Adventures in Italy: Day 16 Capri

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Italy, Day 16, Wednesday, October 19, Capri

Today, on another optional day, those of us who chose to, boarded a high speed hydrofoil in that took us from Sorrento through the Gulf of Naples to the much anticipated Isle of Capri. Getting there is half the fun. On our approach we were able to see the brilliant limestone cliffs reflected in the bright sun.



We landed in Marina Grande on the eastern side of the Isle of Capri. As soon as we landed we were met by Julia, a local guide, who gave us a brief introduction of Capri while walking into Piazza Umberto 1 known locally as La Piazzetta. The name Piazzetta comes from its tiny town square crowded by bright cafe tables where, we are told, is the perfect place to people watch. We walked to the end of the piazza that overlooks the Gulf of Naples with views of the impressive limestone cliffs that is the essence of Capri. Benches and terrace cafes beg you to sip a cappuccino and enjoy the spectacular view and the local ambiance. The famous Torre del Orologio or Clock Tower is a symbol of Capri’s Piazzetta and one of the most unique free-standing clock towers in Italy. The face of the clock is replicated throughout the island in jewelry, watches and paintings.



Leaving the view we wandered back through narrow streets defined by compacted buildings into the bustle of tourists. In Capri town, Canfora and Da Costanzo still make hand-tooled leather sandals. Jackie Onassis had her capris made in this town. I found some of the most expensive jewelry I’ve seen, showcased in shiny shop windows alongside elegant restaurants and magnificent hotels. The jewelry stores and high end shops were out of my reach so we set off toward the sea walking through picturesque narrow lanes amidst orange and lemon groves to explore the Giardini Augusto, or the Augustus Gardens, a beautiful garden overlooking Marina Piccola Bay. The Augustus Gardens, were originally the Krupp Botanical Gardens established by German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp. At the main vista atop the garden walls we not only had a spectacular view but, as we inhaled the scents of the sea and the flowers around us, we peered below to see the Via Krupp switchback footpaths etched into the steep hillside that lead to the sea below. These cliffside goat trails did not beacon me.



Like Sorrento and Positano, lemons seem to be everywhere. Returning to the Piazzetta I stopped in stores like Granita di Limone, Limoni di Capri and Carthusia I Profumi di Capri, to sample perfumes and items savory and sweet that added to the sensual elements that are Capri. Pottery and other objects d’art featured the iconic clock tower face as well as these lovely lemons of Capri.



The Isle of Capri, getting its name from Kapros which means wild boar, has been inhabited since the Neolithic and Bronze Age. The Roman Emperor Augustus, when constructing his villa found ancient weapons and giant bones. He ordered these to be displayed in the garden of his new Sea Palace. Later, Emperor Tiberius built a series of villas at Capri, the most famous was Villa Jovis. Tiberius spent the last ten years of his life here, running the Empire from Villa Jovis until his death in 37 AD.



After getting our fill of lower Capri we hopped a bus to take the aptly named ‘Mamma Mia’ road to the tiny town of Anacapri, perched atop Mount Solaro. With the twists, hairpin turns and breathtaking drops to the sea below we discovered the reason this road is nicknamed Mamma Mia! Twelve thousand people make their home on Capri while only five to seven thousand residents live up on Anacapri. This island depends on tourists who visit only 6 months each year during which time the population doubles in size.

After a quick walk about, we stopped for pizza at Le Arcade Ristorante and after lunch we had a little less than an hour to explore. Much smaller than Capri, but also less touristy, we had little ground to cover (had I known I would have jumped on the chairlift to Villa San Michele, but, there was not enough time). I, along with Pat and Celia, did take time to purchase the popular Capri Watch with its multicolor Swarovski crystal face. Not surprisingly, designer Fiona Swarovski lives on Capri.

Numerous famous and wealthy people have made Capri a trendy place to be. Swedish Dr Axel Munthe, author of The Story of San Michele, discovered the ruins of an Imperial Roman villa and a Medieval chapel dedicated to Saint Michael on the very top of Mount Solaro to be a perfect retreat. Dr Munthe personally restored these buildings decorating his villa with the remains of ancient Roman palaces. He called his new home Villa San Michele. (Sadly Villa San Michele was not on our tour). In 1878 John Singer Sargent and Frank Hyde painted here. In 1908 Lenin visited Maxim Gorky, the Russian author, who was living in exile at his Capri villa Behring. Also living here in exile was Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Capri is the setting for Somerset Maugham’s The Lotus Eater. Sophia Loren, Clark Gable and Brigitte Bardot made this the place to be in the 1960s, and currently Mariah Carey and the Ferragamo family own villas on the island. Ben estimated land to cost between 20-30,000 euro per square meter (2016).



The best way to discover the island of Capri is from the sea, so we did. We all hopped back on the bus for another hair-raising ride down the Mamma Mia road to the Marina Grande where we boarded a boat to tour the island. Once part of the Sorrento coast, enormous limestone chunks broke away from the mainland about 37,000 years ago. Limestone is a filtering rock and because of its porous nature, caused the 54 grotto caves around islands. Our one hour boat tour circumnavigated the island of Capri.



On the northwestern side of the island, we were able to get close to the Red-Orange Coral Cave and the Stalagmites Cave and Grotta Bianco, that were tucked below towering limestone cliffs. Our boat pulled close to the Stalagmites Cave where there is a natural sculpture representing the Madonna. Nearby we explored the liquid green (not blue) Grotta Verde. I was surprised that the colors of the water, reflected by the sun bouncing off the limestone, would give such differences in brilliant colors such as viridian green and azure blue. We were told that the Blue Grotto experience was very expensive (30 euro pp) and you had to wait for close to one and a half hours for two minutes inside the grotto so, lacking time, we sailed on, watching the (not so many) boatmen line up to enter. Instead of entering the grottos we cruised up to them, examining the multicolored rock and deep and luminous cobalt blue waters surrounding the limestone caves.



From the boat, Ben pointed out the coral colored Punta Tragara Hotel, overlooking the Faraglioni rockstacks, headquarters for the 15th squadron of the US Air Force. It was here that Prime Minister Winston Churchill and General Eisenhower met during WWII. Faraglioni, the famous three towering rock sea stacks, can only be seen from the sea at the southern part of the island. These rocks are home to the rare Blue Lizard, however he must also be elusive since nary a one was visible. When your boat passes through the famous stone archway in the middle you must kiss your partner for good luck!



On the eastern side of the island we could glimpse the minimalist architecture of Casa Malaparte squeezed precariously onto an outcropping of limestone on Punta Massullo, overlooking the sea. I was able to spot the 99 steps from the sea climbing up the craggy rocks to the futuristic home. Its Pompeiian red walls rising out of the limestone cliff make this a memorable site.



Nearby the white and red Lighthouse of Punta Carena blanketed with its green skirt of piney shrubs, dominates the southwestern coast. Built in 1866 it is the second tallest lighthouse in Italy (after Genoa) and most important, it still guards the the rocky coast of Capri. Below the lighthouse is a rocky “beach”, a favorite of the locals, called Il Faro. I think to be a native of Capri you must have to be part mountain goat. And speaking of goats, our boat paused for us to look up the rocky cliff in order to see a family of goats. The Romans called Capri “goat island” and some say Capri is a derivation of the Latin capreae or goats. Personally I think that is the origin of caprese but then, maybe I’m just hungry.



Our trip to Capri was over all too soon. We were in shadows when we docked in Marina Grande to transfer to our “fast boat” back to Sorrento. My father had always wished for me to go into the Blue Grotto, so I think a return to Capri is in order, to visit
Villa San Michele, hike across the island to the lighthouse and then down to the boats for a trip into the Blue Grotto. Anyone want to join me?



Back at the hotel in Sorrento, instead of packing for tomorrow and resting, I unloaded my packages from Capri and walked back into Sorrento to photograph the beautiful late afternoon light that made the town glow. I also wanted to take the opportunity to quietly observe some local culture on my own. I watched some elderly people lower a basket with money and an order for a grocer to fill and return by pulling it back up. I saw young boy-teens who tended to wear their hair cut short on the back and sides but long on top, hanging to one side over their eyes ‘with attitude’ that made me sing ‘when you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way from your last cigarette to your last dying day...'.



By the time I reached the Piazza Tasso I was well rewarded for my efforts. The buildings were all aglow giving me the opportunity to capture the warmth and vibrance of this southern Italian city. Gentlemen sat on benches in the shade discussing the days events, or by my eye, appraising the skirts that passed. When I walked down past the Villa Comunale Park to the Palazzo Marziale looking towards the Bay of Naples and Mt Vesuvius I was rewarded with some memorable views that will be a very pleasant reminder of this charming city.



The entire “GCT family” walked into Sorrento to the Tasso Restaurant and Pizzeria for our farewell to Sorrento dinner. This busy restaurant was packed full of locals and tour groups and I sat in a position to watch waiters running with many platters of food to serve the hungry customers. Again I savored the white wine, a specialty of the region, with my ricotta stuffed zucchini flower and porcini mushrooms along side a small caprese salad. The second course was a light white fish breaded and baked in lemon (although mine missed the lemon and was tough on the edges, a usual problem when serving large crowds). The green beans were very good and well seasoned with olive oil and oregano alongside the roasted potato wedges. A light lemon spongecake was served for dessert.



Several in our group had mentioned an ice cream shop called Puro that many had tried and loved where you could swing on indoor swings. Knowing that some mix the words ice cream with gelato I felt I should try to sample tastes at the place that got so many rave reviews to compare it with Davide's Gelato. Sadly it was a poor comparison and couldn't hold a candle to Davide Gelato.

I should have run a mile after all that food but instead I staggered back up to our room to pack my suitcase for the trip back to Rome. How to safely store all those breakable gifts???

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