Off the coast of Italy’s Amalfi Coast, the island of Capri has been long been the go-to place for A-listers like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Rising out of the bright blue Bay of Naples, the island is only 7km long and 3km wide, dotted with elegant villas, upscale marinas and lavish shopping streets filled with couture boutiques. You’ll also find jagged limestone cliffs, spectacular walking trails and towns with traditional restaurants serving local dishes like the iconic Caprese salad and torta caprese chocolate cake.
You can expect Capri hostels to be family run, with free breakfasts served on outdoor terraces facing the sea or the mountains (also the ideal spot for romantic sunsets). Open-air pools will provide relief from the heat, or you can work on your tan from one of the sun loungers. Look out for hostels in Capri with free shuttle transfers from the port, which can help you save a few euros to put towards shots of limoncello at an on-site bar.
The ferry will drop you at Marina Grande, which is lined with cafés and restaurants catering to day trippers. The funicular railway will whisk you up to Capri Town, where some of the most upmarket shops on the island are located. Further west, Anacapri is a quieter town with colourful painted buildings covered in bougainvillea and access to the chairlift to Monte Solaro, the highest point of the island at 589 metres above sea level.
The Blue Grotto, in the north-western corner of the island, is an awe-inspiring natural wonder where an underwater cavity glows with blue light. The cavern is reached by boat from Marina Grande – be prepared to duck under the 1-metre-high cave mouth when you arrive. From Capri Town, you can hike in 2-3 hours out to the Arco Naturale along a stunning coastal path. While in Anacapri, you can wander through the manicured gardens of Villa San Michele or take a 30-minute walk to the Belvedere del Tuono lookout for panoramic views across the sea.
For most of the year, non-resident motor vehicles are banned on Capri, but there is a good public bus system that runs across the island, including between Capri Town and Anacapri. Arriving at Marina Grande, you can ride the funicular railway up to Capri Town in 4 minutes. From mainland Italy, ferries from Naples and Sorrento run year-round and take around 30-45 minutes, while an additional summer service connects Positano on the Amalfi Coast, as well as Salerno and Ischia, by high-speed ferry.
