Capri Island

‘Capri is a sun kissed island’, remarked the American actress and pop singer Lindsay Lohan on her first visit to the Italian island of Capri. And she is no exception – any other 18 year old sweet something or even her mother would have said the same thing. However, the charms of Capri may prove different when compared to the usual ‘sun and sea’ vacation spots offered by Honeymoon tour operators. Peace and tranquility rules supreme in Capri where all modes of vehicular traffic remain fully suspended.

Even though this serene island resort has been receiving visitors for little more than two thousand years (Caesar Augustus was the first royalty to discover the charms of Capri when he visited the island in 29 BC), Capri remains youthful even today. And because of the restriction imposed on mechanized traffic on the island, it has become a hiker’s paradise. Tourists accustomed to automobiles find exhilaration running through their veins, ambling through Capri’s undisturbed pathways.

What To See In Capri

Stride uphill to reach the Villa Jovis at the top of Mount Tiberius, the headquarters of the Roman Emperor by the same name who seemingly enjoyed punishing criminals in the most bizarre ways. The ill-fated victim was flung to the sea from an overhanging cliff and thus ending his life in the cruelest fashion. Today of course, this is mere tittle-tattle and all that remains of the villa of death are stony ruins silently lamenting the spiteful past.

To experience the most exhilarating entertainment that Capri is famous for, involves entering into a cavern half submerged within the sea and is known as the Blue Grotto. This entails lying flat on your back to clear the low entrance to the cave. But once inside, an ethereal blue light engulfs the whole of the cave which is caused by a thin sliver of sunlight filtering through the narrow entrance, first reflected and then refracted through the limestone cliffs hanging outside. It is indeed a lifetime experience not to be missed under any circumstances.

However, Capri also offers elegant dining and shopping for the visitor. The Piazza Umberto I, locally known as the Piazetta is where most of the sidewalk cafes are located. And like 24-hour coffee shops, these are open all through the day and night. Make yourself comfortable at any of these snack bars and order local dishes that are quite tasteful and health.