TOO BLUE TO BE TRUE

Relish the breathtaking beauty of Capri on a private boat excursion along the island’s coast.

Rising dream-like from the crystal-clear waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Capri has charmed visitors for centuries. An all time-favourite with celebrities since ancient Roman times, the island has hosted countless generations of artists, writers, poets and politicians. Prominent guests include Emperors Augustus and Tiberius, Swedish Queen Victoria, Nikolai Lenin, Jackie Kennedy, John Singer Sargent, Friedrich Nietzsche, André Gide, Henry James and Pablo Neruda…. The list of Capri’s VIP fan club members spans centuries and continues to grow. The island keeps delighting and alluring travellers from far and wide with its ravishing landscapes, archaeological ruins, tempting cuisine, stylish boutiques and timeless, magical atmosphere.

Capri has been inhabited since the Neolithic era but it was under the Romans that the island flourished and became a popular holiday destination. Roman aristocrats used to travel by horseback to Sorrento and sail nine miles to Capri to escape the summer heat of the Caput Mundi. From here Emperor Tiberius governed the empire for ten years, between 27 and 37 AD, enjoying the stunning panoramic views from Villa Jovis, his mountaintop residence. Repeatedly sacked by the Saracens in the Middles Ages, Capri was abandoned up until the 18th century when it started regaining popularity with Grand Tour travellers, attracted to Campania by the discoveries unearthed in Pompeii.

Enrich your Capri experience and discover its hidden beauty spots on a scenic boat trip. Meet your skipper in Marina Grande, hop aboard your private boat and set sail around the island. You will cruise past rugged sea cliffs, marvel at astonishing rock formations and dip into the limpid waters of idyllic coves. As you navigate smoothly along the coastline, your skipper will point out major features of interest, including the White and Green Grottoes, the legendary Faraglioni rocks, the soaring Arco Naturale, Villa Malaparte and Tiberius’ precipice.

Depending on queues, sea and weather conditions, you might want to take a peek inside the Blue Grotto, the island’s best-known natural attraction, named after the blue light that reverberates inside this splendid sea cave, “more blue than any other, blue below and blue above and blue along each curve of its vault” (Raffaele La Capria). Sunlight filters through an underwater cavity creating a dazzling azure glow that must have enchanted visitors 2,000 years ago just as it still does today. In ancient Roman times this was one of Emperor Tiberius’ favourite haunts. He chose the Blue Grotto as his private swimming pool and turned it into a marine temple, embellishing the cave with several statues of sea gods. Avoided for centuries and suspected of being inhabited by witches and evil spirits, the grotto is now a marvel in which all can delight – high tides permitting.

Stop for a swim or snorkel, relax with the sound of the lapping waves and enjoy the refreshing sea breeze as you glide along the sun-kissed coast of Capri.