Italy 2025: Guide to Capri

Capri is, so far, my favorite place in the world (check back with me at the end of the year). One of the most famous islands in Italy, heck, in the world, located off the coast of what has to be the lemon capital of the world: the Amalfi Coast.  

Now, the Amalfi Coast is not real. It is a fever dream of Italian sea sculpted rock, filled with fresh sea air, sunshine, seafood, pasta, and most importantly, Aperol Spritz.

Let me start with the cold hard honest truth: this is the most expensive place I have ever been. It is not a cheap trip, but it is worth it, and lucky for you, I have been three times, so I can tell you how to do it right and still be mindful of your budget.

As I stated earlier, this is the most magical island in the world. Do not argue with me.

So when our friends invited us to their wedding in Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, I knew I had to take Nick to the happiest place on earth: the Amalfi Coast.

But where do you go on the Amalfi Coast?

Duh. Capri.

Where to start? How to get to the island of your dreams… 

If you did not read my last blog, I will reiterate my most important point: do not fly into the airport closest to your destination. In this case, that would be Naples.

It is generally far more expensive, with more layovers, to fly into smaller airports, the same goes for Europe. That is why Nick and I began our journey in Rome. Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is usually the easiest airport to get to and often the cheapest when flying to Italy.

A lot of people going to the same wedding as us paid hundreds more for their flights and had two layovers. We had one layover on the way there and a direct flight back to Minneapolis. And considering the train from Rome to Naples is only 1 hour and 10 minutes, I will take that over a second layover every single time.

For 28 euro a person, on what you will quickly learn is my favorite train company, Italo, Nick and I sat in business class in two very comfortable chairs with more than enough room for our luggage, which is saying a lot because you know I overpacked.

From there, you obviously have to take a boat to the island.

We took an Uber from the train station to the port, which we would have needed to do from the airport anyway. We opened Uber as soon as we arrived and summoned a car, but it took a while, so I highly recommend building in extra cushion time between your train arrival and ferry departure.

The ferries from Naples to most of the Amalfi Coast and the islands leave roughly every hour. In my experience, they are all fairly comparable, so you do not need to overthink which one you book. We took Navigazione Libera del Golfo to Capri. Our tickets, including four bags, were about 35 euro per person.

We made it to the port to board the ferry by the hair of our chinny chin chins, even though I gave us an hour of cushion time. Next time, I would do two.

The train station is basically in the middle of nowhere, our Uber took longer than expected, and there did not seem to be taxis waiting around. Booking a car ahead of time would have been much smarter.

We boarded, and about 45 minutes later, and three Peroni beers in for Nick, we arrived at heaven.

The boat stopped and Nick looked at me and said, “This is it? This is us?”

I laughed and said, “Yes… now, get our bags.”

The second he stepped off that boat he stopped and, I kid you not, teared up. He is going to kill me for writing this, but I need you to understand the out of body experience of stepping onto that island for the first time.

He stopped right there on the dock, nearly tripped a family behind him, pulled out his phone, and immediately started taking photos.

I cannot really explain what that moment meant to me. Sharing this secret little piece of the world that I discovered at 18 with the love of my life felt like growing wings and flying.

I just knew our next three days would be ones we would never forget.

Now, back to logistics.

McKenna, how did you know to book the train? The ferry? Where do you go? How do you do it?

I am glad you asked.

If you did not read my last blog, I will remind you: Rome2Rio will save your life.

Plug in any place in the world and any place in the world where you want to go, and it will show you every option: trains, ferries, buses, cars, flights, how long each route takes, how much it costs, and direct links to booking sites.

It saves me every single time I go to Italy.

I will circle back once I have tested whether it is just as magical outside of Italy.

Where to Stay

This is very important, so please listen up.

I am not one of those anti “tourist trap” traveling weirdos. Tourists do things for a reason, because we do not live there. We are tourists. I hate that crap. I live in Minneapolis and would never tell someone not to go to the Mall of America. Why would you not? Shop till you drop, eat a good meal, and ride some rides at Nickelodeon Universe, although it will always be Camp Snoopy to us OGs.

What I am about to tell you slightly contradicts the above statement, but stay with me. Do not stay in Marina Grande.

Yes, it is a tourist trap, but the bigger issue is that so many day trippers come in from Sorrento, Positano, and other parts of the coast, just to spend the day in Capri, and they all land in Marina Grande. I would know because I used to be one of those day trippers.

It gets very crowded and a little overwhelming during the day, especially if you are actually staying on the island and want to enjoy it. Do not get me wrong, the souvenir shops are great, and yes, I did buy my souvenir crewneck there, but it is a lot to stay by that port.

Instead, stay in Marina Piccola.

Most day trippers do not even make it to that part of the island. It is less crowded, calmer, and in my opinion, better shopping. I was going to say it feels more for people with money, but that feels gross, so I will leave it at that.

To get to Marina Piccola from Marina Grande, where your ferry will inevitably drop you off because they all do, you can take the funicular or, again, if you pack like I do, a taxi.

The taxis here are fabulous and honestly part of the fun. They are little open top convertibles, also known as “Barbie cars.”

They are not cheap, 25 euro one way, so we only took them to get to the hotel when we arrived and to get back down when we left. Capri is only four square miles, so unfortunately no matter how you do it, you are overpaying for transportation. Otherwise, we took the funicular, which costs just a couple euro one way, or the bus, which is also only a couple euro per ride. 

Beware, the workers use the buses too, and they can get quite packed between workers and tourists, especially at the end of the night. 

Also, do not book transportation through your hotel unless you want to waste an extra 20 euro each way.

We stayed at Hotel della Piccola Marina. A reasonably priced (for Capri) four star hotel. 

Now I need to pause here before I tell you about this fabulous hotel and remind you that we stayed in mid May, which is considered off season. June through August will be much more expensive. Not just your stay, but beach clubs and boat tours too.

The hotel is right off Marina Piccola’s main square, which made walking into town every day easy.

Getting your luggage there is no easy feat though.

The hotel sits down a very steep walking path that cars cannot drive down, so wear sensible shoes and be careful. I slipped once, thankfully not with luggage. It was raining, I had to pee, and I made the regrettable choice to run downhill, acting like a child at the public pool who knows full well running is against the rules. Do not run down that slope. I still have a scar on my knee from sliding down that hill, knee first. 

But once those glass doors open, the hotel is everything.

The concierge was incredibly kind and helpful, gave us a map, and showed us all around the island as well as where to go for our beach club transfer and boat tour.

However, the real magic happened when we got to our room.

We booked a superior room with a patio poolside on the ground level so we could walk straight out to the pool and pool bar, obviously.

Our room was huge. It looked directly onto the pool and beyond that, the ocean.

But the real star was the bathroom. Huge, with lots of shelving and storage, and beautiful white and black patterned tile from floor to almost ceiling that I absolutely want in my own home someday.

The closets were also huge, which meant I could unpack all my dresses and accessories and still have room left over.

Now, I am not going to lie to you, because I hope by now you know I would never, this room was about $1,000 for three nights in off season mid May.

However, it is bookable through Delta Stays, so you can use points and apply your credit if you are an American Express cardholder, which is exactly what I did. I used my $100 Delta Stays credit on my Amex Gold, which made it hurt a little less.

Now let me tell you the biggest selling point of this hotel.

Yes, the location is great. Yes, the rooms are huge. Yes, the bathroom looks like it belongs in Palace of Versailles. Yes, you can drink an Aperol Spritz poolside with taralli while hanging off a cliff staring at the ocean. Yes, the place is covered in pink flower bushes.

But the real selling point is the continental breakfast. This is where we made our money back.

It may be the best hotel breakfast I have ever had. There were more breads and pastries than I have ever seen in my life, plus jams, cream cheese, Nutella, fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, cereal, meats, cheeses, fresh caprese, grilled vegetables, and my personal favorite, Torta Caprese.

I had two slices of that decadent chocolate almond cake every morning to start my day.

There were assorted juices, and the kindhearted staff brought coffee made to order every morning.

Let us just say, I will be back.

My only complaint was whoever cleaned our room left the floor soaking wet and sticky every day. One day I actually fell on my behind and had to complain. It also created mud from the dirt  our shoes inevitably brought in.

I do not know what steroid floor cleaner they were using, but they should stop.

Now onto activities!

La Fontelina

La Fontelina is Capri’s most iconic beach club. It has hosted celebs like Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, Dwyane Wade, and most importantly, Kendall Jenner.

Is it the most expensive beach club you will ever visit? Yes. Is it worth it for the breathtaking views and photo op? Also yes.

The price per person for entrance is 54 euro, and that gets you either a beach chair or a daybed.

The daybeds are basically a mattress on the ground, which felt a little odd, so we opted for the chic white and blue striped beach chairs.

However, like Miley Cyrus, you can have the best of both worlds. You can also purchase a mattress or an extra beach chair for another 24 euro, just in case your first chair gets old and you suddenly need a nap.

Do not be like me. Bring your own towel. When they ask if you want one, they will not mention that it costs 14 euro. And no, you do not get to keep it.

That added a lovely unexpected 28 euro to my bill.

Other extras include an umbrella for 24 euro, but honestly, why? Get some sun. You do not need an umbrella. 

If you book during peak season, like I said, June through August, check the website for exact dates, there is a 200 euro minimum spend required.

Your entrance fee counts toward that, and the rest can be covered through food and drinks.

Honestly, I would not stress too much about hitting it. Between our chairs, towels, drinks, and lunch, we spent 520 euro there without even trying.

The good news is they hold your chairs for you when you go up for lunch, and after what we paid, we were determined to make that beach club last all day. Until the last boat back to Marina Piccola. And we did.

You can also make a restaurant-only reservation with no minimum spend required. The restaurant is open the same hours as the beach club, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., which conveniently is also when the last boat leaves for Marina Piccola.

Now, if you want to skip the beach club and just go to the restaurant, it is expensive, but the food is well worth it. However, if you are already making the trek over there, I would just enjoy the beach club too.

Nick got the seafood risotto. I had a bite and it was super yummy. They do not skimp on the seafood here. However, I wasn’t taking any chances and ordered the seafood salad, a mix of clams and mussels in a delicious garlic sauce. They also had lasso fries! How American! To say this lunch was top-tier is an understatement. I even had an espresso martini!

For fresh seafood by the sea, I would definitely go here.

To get there, it is a little off the beaten path, and the only real way we found was by boat taxi, which conveniently picked us up near our hotel in Marina Piccola. I believe it was 9 euro a person one-way.

There may be another way, but if there is, I do not know it, and they certainly do not make it obvious on the website.

The port was a little confusing to find, and because nothing in Italy ever runs on time, do not be afraid to ask one of the restaurant staff down by the marina where you are supposed to be. We definitely did.

The walk down from our hotel to the port was long and involved a lot of stairs. We are hikers and in great shape, but if you are not, I would absolutely take a taxi.

It is a long way down.

Boat Cruise

Is there anything more fabulous than being on a boat in the ocean? The answer is no. No, there is not.

Every trip Nick and I take, if there is water, I book us a boat tour. We have now done boat tours in Maine, San Francisco, New York City, Capri, and Santorini.

So, I booked us the Capri and Blue Grotto Small Group Boat Tour through Viator for a whopping $210 a person. 

Now, I know what I said in the last blog, and I stand by it. Only book direct when booking museums and national monuments. For boat tours and beach clubs, go ahead and use Viator and GetYourGuide. Also, there is almost always a credit card deal on these, so make sure you check your cards for extra points or cash back before booking.

Be smart. Read the reviews.

We had an incredible time.

The boat left from Marina Grande, so we took the funicular down and got there early because the small boat docks can be confusing. 

Luckily, we were the first ones there, even before the boat itself, which honestly felt very on brand because Italians cannot tell time, so do not count on anyone being on time.

But that worked in our favor because we got the first choice of seats. Naturally, we chose the front foredeck sunbed, which is absolutely the best seat in the house.

There was one other group of four with us, a mother, her daughter, and what I think were her daughters’ friends, although I cannot say for sure because they sat in the back and I was not in a mingling mood that day. 

The tour was three hours and consisted of cruising around the entire island while getting the lowdown on all the different grottos.

Most importantly, at Blue Grotto, we got to get off the boat and go inside the cave. I had wanted to do this for years and never had the chance on my previous trips to Capri.

The water is a shade of blue so bright it seems manufactured. It was completely out of this world.

You get off the boat and into a little canoe, where I sat between Nick’s legs, basically laying on him, and you have to duck and lay very flat to get into the cave. There are videos of visitors not ducking and smashing their faces. Go ahead, look it up. 

But once you're in that cave, it is something right out of a Disney movie.

Once we were in, an Italian man began singing, and his bellowing deep voice and unfamiliar words filled and echoed throughout the cave. It was romantic as heck.

The Blue Grotto portion is an extra charge, cash only, and run by these intimidating Italian men who are actually pretty kind. It is 18 euro per person, and during peak season the wait can be one to two hours. Lucky for us, our wait was only about 20 to 30 minutes.

I would absolutely do this by boat so you can enjoy yourself while you wait. The people standing in line on land honestly just looked sad.

And now, the best part: lunch.

Not only because I love food, and everything was delicious breads and pizza style pastries, but because they also had a full assortment of gluten free options for me, which I appreciated.

Yes, it was a lot of carbs. No, I did not care.

But the real highlight was that we got to jump off the boat and swim.

Now, the ocean in mid May off the coast of southern Italy is freezing. I do regret jumping in a little bit. But it was still one of those experiences I will never forget. 

Shopping

The shopping on Capri is next level.

They have every designer you can think of, and rumor has it some of the shops on the island carry exclusive pieces.

They have everything: Gucci, Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Versace, Saint Laurent, Hermès, Prada, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Emilio Pucci.

Now, if you are balling on a budget like I was, have no fear. There are plenty of shops for those of us with tighter budgets too.

I found a fabulous little jewelry shop where I bought the most incredible pearl ring. We locked eyes in the window, and that ring has been my favorite piece in my collection ever since. Never underestimate the power of window shopping people! It was $134 from a beautiful little jewelry shop called Sabeli Capri.

I was really into jewelry that summer and bought a piece from every island we visited on that trip. I still wear every piece I bought, quite often, a year later.

There are tons of little mom and pop shops like this all over the island, from handmade jewelry to bags to shoes.

Nick got a pair of handmade espadrilles, because Italy is famous for handmade shoes, from a little shop in Anacapri whose name I cannot remember. He loves them and has worn them into the ground, literally. I fully plan to get myself a pair of homemade Italian shoes next trip.

Now, you cannot visit Capri without stopping at Carthusia, the exclusive Capri perfumeria.

I would say the pricing here is pretty standard for a nice perfume, around 20 euro for a travel size and usually 120 to 145 euro if you go for the largest size or a limited edition scent. 

These perfumes smell like paradise. I bought Gelsomini di Capri, which is jasmine inspired, and I wear it often. I bought the 80 euro mid-size bottle and genuinely regret not getting the larger one. They do ship worldwide, but it is not the same as buying it in store and is obviously more expensive.

Needless to say, I highly recommend stopping in. 

That said, they do have locations throughout Italy, so check if one is near wherever you are staying.

As always, do not forget to ask the cashier for your VAT tax refund paperwork, and make sure you bring your passport so they can fill it out correctly for you. I think I got about 12 euro back on that purchase alone, but more on VAT refunds in my Madrid blog.

The souvenir shops are great too. I got a fabulous little crewneck, and if you love lemons, you are in luck. You can buy anything and everything lemon: lemon scented, lemon decorated, lemon infused, and of course, limoncello.

Now let’s move on to everyone’s favorite… food and drinks!

If you do not know me and have not read my previous blogs, now is the time for me to tell you that I have Celiac disease, so most of my recommendations will at least be gluten free friendly.

Nick is not gluten free, so I always try to find restaurants that offer both, but yes, some gluten free bias is inevitable.

Ristorante Da Paolino Capri

This is the most famous restaurant on Capri, and there is a reason why stars like Oprah Winfrey, Magic Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, and our queen Kris Jenner dine here. It is a lemon-filled haven.

The entire restaurant, inside and out, is filled with lemon trees. You are literally dining under them. It is exquisite, and the staff is exceptional, dressed in matching outfits and waiting on your hand and foot. It was euphoric.

And you already know they had an incredible gluten-free menu. Nick got their famous lemon pasta, which he loved. He is a huge fan of lemon, by the way. I ordered their gluten-free ravioli. That is right. Gluten-free ravioli.

I also teared up when they brought Nick the bread basket and a separate gluten-free one for me. Now, the bread was pre-packaged and honestly not amazing, but the fact that they offered it gave them an extra star in my book.

I also became obsessed with gluten-free taralli this trip, so when I saw that in the basket, those packages immediately went into my purse. No one tell Louis Vuitton. 

The gluten eaters informed me that taralli is not good. I guess it is just me.

But on to the most important part, the dessert room. You heard that right, an entire room full of all-you-can-eat desserts for 30 euro. It was well worth it.

Our waiter asked if we were interested, and I said, “I am gluten free, is there anything in there for me?” He said, “Hold on, let me get the dessert chef.”

When I tell you the dessert chef came out and walked me through that entire room, explaining everything and putting all the gluten-free desserts on my plate, I felt like the queen of fricken Capri.

Some desserts were incredible, some were okay, but the ambiance, the wide menu, and the dessert room, plus the ice cream cart that unfortunately was not open because it was off season, make this place well worth it. It wasn’t cheap, but I regret not going twice.

Ristorante Pizzeria Verginiello

Stunning views and clean, simple Napoli pizza and tomato pasta. The food here just felt fresh.

We started our culinary journey like any good Italian, with mozzarella di bufala. If you did not know, mozzarella in Italy is generally made from buffalo milk, not cows like us stupid Americans, which honestly works out great for those of us who are lactose intolerant like me.

For entrees, I opted for a simple, gluten-free spaghetti sciuè sciuè, which was exactly what I wanted. Light and delicious spaghetti with fresh tomatoes and basil after a long day of travel.

Nick opted for a margherita pizza that was so picture-perfect, I could have sworn it was AI generated.

To add some vegetables to our diet (finally) we ordered a carciofi e patate side dish. A mix of artichokes, potatoes, and kalamata olives. It was absolutely delicious.

We washed it all down with limoncello and Aperol Spritzes, of course.

This meal was exactly what we needed. Like that first sip of lemonade on a hot day at the fair.

I would call it mid-tier pricing. Not cheap, but not overly expensive.

And speaking of lemons…

BGA Capri in the Piazzetta di Capri 

This place is filled with artisanal pastries and gelato. It looks like the most prestigious dessert shop in the world, and it might be. You will probably find the dessert of your dreams here, in its chicest form.

However, we came for one reason and one reason only: lemon sorbet served inside an actual lemon.

Please do not tell the Italians, but I am not a big fan of lemon. Like, I will not tip if you put a lemon wedge on my water glass level anti-lemon. Nick, however, is Mr. Lemon Head. He loves the stuff and cannot get enough, so he was lit up like a child with an extra pep in his step on our way to get our lemon desserts.

And he was right to be. They were delicious, and the serving they give you is large. I cannot lie, Nick had to finish mine. But we both regret only getting these once. They were sweet yet tart, so refreshing, and just really good.

I believe the sorbet ran us 7 euro, which is expensive for gelato in Italy, but well worth it. Go here!

The Hangout

I am bringing up The Hangout not for the girls, but for the guys.

This is the closest thing to a pub you will find on the island and it serves American food. Thou shalt have chicken wings and French fries. 

We did not eat here, but we did stop in for drinks a couple of times and to watch some soccer, or should I say football. 

It is a nice reprieve if you want a beer and a little taste of home. We even met some other Americans there who recognized us from the Minneapolis airport. What are the chances?

For a cheaper drink and a place to catch a game, why not?

Anacapri

Anacapri is great, and there is no doubt you should spend some time there.

This is where a lot of those little mom and pop handmade shops live, and the shopping is fantastic.

It is definitely quieter and slower paced, which is nice, but it also makes getting a taxi a little harder. We took the bus over, which I highly recommend, but again, can be crowded.

Casa Orlandi Ristorante e Pizzeria

Go here.

It is super reasonably priced and the pizza was delicious. If you want a no frills, all fun Italian meal, this place is it.

Not to mention, everything is colorful and nautical themed. I loved it and will absolutely be back.

This place had awesome Napoli style pizza, both gluten full and gluten free, and both were delicious.

Of course we had to try their lemon drinks, aka a limoncello spritz served to you on a lemon stand, inside a lemon.

Now, was this the best limoncello spritz I have ever had? Absolutely not. But was it worth drinking it out of a giant lemon, cheers-ing giant lemons, and taking a picture of our two giant lemons? Of course. 

Now let me tell you what I do not recommend on this side of the island...

The Punta Carena Lighthouse

So, we decided to save some money and take the bus to this infamous lighthouse that we apparently needed to see.

Wrong.

The bus does not bring you anywhere near this lighthouse.

We got off at the last stop in what felt like a deserted part of the island, then ended up on a small hike, not in the proper shoes or outfit, mind you, through this little woodsy area that also happened to be some sort of cat sanctuary.

Okay, I cannot lie, that part was awesome.

We met some very cute felines. Also, there is no rabies in Europe, and they treat stray cats like they are citizens, so feel free to approach with caution and pet if the cat’s mood feels right.

Finally, after our mini hike, we emerged at the lighthouse… which is surrounded by a lot of rock that, again, we were not dressed appropriately to climb on, and a brick wall, so you cannot even get very close to it.

We watched the sun go into the water, but to be honest, this was just not worth it.

Not worth the hike, there was no one around, and the one restaurant on the water had already closed for the night before sunset.

Just skip this, please.

Il Riccio Capri

I was so excited to go here and booked it for lunch on our last day before we hopped over to Ischia.

The lore around Il Riccio restaurant and beach club is that it has a Dior pop up partnership. The daybeds are Dior branded, the changing rooms are Dior branded, and it is supposed to be a luxurious experience.

If you know me, you know being unlucky is basically a synonym for McKenna, so of course it was raining the day we went. We could not get a drink by the pool, could not see the famous Dior beach bar setup, and the pop up shop was closed.

That was fine. I was still excited to eat some seafood overlooking the ocean and maybe hit their infamous dessert room.

Now, we were dressed nice. I was wearing a designer purse. I was there to spend money.

We were treated horribly.

Our waiter was rushing to get us out of the empty restaurant. There was ONE other table besides ours. He did not ask us if we wanted refills or anything. I wanted to order more food but was not even given the chance.

The worst part was I put under “special requests” that it was our 10 year anniversary on the reservation.

It was so bad that when the manager came over and asked how everything was, I said something.

Now, this person was very kind and offered us the dessert room for free, which is normally 30 euro a person, but that felt icky to me because at that point we already felt like we were being treated like we could not afford to be there.

Instead, they brought us a free round of drinks.

They ended up coming out with a flaming dessert for our anniversary, which was nice, and do not get me wrong, the lobster caprese was amazing, but I do not like going places that treat people like that.

I am not sure paying $286 was worth the treatment. And yeah, it was that expensive. For lunch.

Out of all the hyped up places on Capri, this one was not worth it.

Being Voted Off the Island

Eventually, you have to leave, because if you are reading this blog, I know you cannot afford to stay.

Now, again, check Rome2Rio to see all the ferry options that will take you back to Naples or on to other parts of the coast. From the port in Naples, it is an easy taxi to the airport or you can do the reverse of what I did and take the train.

For us, we ferried over to Ischia for our friend’s wedding. We booked an Alilauro ferry at 4:50 p.m., which first stopped in Positano. Another great destination I have unfortunately only been to once on a day trip. I got extremely carsick, more on that in my future Positano blog.

Then the ferry took us to Ischia. It was a slightly longer ride since we stopped in Positano first, but we arrived in Ischia at 5:40 p.m. for 32 euro a person, including bags.

This is why people tell you that once you get to Europe, you have to bop around. It is so cheap!

Anywho, this island is truly something out of a fairytale, and I hope you visit.