May 15, 2024 - Classic Italy

Capri
 

On this, our first real day of the Italy tour, the destination was the island of Capri.

Sorrento is on the south side of the big Gulf of Naples.  Capri is a small island to the west of Sorrento.

We met today's tour guide in the hotel lobby, boarded a shuttle, and were soon down the hill at Sorrento Harbor.  Walking out on the jetty, we passed a number of state-of-the-art racing sailboats.  Pretty cool; never seen anything like them before.
   
A close-up of one of the racing sailboats.  Look how wide it is!
   
The jetty was packed; lots of people waiting to get on ferry boats.  Hope they are not all going to Capri!
   
Our ferry boat pulls up.
   
Heading west at high speed to Capri.  That's Vesuvius at left.  This ferry was strictly functional.  There were seats like a jet airliner which you had to sit in.  There was no place to walk around outside or topside.
   

It didn't take long to get to Capri Harbor -- which was almost identical in layout to Sorrento's -- and the town of Marina Grande.

Capri has been a resort since the time of the Roman Republic.  There were twelve Imperial Romans villas in Capri, the most famous of which is Emperor Tiberius's Villa Jovis, one of the best-preserved Roman villas in Italy.  Now, Capri is a tourist destination for both Italians and foreigners.
   
Off the ferry boat and onto the main pier.   Notice the road along the side of the mountain at top center.  We would soon be on it.
   
Another look at colorful Capri.
   
Unusual convertible taxiis.
   
The big tourist attraction on Capri is The Blue Grotto.  Our guide said we should do it first, and try to get there as soon as possible, to beat the crowds.  It's on the northwest corner of the island.  There are two ways to get to it -- by boat, or by shuttle bus.  The tour guide decided it would be faster to go by shuttle bus so that's what we did.  Soon we were on a narrow road overlooking Capri harbor.
   
Nice view!  Capri reminded me of Catalina Island, off Los Angeles.
   
The shuttle bus went as far as it could go, and after a short walk, and down some stairs, we were at the Blue Grotto.  There was a line, as you can see.  But according to our guide it wasn't bad.  I estimated we waited about 30 minutes to get into the Blue Grotto boat.  Not bad.
   
In this picture you can see the larger boats that transport people from Capri Harbor to here.
   
You transfer from the larger boats to the dinghys that actually go into the grotto.
   
Or, if you didn't come by boat, you stand in this line here, and board the dinghy at the bottom of the steps.
   
Each dinghy carries three tourists, plus the professional rower.
   
I'm not sure how they determine whose turn it is to go but I'm sure they have a system as they do this every day.
   
 
   
We finally got into a dinghy!
 
This picture is from the dinghy, looking back at the steps where we waited in line.
   
Here we go!
   
 
   
The rower pulled the dinghy -- using a cable -- through a three-foot high entry hole and we were in the famous Blue Grotto!  Sorry for the poor picture quality, but you get the idea.
   
A couple of Roman emperors liked to hang out here.
   
The entire ride through the grotto took maybe five minutes.   But it was fun; I'm glad we did it.
   
Back into the world of light.
   
Soon we were sitting outside, enjoying lunch at this restaurant in Anacapri town , located in the center of the island.  That's our tour guide, in the pink shirt at left.
   
Check out that unusual tree at right in
   
A closer look at that wild tree.
   
One of the things to do in Anacapri is ride the single-seat chairlift up to the 1,900-foot summit of Monte Solaro.  We always like to go for the high ground, so we did that.  That's Lynnette ahead of me.
   
A few seconds before,  Lynnette getting on the chairlift.
   
I wonder how this homeowner feels about a never-ending stream of tourists passing over his backyard?
   
Getting steeper now.
   
Now exploring the top of Monte Solaro.  The views from up here were amazing.
   
Looking east at the south side of Capri.   The Amalfi Coast can be seen in the distance.   The jagged islands at right are the Faraglioni Rocks.
   
A closer look at the Faraglioni Rocks.  The pink buildings nearest the rocks was an American R&R base during World War II.  Eisenhower and Churchill met there.
   
On the peak closest to Cape Sorrento, you can see the distant ruins of Emperor Tiberius' palace, Villa Jovis.
   
Looking out over the Gulf of Naples with Vesuvius faintly visible at left.
   
You can walk down but we chose to ride down.
   
A nice aerial view of Anacapri.
   
Some info on Capri.
   
We walked by this colorful cemetery.
   
A different view of the Harbor.
   
We had a few minutes to check out Marina Grande.
   
Looking at all the boats in the harbor.
   
The little beach in Marina Grande.
   
 
   
Back at Sorrento harbor, there is activity on the racing sailboats.
   
Bullitt, named after the Steve McQueen character in the movie, perhaps?
   

Underway!

So our first day was a success.  That night, at a reception dinner in the hotel, we met all the people our our Classic Italy tour.
   
 
   
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