Capri Town
Latest page update: 9 January 2025
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What we've described as Capri Town on this website, is in fact known locally as just "Capri".
We make the distinction merely to separate the name of the island from the identical name of the town. Italy is divided up into regions (of which there twenty), provinces (of which there are around 100) and then Comunes (comune singular or comuni plural in Italian) of which there are two on the island of Capri. |
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So what's being described on this page is in fact the Comune of Capri which occupies the eastern and slightly less elevated side of the island. The one other town/comune on the island is called Anacapri.
It's almost certain that your first contact with the island will be in the Comune of Capri; the island's main arrival port of Marina Grande is here and from there, most people make their way up to the town area via the funicular railway.
You could say the centre of Capri Town is the bustling Capri Piazzetta; that's really the place to either be seen or do a spot of people watching from the cafes and restaurants that surround it. From La Piazzetta it's only a short walk to the lovely Augustus Gardens where you can not only admire the floral displays but the dazzling views down to Marina Piccola or across to the Faraglioni.
Other highlights in this area close to the town are the famous Via Camerelle; a shopping street where you'll often find models and VIPs trying on expensive garments in the likes of Gucci and Prada while the rest of us content ourselves with the much cheaper window version of the activity. For a more cultural air you can enjoy the Certosa di San Giacomo, the pretty Chiesa di Santo Stefano or the Museo del Centro Caprense Ignazio Cerio.
I've included it in the list of things to see in Capri Town below but the incredible Via Krupp can only be enjoyed from a distance these days as it's closed for safety reasons. It's certainly worth a look though and you can best view it from the belvedere (panoramic viewpoint) in Augustus Gardens.
Requiring more of a walk and much more stamina are two of Capri Town's most interesting historical sights. Take your pick of which to visit first with the Roman ruins of Villa Jovis which used to be the home of the Emperor Tiberius. Aside from the ruins, you can see the point from which he used to have his lovers thrown from a cliff once he'd finished with them.
The other option is the only very slightly less controversial Villa Lysis (otherwise known as Villa Fersen) where an opium den is among the highlights. Both villas are within a short walk of each other but if you're only here for the day you probably won't have time to fit them in if you want to enjoy some of the sights in neighbouring Anacapri.
It's almost certain that your first contact with the island will be in the Comune of Capri; the island's main arrival port of Marina Grande is here and from there, most people make their way up to the town area via the funicular railway.
You could say the centre of Capri Town is the bustling Capri Piazzetta; that's really the place to either be seen or do a spot of people watching from the cafes and restaurants that surround it. From La Piazzetta it's only a short walk to the lovely Augustus Gardens where you can not only admire the floral displays but the dazzling views down to Marina Piccola or across to the Faraglioni.
Other highlights in this area close to the town are the famous Via Camerelle; a shopping street where you'll often find models and VIPs trying on expensive garments in the likes of Gucci and Prada while the rest of us content ourselves with the much cheaper window version of the activity. For a more cultural air you can enjoy the Certosa di San Giacomo, the pretty Chiesa di Santo Stefano or the Museo del Centro Caprense Ignazio Cerio.
I've included it in the list of things to see in Capri Town below but the incredible Via Krupp can only be enjoyed from a distance these days as it's closed for safety reasons. It's certainly worth a look though and you can best view it from the belvedere (panoramic viewpoint) in Augustus Gardens.
Requiring more of a walk and much more stamina are two of Capri Town's most interesting historical sights. Take your pick of which to visit first with the Roman ruins of Villa Jovis which used to be the home of the Emperor Tiberius. Aside from the ruins, you can see the point from which he used to have his lovers thrown from a cliff once he'd finished with them.
The other option is the only very slightly less controversial Villa Lysis (otherwise known as Villa Fersen) where an opium den is among the highlights. Both villas are within a short walk of each other but if you're only here for the day you probably won't have time to fit them in if you want to enjoy some of the sights in neighbouring Anacapri.
Comune di Capri
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Island: Capri
Region: Campania Province: Metropolitan City of Naples Population: 6,786 (2024 - source) Size: 4 km² Recommended accommodation: Capri Wine Hotel |
Capri Piazzetta
La Piazzetta, Capri
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Augustus Gardens
Augustus Gardens, Capri
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Villa Lysis
Villa Lysis, Capri
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Villa Jovis
Villa Jovis, Capri
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Via Krupp
Via Krupp, Capri
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Certosa di San Giacomo
Certosa di San Giacomo, Capri
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Via Camerelle
Via Camerelle, Capri
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Chiesa di Santo Stefano
Chiesa di Santo Stefano, Capri
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Museo del Centro Caprense Ignazio Cerio
Museo del Centro Caprense Ignazio Cerio, Capri
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