Welcome to Capri

Capri’s fabled beauty and refined hedonism has charmed them all, from Roman rulers and Russian revolutionaries to Hollywood legends. It’s the perfect microcosm of Mediterranean appeal, a fusion of glittering grottoes and coves, Roman ruins and chichi piazzas.
Already inhabited in the Palaeolithic period, the island was briefly occupied by the Greeks before Emperor Augustus made it his private playground and Tiberius retired here in AD 27. Its modern incarnation as a tourist centre dates from the early 20th century.

It’s also a favourite day-trip destination and a summer favourite of holidaying VIPs. Inevitably, the two main centres, Capri Town and its uphill rival Anacapri, are almost entirely given over to tourism, with the high prices that follow. But explore beyond the designer boutiques and cafes and you’ll find that Capri retains an unspoilt charm, with grand villas, overgrown vegetable plots, sun-bleached, peeling stucco and banks of brilliantly coloured bougainvillea.