan on staying, pay the extra fee to have couriers pick up your bags from the marina when you arrive...I can't imagine what it would've been like trying to get up the hill with out luggage!
2. Take the funicular to the top instead of trying to walk....unless you like really steep jills and lots of stairs. Tickets are only a few euro BUT have a plan B just in case. The tram was broken when we were due to leave and had to catch our ferry so we had to take the bus down the hill when we left
3. Leave yourself time to walk around and explore...I felt like we missed a lot because we had reservations to keep. There is a lot to explore if you're willing to walk a bit.
4. Go during or just before peak season if you want the best chance to cruise or swim
What I packed for Capri:
In all honesty, most of what I had packed for Capri was actually worn in Positano. Being an Island, Capri was definitely on the cooler side, especially when the clouds rolled in. You know theres aa good chill in the air when B puts a jacket on…he’s from Wisconsin…he RARELY gets cold. As I’d mentioned on Insta, we did some shopping at Zara in Rome and I wore a combination of things It’d bought there with some of the stuff I packed for our small time in Capri. Flowy maxi dresses, neutrals, and soft relaxed fit chinos were my go-to choices for exploring the island. I’ve linked some of my favorites as well as some similar options below!
