Capri Island Tour
On our last day in Positano, we woke early to join Cassiopea Positano for a small group boat tour to Capri. The tour included round trip transfer to Capri, stops at several grottos for swimming and photo ops by the mystical Fariglioni rock formations, and free time to explore the island.
I found the company on TripAdvisor because they were rated so highly. When I emailed for information, they were friendly and quick to respond. The boats are luxurious speedboats which include covered seating in the back and a lounging area in the front which is covered in leather cushions.
We met our group at the dock next to Spiaggia Grande. A few couples were smart and brought champagne for the ride over to Capri. The captain also had fresh towels and cold drinks available for after our swim.
We really enjoyed touring with this group. The unique part of our trip is that we did not actually return to Positano with them, as we had to catch a train to Rome that night. The idea of a leisurely sail to Capri, followed by a high speed ferry to Naples seemed a lot more efficient and enjoyable than retracing the complicated train and bus journey we had made a few days prior.
We left our boat tour with our bags and checked them in luggage storage available right by the docks. For the rest of our group they were able to leave whatever they needed to on the boat.
I used Capri.com to plan our itinerary on the island and had high aspirations of fitting as many attractions into our day trip as possible. The day trip they recommend includes the scenic chair lift to Monte Solaro, the panoramic vistas from Villa San Michelle, the floral Gardens of Augustus, and the iconic winding path of Via Krupp.
However, the truth is that Capri is really, REALLY crowded in the summer. The line for the chair lift was over an hour wait, and the buses were packed and uncomfortable, driving fast up and down the island's steep and narrow one-lane roads.
To enjoy Capri minus the crowds, I recommend visiting in the shoulder season (April, May, September, October) or to stay on the island for a few days so that you can enjoy the popular tourist spots early in the morning or late in the afternoon and avoid the influx of visitors ferrying in from the mainland. Personally, I can't wait to go back and take my own advice.
In any case, Capri is a beautiful island that we are so glad we visited. The boat ride over was so much fun and we enjoyed getting to hang on the island for a few hours. We ended up purchasing tickets from the ticket office right next to the marina and rode the very cramped bus up to the top of Anacapri. Here we enjoyed some gelato and perused the shops, stopping to take pictures at the scenic overlooks.
At 4:00 PM we took the bus back to the docks to catch our ferry to Naples. The ferry ride over was easy and relaxing with plenty of space. As usual, Dan napped and I read during the fifty minute journey.
When we arrived at the Naples docks, we found a line of taxis waiting for us. I had read to make sure that your taxi clocks your time appropriately and don't get in unless he agrees to the city standard. We had no problem with our taxi taking us to the Naples train station and found the standards listed on a laminated sign behind the driver's seat.
Our adventure to the Amalfi coast had come to an end, but we were so excited for or last stop in Rome!
