Capri After the Crowds: The Side of Italy’s Famous Island Worth Staying For

Where to Stay in Capri

J.K. Place Capri

Maritime style with a flair of Capri, discreetly attentive service and luxurious sea-view suites.

Capri Tiberio Palace

A chic Mediterranean retreat blending vintage glamour with contemporary design, just steps from Capri’s iconic Piazzetta.

Jumeirah Capri Palace

An art-filled sanctuary perched above the sea, where Mediterranean elegance meets world-class wellness and cuisine.

Things to Do in Capri

Capri’s most iconic view: the Faraglioni rocks. And somehow, even better in person.

Spend a Day on a Private Boat

If you only splurge on one experience in Capri, make it a private boat day around the island. Capri makes infinitely more sense from the water.

Spend the day cruising the coastline, swimming directly off the boat, seeing the Faraglioni up close, discovering little coves and grottos inaccessible from land and stopping somewhere for a long lunch.

This is not the day for a strict schedule. Swim when the water looks irresistible. Stay longer when you find the perfect cove. Have another glass of wine at lunch.

If you’re combining Capri with Positano, Amalfi, Ravello or another destination on the Amalfi Coast, your boat day can sometimes be incorporated into your overall transportation plan as well.

Have a Perfectly Unproductive Beach Club Day

A day dedicated to accomplishing almost nothing. Swim. Spritz. Repeat.

Capri’s beach clubs are one of the great pleasures of spending several nights on the island, and there are very different options depending on the experience you want.

La Fontelina
The blue-and-white umbrellas tucked beneath the Faraglioni have become one of the most recognizable images of summer in Italy. It’s iconic for a reason. Go for the setting, stay for a long lunch, swim beneath the Faraglioni and settle in for the day.

Da Luigi ai Faraglioni
Right next door, Da Luigi is another favorite. It’s an incredible setting for swimming beneath Capri’s famous rock formations followed by a long seafood lunch overlooking the Mediterranean.

Il Riccio
On the Anacapri side of the island, Il Riccio offers a more polished experience and is especially convenient if you’re staying in Anacapri. It has a completely different atmosphere from the clubs beneath the Faraglioni, which is exactly why choosing the right one matters.

The most important Capri beach-club tip: book ahead. July, August and September are not the time to assume you’ll simply walk into the island’s most sought-after clubs

Experience Capri After the Day-Trippers Leave

This is when the island really becomes magical. Wander through Capri town, have an aperitivo and enjoy dinner without worrying about catching the last ferry.

Explore Anacapri

Head uphill for a quieter, more relaxed side of the island. Browse the shops, wander its little streets and take your time over lunch. And have pizza at A-Ma-Re.

Leave an Afternoon Completely Unplanned

Capri is not a destination that needs to be scheduled from morning to night. Leave room for an extra-long lunch, an impromptu swim, some shopping or simply another drink with a view.

Where to Eat & Drink in Capri

Da Paolino

The iconic restaurant under the lemon trees and one of those quintessential Capri dinners worth doing at least once. Go for the lemon-scented dishes, fresh pasta and local seafood, and save room for the famous dessert buffet.

Zuma Capri

Chic, buzzy Japanese dining with one of the island’s standout sunset settings. The Fora article specifically calls out the black cod, spicy beef tenderloin, sushi and robata dishes.

Il Riccio

A glamorous seaside restaurant perched above the Blue Grotto, ideal for a long lunch after a morning on the water. The guide highlights raw seafood, spaghetti with sea urchin and lobster, followed by the Temptation Room for dessert.

La Capannina

A Capri institution since 1931, family-run and wonderfully old-school. Ravioli capresi, fresh local fish, seafood pasta and a strong wine list are the focus.

Le Grottelle

Rustic, casual and tucked into the cliffs near the Arco Naturale, with a terrace overlooking the sea. This is Capri without the scene.

A-Ma-Re Capri

A stylish waterfront spot at Marina Grande that works particularly well for a leisurely lunch or dinner by the sea. The pizza is the callout here.

The iconic restaurant under the lemon trees and one of those quintessential Capri dinners worth doing at least once. Go for the lemon-scented dishes, fresh pasta and local seafood, and save room for the famous dessert buffet.

What to Know Before Visiting Capri

Stay longer than you think. Patricia recommends at least three nights, particularly because Capri feels very different once the day-trip crowds leave.
Pre-arrange luggage transfers. You and your luggage may take completely different routes from Marina Grande to your hotel, so this is not the place to improvise on arrival.
Understand Capri vs. Anacapri. Capri town puts you closer to restaurants, shopping and evening energy; Anacapri is quieter and more resort-like.
Book priorities early. In high season, sought-after beach clubs, boats and restaurants can fill well in advance.
Don’t underestimate Marina Grande. It can feel chaotic when several ferries arrive at once, so transfers and luggage arrangements are worth sorting beforehand.
Give a boat day a full day. Patricia’s view is that Capri is best appreciated from the water rather than squeezed into a short sightseeing slot.
Unpopular opinion: don’t plan the day around the Blue Grotto. If the wait is enormous, skip it and spend that time swimming and exploring the coastline instead.
Pack practical shoes. Capri is glamorous, but it is also steep, rocky and full of stairs.
Do not overplan. Capri works best when there is room for long lunches, wandering, shopping, swimming and doing absolutely nothing.
Stay out after dinner. Experiencing Capri town once the day-trippers have left is one of the strongest arguments for actually staying on the island.
Think about routing. If Capri is part of a larger Amalfi Coast, Naples or Sorrento itinerary, ferries, boats, private transfers and luggage logistics can materially change how seamless the trip feels.

Need to know

Stay longer than you think. I recommend at least three nights. Capri is at its busiest during day-trip hours, and the island becomes infinitely more magical once the ferries leave and the streets quiet down.
Pre-arrange your luggage transfers. You and your luggage may take completely different routes from Marina Grande to your hotel. This is not the destination to arrive with multiple suitcases and figure it out on the spot—have the logistics organized before you arrive.
Know the difference between Capri and Anacapri. Where you stay will have a major impact on your experience. Capri town puts you closer to restaurants, shopping, and evening energy, while Anacapri is quieter and better suited to travelers looking for more of a resort-like escape.
Book the important things early. During high season, the most sought-after beach clubs, private boats, and restaurants can fill up well in advance. Secure your priorities, then intentionally leave some of your itinerary open.
Don’t underestimate Marina Grande. Capri’s main port can feel chaotic when several ferries are arriving at once. Having your transportation and luggage arrangements sorted beforehand makes for a much smoother start to your stay.
A boat day is non-negotiable. Capri is best appreciated from the water. Give yourself a full day rather than squeezing a quick boat tour into an already-packed itinerary.
Unpopular opinion: Don’t plan your day around the Blue Grotto. It’s beautiful, but the wait can be incredibly long in peak season for a very short experience. If there’s a huge line, skip it and spend that time swimming in a quiet cove and exploring Capri’s coastline instead.
Beach clubs require planning. If La Fontelina, Da Luigi ai Faraglioni, or Il Riccio is on your wish list, don’t assume you’ll simply walk in. Make a reservation and give yourself the whole day to enjoy it—long lunch, swim, spritz, repeat.
Pack appropriate shoes. Capri is glamorous, but it’s also steep, rocky, and full of stairs. Comfortable shoes are essential for exploring, and water shoes can be useful for the island’s rocky swimming spots.
Don’t overplan. Capri isn’t a destination where you need six activities every day. Leave room for an extra-long lunch, wandering through town, shopping, an afternoon swim, or simply having nowhere you need to be.
Experience Capri at night. Don’t retreat to your hotel immediately after dinner. Walk through Capri town, stop for a drink, and enjoy the atmosphere after the day-trippers have gone—it’s one of the biggest reasons I recommend staying on the island.
Think about Capri as part of your overall Italy itinerary. If you’re combining Capri with the Amalfi Coast, Positano, Ravello, Naples, or Sorrento, the order matters. Smart routing, boat and ferry schedules, private transfers, and luggage logistics can make the difference between an itinerary that feels complicated and one that feels completely effortless.