Capri: island for "Dolce Vita"

The islands of Italy - Capri, Sicily, Sardinia, Ischia - have always been associated with us with an elite holiday at sea. Everything here breathes peace and harmony. So you want to indulge in such a state of mind that the Italians themselves call dolce vita - a sweet life. Especially paradise looks Capri - a small island, which, according to Homer, used to live sirens. These sea mermaids were attracted by beautiful voices to the sharp reefs of seafarers, causing shipwrecks. Now the sirens are not visible, but their voice is still heard. If you ever visit Capri, you will want to return here again and again.

Location:

Unlike Sardinia and Sicily, Capri is an island of no volcanic origin. It is formed by a limestone rock. Therefore, the island is relatively low. Mount Monte Solaro rises only 590 meters above sea level. Rains and the sea surf gave the island the present bizarre relief with many grottoes and caves. By the way, in one of them (near the port of Marina Piccolo) lived a Cyclops-cannibal. He captured Odysseus' team, but the inventive hero found a way to slip away with his friends, hiding behind a herd of sheep. A ten-square-kilogram sushi is located in the south of the Gulf of Naples in the Tyrrhenian Sea. A strip of water with a width of only 10 km separates Capri from the Sorrentine peninsula.

How to get there

The closest is to sail to Capri from the city of Sorrento. The boat will take you to the place in twenty minutes. The journey from Naples will be twice as long. Also in forty minutes drive from Capri island Ischia. All ships arrive in the northern harbor - Marina Grande or Piccola. There are two cities on the island. In both, fifteen thousand people live, but the main populated area is Capri. It is always the young heart of the island. Anacapri is considered a city in which lovers of time spend a more relaxing holiday.

What other attractions does Capri (island) have? The map shows that apart from these two cities, on the southern coast there are interesting places for tourists: Faraglioni, Migliara, Lido del Faro. Due to the small size of the island from local transport, there are only taxis and minibuses. From the Grand Harbor (Marina Grande) directly to the metropolitan area of Umberto can be reached by cable car. It was built in 1907. The car reaches a distance of 650 meters.

History

It is believed that the name of the island gave the goat Amalfee. This mythical animal nurtured here with his milk the god Zeus. In Italian, the goat is kaprie (Capri). This island was known as a resort even in times of ancient Romans. Especially he was loved by the emperor Octavian Augustus, who preferred the curative mineral keys of Ischia to the paradise of Capri. On the island he built the Sea Palace. His successor, Emperor Tiberius, also liked to spend time here away from palace intrigues. He owes the island the terms (Bagni di Tiberio).

In the Middle Ages, many monastic monasteries appeared on Capri. Since the Renaissance, the island has once again become synonymous with a luxurious holiday. Here he builds his villas all the nobility of the kingdom of Naples. A mild climate, fueled by the scent of pine needles, was considered a panacea for tuberculosis in the 19th century. Many Russian aristocrats, as well as writer Maxim Gorky, were treated for this ailment. He was visited by V. Lenin and F. Shalyapin.

Accommodation

The island holds an elite place of rest to this day. Here you can easily see on the beach or promenade of stars of the first magnitude - from Naomi Campbell to John Travolta. Many Hollywood actors, sportsmen and just tycoons have villas on Capri. All this contributes to the fact that this place is called the "golden island of Capri". Tours to the monastery "Dolce Vita" are by no means cheap. On a tiny island there are about seventy hotels, but it is unlikely that you will be able to book a budget number. The price for a small room varies within a hundred euros per day, the cost of a decent apartment is 700 Є. Especially off-scale prices in the capital. On the Umberto square in the town of Capri, even a glass of soda costs five euros, and for a sandwich you need to shell out for all twelve.

sights

"Capri is an island of paradisiacal idleness," wrote Emperor Augustus about this place. But nevertheless one must overcome laziness to enjoy its many natural and historical sights.

Azure Grotto was opened only in the 20-ies of the twentieth century, but it has already become the "calling card" of the island. You can get there only with a calm sea, on low boats, and riders should duck. The sight will amaze you. You probably believe that here lived the sirens sung by Homer. Not far from the grotto are the ruins of Gradola - the villa of Emperor Augustus. Villa Jupiter is located on the east of the island. No less interesting are the gardens of Augustus and the cave of Cybele - the mother of the gods.

The Middle Ages left on the island a lot of churches and monasteries - beautiful examples of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

And, finally, the attractions of nature. In addition to the Azure Grotto, you need to see the rocks of Faraloni - three steep limestone reefs.

Beaches

The island of Capri, whose photo resembles an earthly paradise, alas, has very few good beaches. As it is usual on the rocky coast, it is completely pebbly here. And it's good if he does. A lot of hotels on the so-called first line of the sea actually rise on a high cliff, from which the staircase descends to the shore. Swimming places are often platforms. A small strip of sand is near Marina Marina Piccola. And if you came to Capri with a small child, you can not find a better place than Bagni Tiberio beach.