Capri, Italy Travel Guide: Ferries, Where to Stay & Costs

Short on Time? Our Capri Top Picks

• Best for a classic Capri town stay: Hotel Villa Sarah, on Via Tiberio in Capri town, rated 8.9 on Booking.com from almost 300 reviews when we checked.
• Best in Anacapri: Boutique Hotel Casa Mariantonia, on Via Giuseppe Orlandi, rated 9.4.
• Best small B&B: Monte Solaro B&B in Anacapri, rated 9.5 from about 200 reviews.
• Best way to see the coast: this small-group Capri boat ride with swimming and limoncello, with nearly 1,200 reviews on Viator.
• Best active half-day: the caves and beaches kayaking tour from Marina Piccola, rated 4.8 from over 1,100 reviews.

Where Is Capri, Italy?

Capri is an island in the Bay of Naples, off the tip of the Sorrento peninsula in the Campania region of southern Italy. It's split into two towns, Capri and Anacapri, with about 13,500 residents between them.

Is Capri on the Amalfi Coast? Not strictly. It sits off the end of the Sorrento peninsula, and the Amalfi Coast runs along the far side of that peninsula. In practice it's planned together with the Amalfi Coast, and in summer there are direct boats from Positano and Amalfi.

Our Amalfi Coast travel guide covers the mainland side, and the Italy map shows how it all fits.

How far is it? Roughly 50 minutes to an hour by fast boat from Naples and 20 to 30 minutes from Sorrento.

From Rome there's no direct route: you take the train to Naples, about 1 hour 10 minutes at its fastest, then a ferry.

Is Capri Worth Visiting?

Yes, if you get away from the crowds at the harbor and the Piazzetta. The island's best moments are its walks, viewpoints and boat trips, and they cost far less than its hotels.

It's less rewarding if your whole plan is a summer day trip spent queuing for the funicular, the Blue Grotto and a table in the square. Then you'll see Capri at its most crowded and most expensive.

Our verdict: worth it for almost every first trip to the Bay of Naples. Give it a night if you can, and plan your day around the boats rather than the shops.

You won't regret the evening.

How Many Days in Capri? Day Trip or Overnight

One night is the sweet spot for most first-timers, and two nights let you slow down. It's the most common Capri question in the Google searches we analyzed, and the honest answer depends on whether you'll stay into the evening, when most day-trippers have gone.

• Day trip: doable from Naples, Sorrento, Positano or Amalfi. Take an early boat, do one big thing (a boat tour or Anacapri and Monte Solaro) and accept the crowds.
• One night: you get the island in the evening and early morning, which is when Capri feels most like itself.
• Two to three nights: enough for the walks to the Arco Naturale and Villa Jovis, a swim, a lazy lunch and a day without a schedule.

If Capri is one stop on a longer trip, our Amalfi Coast itinerary and southern Italy itinerary show where a night on the island fits. Day-trippers have one more cost: a landing fee of €5 from April to October, collected with your ferry ticket (overnight guests pay the tourist tax instead).

Capri or Positano? Choosing Your Island or Coast

Pick Capri if you want an island, boat trips and walks with no traffic; pick Positano if you want the classic cliff-village view and easy access to the rest of the coast. "Which is nicer, Capri or Positano?" came up in seven of the Google searches we ran.

Many people do both: a few nights on the Amalfi Coast and one on Capri. Our comparison of Capri vs Positano goes deeper, the Positano travel guide covers the village, and if you're weighing the other big island, read Capri vs Ischia or our Ischia travel guide.

Where to Stay in Capri

Capri town is the busy, glamorous choice; Anacapri is quieter and generally better value. Marina Grande, the port, is practical for an early ferry but there's less to do in the evening.

You won't need a car anywhere, but you'll need to think about luggage, more on that below.

Our full list of best hotels in Capri goes further. Book early. Here's the short version, by area.

Capri town: best for a first night

You're close to the Piazzetta, the shops on Via Camerelle, the Gardens of Augustus and the walk to the Faraglioni. Evenings are lively. The views are the ones you've seen in photos.

• Hotel Punta Tragara, on Via Tragara, the lane that leads to the Faraglioni viewpoint, rated 9.3 on Booking.com when we checked.
• Hotel Villa Sarah, on Via Tiberio, rated 8.9.
• Hotel Weber Ambassador, on Via Marina Piccola on the south side, rated 8.9 from more than 3,000 reviews. Best if you want to be near the Marina Piccola swimming spots.

Anacapri: best for quiet and value

Anacapri sits higher up, at the foot of Monte Solaro. It's where the chairlift, Villa San Michele and the buses to the Blue Grotto and the lighthouse start, and it empties out sooner in the evening.

• Boutique Hotel Casa Mariantonia, on Via Giuseppe Orlandi, rated 9.4.
• Hotel San Michele, on the same street, rated 8.5 from about 1,500 reviews.
• Monte Solaro B&B, on Via Monte Solaro, rated 9.5.
• B&B Il Tramonto, on Via Migliera in Anacapri, rated 9.2 from about 400 reviews.

Our recommendation: for one night, stay in Capri town; for two or more, Anacapri gives you more calm for your money. If the island prices don't fit, stay in Sorrento and visit for the day: our Sorrento travel guide and where to stay on the Amalfi Coast cover the mainland bases.

Things to Do in Capri

Most of Capri's best sights are cheap. Some are free.

Here are the ones first-timers shouldn't miss; our full list of things to do in Capri has more.

• Monte Solaro by chairlift. The chairlift from Anacapri takes about a quarter of an hour to the island's highest point (589 m). You'll see the Faraglioni, the bay and, on clear days, the Amalfi Coast.
• The Blue Grotto. A sea cave lit blue by sunlight through the water. You go in by small rowboat, ducking under the low entrance. It's brief, often has a long wait, and closes in rough sea. Our Blue Grotto guide explains how to time it.
• Gardens of Augustus. Terraced gardens with the classic view down over the Faraglioni and the hairpins of Via Krupp, for a small fee. Via Krupp itself is seasonal and closes after storms, so check on arrival.
• The Faraglioni and Via Tragara. Walk from the Piazzetta along Via Tragara to the viewpoint over the three sea stacks, then down to the beach clubs at their base, such as La Fontelina.
• Arco Naturale and the Pizzolungo path. A natural rock arch reached only on foot, and the cliff path that loops back toward Tragara. It's one of the island's best free walks.
• Villa Jovis. The ruins of Emperor Tiberius's villa on the island's eastern tip, reached by a steep walk from the Piazzetta.
• Villa San Michele. The Anacapri villa and garden built by the Swedish doctor and writer Axel Munthe, with views over Marina Grande.
• Certosa di San Giacomo. A former monastery near the Gardens of Augustus, now a museum.
• Punta Carena lighthouse. The lighthouse on the island's southwestern tip, reached by Staiano bus from Anacapri.

If you'd rather paddle than walk, this kayaking tour of Capri's caves and beaches starts from Marina Piccola. On a longer stay, a cooking class with wine pairing on Capri is a good rainy-day plan.

Blue Grotto: when to go and how it works

Go early, and only if the sea is calm. The grotto opens at 8:30 a.m. from April to September and at 9 a.m. in winter, and it closes when waves cover the low entrance.

You pay the rowboat and the entry fee separately at the cave mouth, and the visit inside lasts only a few minutes.

You can get there by bus from Anacapri and a short walk, or by boat from Marina Grande. Many boat tours stop there, or you can book a Blue Grotto visit with a guided tour of Capri and Anacapri.

Capri Boat Tours

A boat trip around the island is the single best thing to do on Capri. Don't skip it.

The public round-island boats from Marina Grande cost about €24–25, and the coast is where the caves, arches and swimming spots are.

Group tours add swimming stops; private boats let you choose them. On Viator, this private Capri boat tour has nearly 500 reviews. If you're staying in Sorrento, this Capri island cruise from Sorrento with a guide on board is rated 4.7 from more than 600 reviews.

We compare the options in our guide to Capri boat tours and, for the mainland, Amalfi Coast boat tours.

Where to Eat in Capri

Eat once on the island, and choose your table before you're hungry. The restaurants around the Piazzetta trade on location; a few minutes' walk away the choice gets better.

Look for ravioli capresi, torta caprese (a flourless chocolate and almond cake) and the island's limoncello. Our best restaurants in Capri list names the tables worth booking, and tipping in Italy explains the cover charge you'll see on the bill.

How to Get to Capri

By ferry or hydrofoil, from Naples or Sorrento all year, and from Positano and Amalfi in season. There's no airport, and no car ferry is useful to visitors (non-resident cars are banned for most of the year).

Compare times and book on Ferryscanner. Our route guides cover Naples to Capri and Sorrento to Capri step by step.

From Naples airport

Naples airport is closed for runway works in November 2026, with flights moved to Salerno Costa d'Amalfi, so check your dates. Normally the Alibus runs from the airport to Molo Beverello for €5 in about half an hour.

With bags, a pre-booked transfer to the port is easier: Welcome Pickups offers private airport and port transfers.

From Rome

Take a high-speed train to Napoli Centrale, then a taxi or bus to the port. Search times and fares on Omio's Rome to Naples page or read our guide to Rome to Naples.

With the transfers between station, port and island, Capri as a day trip from Rome is a very long day.

Getting Around Capri

You'll mix walking, the funicular and small buses. There are no rental cars to worry about: non-resident vehicles are banned from 30 March to 2 November 2026 and over the New Year holidays.

• Funicular: Marina Grande to the Piazzetta in a few minutes, €2.40. It closes for maintenance for part of each winter; it reopened on 23 March 2026.
• Buses: small ATC buses link Marina Grande, Capri, Anacapri and Marina Piccola for €2.40, or €2.90 if you buy on board. From Anacapri, Staiano buses go to the Blue Grotto and the Punta Carena lighthouse.
• Day tickets: €8.20, including a €1 deposit, for the funicular or the ATC buses.
• Taxis: open-top convertibles with fixed fares on the main routes. Agree the price before you get in.
• Walking: Capri town is a web of pedestrian lanes, and many hotels are only reachable on foot.

Luggage is the hidden problem. Bags on the funicular or bus cost €2.40 each.

Porters wait at Marina Grande and deliver bags to hotels, which is worth it if you're staying overnight.

Or pack light.

Best Time to Visit Capri

May, June and September.

The sea is warm, the boats are running and the crowds are thinner than in July and August.

• Spring (April–May): highs around 17–20°C, or 63–68°F. Boats from Positano and Amalfi start in April.
• Summer (June–August): highs around 28–31°C, or 82–88°F, and the sea reaches about 26°C (79°F) in August. Busiest and most expensive.
• Autumn (September–October): September is ideal; October highs are about 21–23°C, or 70–73°F, and coast ferries wind down at the start of November.
• Winter (November–March): quiet, with shorter museum hours and many seasonal businesses closed. The Naples and Sorrento ferries keep running.

Planning the wider region? See best time to visit the Amalfi Coast and best time to visit Italy.

Is Capri Expensive? What a Trip Costs

Yes, staying on Capri is expensive, but a day on the island doesn't have to be. Hotels and restaurant tables cost the most; transport and sights are reasonable.

• Ferry from Naples or Sorrento: about €20–31 each way.
• Landing fee for day visitors: €5 from April to October, €2.50 in winter.
• Funicular or bus: €2.40 a ride, or €8.20 for a day ticket.
• Blue Grotto: €18 from the land side, about €41–42 by boat.
• Monte Solaro chairlift: €14 return.
• Round-island public boat: about €24–25.

Hotels drive the total. Staying on the mainland and visiting for the day is the budget move. If you're pricing Capri holidays from the UK, compare a Sorrento base against a night or two on the island.

Our Italy trip cost guide puts the whole trip together.

Capri Mistakes to Avoid

• Don't arrive at 11 a.m. in August and expect an easy day. Take the first boats or stay the night.
• Don't plan your day around the Blue Grotto. It closes when the sea is rough.
• Don't drag a big suitcase up the lanes. Use the porters or pack light.
• Don't count on the funicular in winter. It closes for maintenance for part of the season.
• Don't rent a car for Capri. Non-resident cars are banned for most of the year.
• Don't treat Anacapri as an afterthought. It's where the chairlift and the quieter side of the island are.
• Don't join a huge group if you can help it. Since 2026 the Comune has capped guided groups at 40 people and requires headphones for groups over 20.

Entry Requirements for US Travelers

US citizens can visit Italy visa-free for short stays. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully running since 10 April 2026, so your fingerprints and photo are taken at the first Schengen border. ETIAS, the €20 travel authorization, isn't running yet and has no launch date.

See our guide to Italy travel requirements before you fly.

Booking Checklist for Capri

1. Accommodation: book Capri and Anacapri hotels early for May to September. Start with our best hotels in Capri.
2. Ferries: book a fast boat from Naples or Sorrento; Ferryscanner, linked in the ferry section above, compares operators.
3. Tours: book a boat tour or the Blue Grotto ahead in summer; see day trips from Naples if you're based in the city.
4. Airport transfer: a private transfer to the port with Welcome Pickups (see Naples airport above) is easiest with luggage.
5. Trains: Rome to Naples tickets on Omio, linked in the Rome section above.
6. eSIM: we suggest Yesim for data in Italy; our Italy eSIM guide compares options.
7. Travel insurance: Visitors Coverage offers plans for US travelers.