Capri is an island in the Naples bay, famous for its Grottos. The island can be commuted from Sorrento by a ferry which costs about 20 euros one way. Capri is the gay resort of Italy, rivaled only by the gay beaches of Venice. The island has two parts namely Capri and Anacapri.
Steer your way through Capri on a boat
Capri is famous for its huge boulders and amazing Grottos. There is a tour available for viewing the grottos and those who have sea sickness have to be mindful. The ferry ride is shaky and the boat ride inside the grotto is claustrophobic. But the view of the grottos is magnificent on the ride! The Green and emerald grottos had calcium formations on it. The island was made up of huge boulders which looks amazing.
The Blue Grotto
After we reached the blue grotto the yacht stopped and we now had to maneuver using row boats. The Blue Grotto is a natural sea cave, 60 meters long and 25 meters wide . The cave mouth is two meters wide but only roughly a meter high. There is a floating ticket counter where you pay 13 euros. Then the rower takes you in his boat to the entrance. The entrance is scary since it is very narrow and you have to duck in to enter.
Inside the blue grotto you will see the beautiful azure of the waters ; so blue you cannot fathom its beauty. The Rower sings a Neapolitan song that echoes along the walls.
The illumination from the Blue waters of Grotta Azzurra was considered eerie for centuries after Tiberius. The Blue Grotto, was abandoned and “feared by local sailors” because of legends of spirits and demons which inhabited the cave. But in 1826, the cave was “rediscovered” by German poet and painter August Kopisch The Blue Grotto became a major tourist attraction and iconic symbol for Capri ever since then.
The grotto is said to have sunk by up to 20 m in prehistoric times, blocking every opening except the 4 ft (1.3 m) high entrance and this is the key to the magical blue light. Sunlight enters through a small underwater aperture and is refracted through the water; this, combined with the reflection of the light off the white sandy seafloor, produces the vivid blue effect to which the cave owes its name.
A Relaxed evening at Capri
It is a touristy island hence all items are overpriced! You can enjoy the limoncello Liquor and Lemon Gelatos which are famous there. There is also fresh seafood readily available.
The island Anacapri is on the other side of the port. It can be reached by a Funicular which costs 5 euros. There is also the cable car ride which is very famous where you can have a bird’s eye view of the island.
It was a strenuous journey but worth the visit! We travelled during Easter and one downside of travelling at that time was that you are surrounded by a large crowd and congestion problems. You hardly find a ferry to get back home as they get fully booked. We were lucky we got a ferry to Naples.
Capri is an idyllic island with picturesque grottos and should definitely be on your list of places to see.
Article by: Lalitha Priyadharshini
