Capri Travel Guide — La Chic Society

Capri was always high on my list of places to travel to. An incredibly small and beach-y chic Italian island that is very polarizing and visited by millions of tourists and celebrities each year. The island has amazing restaurants, designer shopping, fabulous boutique hotels and villas. It also has stunning natural scenery which you can walk, hike or boat. While we were planning our trip, I read many travel blogs that suggested that Capri is a simple day-trip and one day would be enough to see the island. However, knowing me, and how I love to experience and take in all the culture, a “day-trip” to Capri WOULD NOT (underlined and bolded) be sufficient. I convinced my husband to stay 4 days in Capri and I’m SO happy we did! The minute our boat docked at the marina, I was so intrigued and captivated by Capri. I truly feel that the only way to capture the beauty and essence of this island is to spend multiple days there. There was so much I wanted to do and see (at leisurely pace) that cramming everything into 8 hours just seemed so unrealistic, and I hate the feeling of being rushed. To stay a few days in Capri is a personal preference, but, trust me when I say this, you will need more than one day!

How to Get to Capri:

There are a few different ways to get to Capri, depending on flights and where you live. We did a direct flight to Rome from Toronto (I would have loved a direct flight to Naples, but unfortunately, that is not an option). Then we flew with Alitalia from Rome to Naples. We had a driver pick us up from the airport in Naples and take us to the Ferry Dock. We then took a Ferry from Naples to Capri, it was a short ride (less than an hour. approx. 20 euros/person).

Capri’s iconic “Faraglioni”. Which are towering rock formations that were created by wave erosion. MASSIVE in real life! So much beauty!

Where to Stay:

We stayed at the Weber Ambassador. This hotel overlooks the bay of Marina Piccola and the famous Faraglioni rocks. Every 10-15mins the hotel offered a free shuttle service to and from the main Capri centre the “Piazzetta” (which is about a 7-10mins car ride). Our room came with a terrace which offered stunning views of Capri. Overall, I loved this hotel and would stay here again. The staff was super friendly and helpful, and the rooms were spacious and clean. We spent one day hanging out at the pool (the hotel has 3 pools- which by the way, also has a fantastic restaurant!). The other days were spent at one of the main beaches “Marina Piccola,”. There was a stairway from the hotel that took us directly to the beach. Like I said, FABULOUS location!

We had a HUGE terrace with beautiful views of the sea.

Where to Eat:

We had some of our most memorable dinners in Capri. The food was incredible (no surprise!- can you even eat bad in Italy? ..probably not;). The amount of pizza and pasta we ate was probably illegal haha but, we burned it all off with all the walking we did – so, I guess it all balanced out; )

Before I tell you all the restaurants we ate at, it is strongly recommended that you book dinner reservations at any restaurants you choose to dine at in Capri. It is sort of frowned upon if you show up to a restaurant wanting a table with no dinner reservations. I sorted out all of dinner reservations when we arrived to our hotel and had concierge book our dinner reservations for us. Italians enjoy late dinners. Booking dinner reservations between 8:30-10:00pm is very common, anything before that the restaurants are pretty empty.

Here are all the restaurants we ate at:

Aurora- Aurora is located in a small alleyway just off of the main “Piazzetta” (main square in Capri). The only way to describe this restaurant is ITALIAN HOLLYWOOD GLAM! The food was delicious, traditional Italian cuisine but, with a contemporary twist. The vibe was so on point! You can hear the the music from the street as you walk by, that is if you can walk by. Every night there was a lineup to get inside this Capri hotspot! During the summer months, this is a very popular dining destination among celebrities, models, athletes and international bloggers. All you have to do is take a glimpse at their Hollywood wall of fame located outside the restaurant or scroll through their Instagram page to see which A-lister has dined and partied there. I saw Victoria Secret model Isabel Goulart for the second time dining at Aurora, and P.Diddy and his crew were there the night after. Book a reso here I promise you will not be disappointed!

La Capannina- Another restaurant that is not far from the main square of Carpi. La Capannina has been around for over 80 years. It is a family owned restaurant which offers traditional “Caprese” cuisine. The service and hospitality at this restaurant was FANTASTIC! They immediately greet you at the door with the biggest smiles and are genuinely happy you are dining at their restaurant. You can feel the warmth by the owners the minute you walk in, not to mention the décor is so Italian and incredibly charming. Picture pink tablecloths, red roses and string lights hanging from the chandeliers. The food was so delicious, we ate here two nights in a row, and the wine list was next level. They offer everything from pizza, pasta, fish- there is something for everyone on the menu! La Capannina is also a celebrity favourite! A true gem in Capri that’s for sure! p.s Make sure you order the “Figliata” it is out of this world!!!!!

Buca di Bacco- This charming and cozy restaurant is within steps of the Piazzetta. Their menu features fresh fish and seafood dishes along with locally sourced ingredients. They offer intimate dining rooms and make very good Neapolitan-style pizza. Ask for the table near the little window that over looks the sea.

Buonocore Gelateria– Hands down THE BEST gelato you will find in Capri. Located just off the Piazzetta, you can smell the deliciousness of the handmade waffle cones that are being made on the spot. The entire street smells like a bakery and will instantly grab your attention. The lineups can get very long after dinner but, trust me, it is SO WORTH IT! I highly recommend getting the pistachio gelato! So, SO GOOD!

There are many spots to grab an espresso/cappuccino/Nutella cornetto in the Piazzetta, you can’t go wrong with any of them. Capri’s Piazzetta is also a great spot to go for an appertivo. I tried my first Lemoncello Spritz there it was divine! Grand Hotel Quisisana (an Italian luxury hotel) is beautiful spot we grabbed pre-dinner drinks as well.

BEST restaurant for authentic Caprese cuisine

Early mornings in Capri. Off to find a cappuccino and Nutella cornetto…

What To Do in Capri:

Head to the Beach: We enjoyed Marina Piccola as it was just steps away from our hotel. I liked this beach because it was mainly locals. If I had spent just one more day in Capri I would have visited Lido del Faro Beach as well. This is also a popular with the locals. It’s located in Anacapri. I’ll have to save that for next time;)

Rent a Boat and tour the island/Faraglioni Rocks/ Blue Grotto: We had planned this through our hotel concierge, but did not have any luck as the last 2 days during our stay in Capri the waters were VERY rough. When the waters are rough, you will not see a single boat in the sea – not even those multi-million dollar yachts. Adding “boat tour” to the list of things to do for next time.

Shopping: Shopping in Capri is a dream. The boutiques have unique merchandise you won’t find anywhere else in Italy. Of course, you fill find lemoncello almost everywhere and Italian hand painted ceramic bowls covered in lemons.

If you love designer shopping, Capri is the spot! Endless temptation in the streets of Capri. My favourite shopping was visiting the family owned linen boutiques. The selection of Italian linen pieces was incredible! All the boutiques offered high quality linen pieces, everything from linen dresses, pants, crop tops etc. I highly recommend stopping in one, you will feel just like a local. Capri is known for their sandals. Handmade Italian sandals can be custom-made for you while you wait. There are many shops near the main square where you can get a custom pair made with jewels, pompoms etc. The options were endless.

Visit La Fontelina Beach Club: La Fontelina Beach Club was by far my favourite day spent in Capri. I had seen beautiful images of La Fontelina for years. It is so iconic and glamourous I couldn’t wait to spend an entire day there. I highly recommend booking reservations in advance as they do get booked up pretty fast. There are two ways you can get there. You can take a water taxi OR you can walk/hike down. We hiked down, which felt so long, it’s A LOT of steps but, SO WORTH IT! Once you get to the bottom, and you look over, you will see the massive Faraglioni rocks, oh my goodness, it is so surreal, I can’t even describe it! ( This also acts as a hint that you are getting closer to La Fontelina). La Fontina is the perfect place to lounge in one of their navy beach chairs the entire afternoon with an Aperol Spritz in hand , and enjoy the music, view, vibe and live the Capri life…. la dolce vita style!

Marina Piccola beach. This was just a short walk down from our hotel.

One of the main streets for luxury shopping that you can find just minutes aways from the Piazzetta

If you are looking for that handbag or shoes that are EXCLUSIVE and nobody will have back home…CAPRI is the place to purchase it!

The Sea Gull offers the best selection of Italian hand painted ceramics in all of Capri. This shop was located just before you entered the main square of Capri.

What to Pack:

There’s definitely a very beach-y chic style in Capri that I notice during my few days there. The local women were always in dresses. Maxi dresses, slip dresses, linen dresses etc. Luckily, that’s exactly what I packed. Because, we travelled to Capri in July, it was VERY HOT! I personally, would avoid bringing denim and wearing black. White, ocean blue and pastel colours were very popular. As for footwear, bring shoes that are comfortable, because, trust me, you will need them on those Italian cobblestones roads. I accessorized all my outfits with straw hats and handbags and layered my gold jewelry.

And that’s it guys! If you have any questions about Capri drop them below! I’ll be happy to answer them .

Xo Jessica

#chictravels