Capri Holidays

Capri holidays are as close to a real-life postcard as you're going to get. Limestone cliffs dropping into electric-blue water, designer boutiques squeezed between lemon groves, and views so good they almost feel made up - all just a short ferry ride from the Amalfi Coast.

Holidays to Capri highlights

• The Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra) - a sea cave where the water glows an unreal electric blue. Boat entry costs around €18 on top of the tour, and it's worth every cent.

• Monte Solaro - take the chairlift from Anacapri to the highest point on the island (589m). On a clear day, you can see Vesuvius, the Amalfi Coast and even as far as Calabria.

• The Piazzetta - Capri's famous little square, officially Piazza Umberto I. Lined with cafes and people-watching opportunities. Grab an espresso and soak it in.

• Marina Piccola - Capri's best swimming spot, with crystal-clear water and views of the Faraglioni rocks. Legend says this is where Odysseus heard the Sirens sing.

• Villa Jovis - Emperor Tiberius ruled the entire Roman Empire from this clifftop villa. The ruins and the views from up here are both spectacular.

Our Take

"Capri has a reputation as a billionaire's playground and while the designer boutiques and luxury beach clubs are real, the island rewards anyone willing to walk five minutes past them. Villa Jovis, the Roman palace Emperor Tiberius ruled from for the last decade of his life, sits at the very top of the island on a one-hour walk from Capri town, the ruins are remarkable and the panoramic views over the Bay of Naples from that height are genuinely breathtaking. The Pizzolungo footpath wraps around the southern side of the island and gets you to the Natural Arch, a dramatic rock formation over the sea, through terraced gardens and past villas that almost nobody visits on foot. One thing worth knowing before you go: the day trippers arrive on the morning ferries and leave by late afternoon, so staying at least one night means you get the island entirely to yourself in the evenings, the Piazzetta at dusk, without the crowds, is a completely different place. For sunsets, Punta Carena lighthouse in Anacapri is where locals go, with a lido restaurant right on the rocks and views that justify every step of the walk."

Rob Brooks - On the Beach holiday expert

Good to Know for your Capri holidays 2026 / 2027

• Summers hit 26-27°C with long sunny days. May and September are the sweet spot - warm, less crowded and proper good value. Even April is pleasant at around 18-20°C.

• Capri is pricey. A coffee at the bar is €3-5, but sit down in the Piazzetta with a view, and you're looking at €6-8. A meal for two runs €60-100 easily. Budget-savvy travellers stay in Sorrento and visit for the day.

• There's no airport on Capri. You fly into Naples (around 2hrs 45 from the UK), then take a ferry from Sorrento (20-25 mins, around €19-22 one way) or Naples port (45-80 mins, around €21-28).

Where to Stay for a Capri Holiday

There are no big package holiday hotels on Capri itself. The smartest way to do Capri is to base yourself in Sorrento or elsewhere on the Sorrento and Amalfi Coast and take the ferry across. Sorrento is just 20-25 minutes by boat, has a brilliant range of hotels at all price points, and gives you easy access to Capri, Positano, Amalfi and even Pompeii.

Here are some Sorrento-based options that make a great launchpad for Capri:

• La Residenza, Sorrento - A charming 4-star set in 27,000 square metres of botanical gardens, a short walk from Sorrento centre and the port. Hand-decorated ceramic floors, a pool and restaurant with views over the bay. Ferries to Capri leave from just 1.8km away.

• Metropole, Sorrento - Close to Sorrento centre with sea-view rooms, an outdoor pool and an Italian restaurant where the local wine is €4 a glass. The hotel even offers boat excursions to Capri and the Amalfi Coast.

👉 See all Sorrento hotels | See all Amalfi Coast hotels

How to Spend a Day in Capri

Capri rewards an early start and absolutely punishes a lazy one - the day-trippers from Naples and the cruise ships roll in mid-morning, and by midday the Piazzetta is buzzing. Here's how to do it properly:

• Morning - Blue Grotto first, always. Boat tours start around 9am and the cave glows at its most electric-blue when the sun is still low. Get there before the queue of rowing boats snakes back around the headland. Budget around 45 minutes including the wait, bring cash for the entry (around €18 on top of the tour), and prepare to be genuinely stunned.

• Mid-morning - chairlift to Monte Solaro. Up from Anacapri to 589 metres in about 12 minutes, with the whole island spread out below and Vesuvius doing its thing in the distance. Walk back down through the terraced gardens if your legs are willing - around 45 minutes of pure gorge scenery.

• Lunchtime - eat in Anacapri, not Capri town. Quieter, less touristy, and the restaurants are noticeably kinder on the wallet. Save the Piazzetta for a post-lunch espresso once you've earned the €6 coffee.

• Afternoon - Marina Piccola and the Faraglioni. Capri's best swimming spot sits below the famous Faraglioni sea stacks - the limestone rocks that appear on approximately every Italian travel photo ever taken. The water is an almost-offensive shade of clear. Pack water shoes; it's rocky underfoot.

• Late afternoon - the Piazzetta. By around 4pm the cruise crowds have thinned and the square gets its personality back. Pull up a chair, order something cold, and watch Capri wind down in that effortlessly stylish way it has. Last ferries back to Sorrento run until around 8–9pm in peak season - no rush.

Why should you visit Capri?

One reason Capri continues to bring in tourists all year round is its abundance of culture and history.  The beautiful Monastery Certosa di San Giacomo is the ideal place to start your trip and one of the island’s biggest attractions. Enjoy the magnificent views from Punta Tragera or climb to the top of Mount Solaro where you can see the peak of Mount Vesuvius. For something a little more relaxed, take some time to go on a wooden boat tour of the Blue Grotto Sea Caves where you will be transported from complete darkness into a sparkling cave, lit by blue light.

As there’s so much to do during the daytime, you may be wondering what there is to do during the evening. Piazzetta is a wonderful square which features the magnificent town hall and quirky pavement cafes where you can enjoy a coffee or cocktail depending on what you prefer.

If you want to travel a little further afield and explore your new surroundings, take a bus to Anacapri, which is slightly smaller and quieter than Capri Town and perfect for those looking to enjoy a slower-paced holiday. You can also take the ferry to Italy’s southern coast and explore the Amalfi and Positano regions.

Nearby Destinations

• Sorrento - Your best base for visiting Capri. 20-25 minutes by ferry, with a great range of hotels, restaurants and nightlife. Ferries leave from the marina multiple times a day.

• Positano - The postcard-perfect Amalfi Coast village. Pastel-coloured houses tumbling down to the beach. About 40 minutes from Capri by ferry.

• Amalfi - The heart of the famous coast. Dramatic cliffs, a stunning cathedral and some of the best seafood restaurants in southern Italy.

• Salerno - A real working Italian city with cheaper prices, sandy beaches and ferry connections to Capri and the Amalfi Coast.

• Sorrento and Amalfi Coast - The parent destination page with full hotel listings, beaches and travel info for the whole region.

• Italy - See all Italian holiday destinations on OTB.