charles.larry

Hey guys!

I am looking for a well deserved holiday in Italy early next year. It is a country a have visited many times before but this time I am looking for somthing a little different from the bigger cities.

I have heard a lot about Capri, but never actually spoken to someone who has actually been there for themselves. It is all second-hand information. Is there anybody on here who can give some first hand recommendations? Places to go, things to see, things to do etc.? I put a lot of value in first hand recommendations and any input will be great

(sorry if this is a discussion that can found elsewhere on teh forum...I am rather new here and haven#t yet had chance to trawl through the previous threads....)

modicasa

It depends what you want. If you want to stand in line with alot of US and Russian tourists waiting for the funicular railway, pay huge amounts for indifferent food and drink, and be on a beach so crowded that you literally cannot open your towel, you'll be happy.
I always preferred Anacapri - the littler town on the other hill, which was out of the tourist trail (a bit). If you want the Amalfi coast, Positano is beautiful, or some of the other little bays. Sorrento is full of English, Ischia is a bigger island and full of Germans, Procida little and quaint but nothing to do, etc.
It all depends when you are going. The chic shops on Capri close for the winter, and ferry connections are unreliable when the weather is bad. Its worth a day trip but a whole holiday??

ononno

exactly.

charles.larry

Wow!

You see, this is why I ask for first person impressions. I have done a bit of research online (mainly using the perhaps, on reflection, the slightly bias capri-travel.net as a guide), but all I have heard about the place is good things.

Thanks for the feedback guys! I might start digging around for some information about Anacapri. Hmmmm, a lot of thinking to be done. Thanks, team!

MarkRD

Yes I'll second that too. Capri is a place for a day trip, and is a massive tourist trap, they play up the 'luxury' aspect of it quite a bit.
We went there while staying in Ischia which is another large island, although we didn't really enjoy it that much.

charles.larry

hmmmmm, good to know! This is why I like getting first hand impressions. Thanks guys,

BRIAN 1

hi,i was one of those dreadful english peeps from sorrento who done a day trip to capri.the way to anacapri was on a postbus on a perilous mountain road,even this was very touristy,the chairlift from town to the peak was strange as passing about 20ft above peoples gardens with dogs jumping up trying to bite your ankles,at the top the view was worth it though.was still dissapointed as no fish and chip shops or london pie and mash ,cheers brian.

MarkRD

True, but I had the best *caprese* (wouldn't you just know it) panino ever . .bought at the local salumiere's, avoiding the touristy restaurants, and probably spent next to nothing.

BRIAN 1

hi,we had a reasonable lunch up there too.i tried to insert a laughing smilie in my post didnt know how to do it.moving to calabria next year,no pie and mash shops thank god,cheers brian.

Sancho

Hi Charles,

If it's of any interest I spent a few days on Capri last spring, just before schools broke up, and I enjoyed it much more than I'd expected to.

I stayed in Anacapri, which I agree is pleasanter and less packed with visitors than Capri town, although I found the centres of both terribly crowded during the day, especially Capri. Outside the centre - e.g. in Piazza Caprile in Anacapri or beyond the fork down to the port in Capri - it's much more bearable.

The crowds are mostly day-trippers, who arrive from Naples at about 10 and leave at about 4. After they've gone it suddenly gets quieter.

I found the people surprisingly friendly, given the number of visitors they get.

My main reason for going was that many writers, artists, etc lived there, or came for holidays, and I thought it might tell me something about some of them. Axel Munthe of course, Krupp, Baron Ferzen, Compton Mackenzie, Maxim Gorky, Pablo Neruda, Graham Greene (from a later, to my mind less interesting period), Norman Douglas (who thought Axel Munthe was "an old fraud" - that should get you thinking at the Villa San Michele !)... And it did.

If you're interested in that sort of thing, there are two books you could maybe read before you go: this and this. It's questionable who actually wrote the second - you might find it listed under Graham Greene. He says he just transcribed it.)

If you go to see the non-catholic cemetery, where some of them are buried, on the road down to the Marina Grande, don't expect to find a plan. There isn't one. You just have to poke around and find the grave for yourself, but it isn't difficult.

charles.larry

Thanks Sancho, that's really helpful. I should highlight that I am going early in the year, still in the winter, so I don't know how much of an effect this will have on the overall experience....

gelato

I've spent quite a bit of time in Anacapri for various reasons. I'd recommend that you check out the Villa San Michele which is a Swedish government owned cultural institute with a fab garden and views.

I also found the people in Capri to be surprisingly friendly considering the number of visitors they get. And also there are some stunningly beautiful spots away from the main town. The grotta azzurra is amazing and there's this cute little restaurant on a cliff right next to it which was a great place to eat after going for a dip at the nearby 'beach'.

Anyway I wanted to recommend this restaurants which one of the best places I've eaten in Italy and I've lived here 7 years now. Trattoria Mamma Giovanna, Via Chiusarano, 6, Anacapri. Tel. 081 8372057 or 347 5440954. If you have a car you can just drive there but if not they'll pick you up from wherever you are in Anacapri and drop you back after your meal. Really friendly people and amazing food. Far away from the tourist traps with a lovely garden.