Sailing in Capri, a unique boating experience

Italy is home to some of the Med’s most iconic tourist destinations. One of the them is the small island of Capri, a yacht hub where the great and the good of the international jet set gather every year. Located in the Gulf of Naples, this gem boasts a coastline of 6 kilometers to explore on a boat.

Discover Capri, a bright Mediterranean gem

Many tourists visiting Capri in the summer start their trip with a yacht charter in Naples, the indisputable queen of South Italy, famous for its delicious cuisine and picturesque beauty, as well as the Vesuvius volcano towering over the city. Naples is just 17.3 nautical miles away from Capri, so you can sail to the island on a sailboat or even a small motorboat.

Surrounded by the azure waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the coast of the island is particularly popular among boaters for its countless caves and sea stacks. Your main option to dock is Marina Grande on the north of the island, consisting of two basins: a commercial harbour on the west side and a modern marina hosting leisure yachts on the east. Your other option is Marina Piccola on the south, a smaller sheltered harbour that tends to be quite busy in the summer.

Capri is relatively small, which means that you can circumnavigate it in a day or two. We recommend the beaches around Marina Piccola or Saracen Town beach. Alternatively you can opt for the beaches close to Marina Grande, although they are close to the harbour and tend to be crowded in the summer. If you sail in Capri don’t miss the opportunity to approach the steep rock formations called ‘Faraglioni’ which have become the symbol of the island along with the Blue Grotto. Here there is no sandy beach, but a series of rocky cliffs from which seasoned swimmers dive in the water – not for the faint of heart!

Sail in Capri to visit the famous Blue Grotto

Sailing in Capri is a unique experience, offering you the opportunity to visit the island’s most famous landmark: the Blue Grotto, a sea cave on the northwest of the island. This small cavern took its name from the otherworldly hues of blue the water takes when daylight invades through an underwater cavity. With a boat hire in Capri you visit this iconic place in the afternoon when most visitors have already gone.

What to do in Capri

Everywhere on the island you will find traces of Roman times, as the island had already been a popular tourist destination 2,000 years ago! Examples include the remains of the Villa di Jovis, built by the Emperor Tiberius, the famous “Red House” (a Roman villa) and Certosa di San Giacomo.

Since the nineteenth century, Capri has been the go-to resort of the European aristocracy and elite. Royals and celebrities such as Prince Rainier, Grace Kelly, the Windsors, Elizabeth Taylor, Aristotle Onassis and Jackie Kennedy owned holiday homes here. No wonder why even today the island is considered a high-end destination where VIPs mingle with the locals and life is sweet – or ‘dolce vita’ as the locals would call it! As for the local cuisine, the famous Caprese Cake, a chocolate-filled culinary wonder, is not to miss!

Capri may not be your ordinary tourist destination, being a high-end yachting hub, but it will certainly impress you with its natural beauty and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Once you have visited every one of its remote coves and idyllic beaches, you can sail to the nearby town of Sorrento or cruise along the picturesque Amalfi coast. For a longer trip, opt for Sardinia, another Italian gem.