Islands of Italy - Capri, Sicily, Sardinia, Ischia - we have always associated with elite seaside vacations. Everything here breathes peace and bliss. One wants to indulge in such a state of mind, which the Italians themselves call dolce vita - the sweet life. Capri looks especially heavenly - a small island on which, according to Homer, sirens used to live. These sea mermaids lured sailors to the sharp reefs with beautiful voices, causing shipwrecks. Now the sirens are not visible, but their voice is still heard. If you ever visit Capri, you will want to come back again and again.
Location
Unlike Sardinia and Sicily, Capri is not an island of volcanic origin. It is formed by limestone rock. Therefore, the island is relatively low. Monte Solaro rises only 590 meters above sea level. Rains and sea surf gave the island its present bizarre relief with many grottoes and caves. By the way, in one of them (near the port of Marina Piccola) lived a cannibalistic Cyclops. He capturedteam of Odysseus, but the resourceful hero found a way to sneak away with his friends, hiding behind a herd of sheep. A piece of land with an area of \u200b\u200bten square kilometers is located in the south of the Gulf of Naples of the Tyrrhenian Sea. A strip of water only 10 km wide separates Capri from the Sorrento Peninsula.
How to get there
The closest boat to Capri is from the city of Sorrento. The boat will take you to the place in twenty minutes. The journey from Naples will be twice as long. Also a forty minute drive from Capri is the island of Ischia. All ships arrive in the northern harbors - Marina Grande or Piccola. There are two cities on the island. Both are inhabited by fifteen thousand people, but Capri is considered the main settlement. This is the eternally young heart of the island. Anacapri is considered a city where connoisseurs of a more relaxing holiday like to spend time.
What other attractions does Capri (the island) have? The map shows that in addition to these two cities, there are places of interest for tourists on the south coast: Faraglioni, Migliara, Lido del Faro. Due to the small size of the island, only taxis and minibuses are available from local transport. From the Grand Harbor (Marina Grande) you can take the funicular directly to Piazza Umberto. It was laid in 1907. The trailer covers a distance of 650 meters.
History
It is believed that the name of the island was given by the goat Amalfea. This mythical animal nursed the god Zeus here with its milk. In Italian, "goat" is "kaprie" (Capri). Islandthis has been known as a resort since the time of the ancient Romans. Emperor Octavian Augustus was especially fond of him, who preferred the healing mineral springs of Ischia to the heavenly solitude of Capri. On the island he built the Sea Palace. His successor, Emperor Tiberius, also liked to spend time here away from palace intrigues. The island owes him the terms (Bagni di Tiberio).
In the Middle Ages, many monastic sketes appeared on Capri. Since the Renaissance, the island has once again become synonymous with luxury. Here all the nobility of the Kingdom of Naples builds their villas. The mild climate, the air filled with the aroma of pine needles was considered a panacea for tuberculosis in the 19th century. Many Russian aristocrats, as well as the writer Maxim Gorky, were treated for this disease here. V. Lenin and F. Chaliapin came to visit him.
Accommodation
The island holds the brand of an elite holiday destination to this day. Here you can easily see stars of the first magnitude on the beach or boardwalk - from Naomi Campbell to John Travolta. Many Hollywood actors, athletes and tycoons have villas in Capri. All this contributes to the fact that the place is called the "golden island of Capri". Tours to the monastery "Dolce Vita" are by no means cheap. There are about seventy hotels on the tiny island, but it is unlikely that you will be able to book a budget room. The price for a small room ranges from one hundred euros per day, the cost of a decent apartment is 700 Є. Prices are especially high in the capital. In Piazza Umberto in the town of Capri, even a glass of soda costs five euros, and for a sandwich you needshell out for all twelve.
Attractions
"Capri - the island of paradise idleness" - Emperor Augustus wrote about this place. But still, laziness should be overcome to enjoy its many natural and historical attractions.
Azure Grotto was opened only in the 20s of the XX century, but it has already become the "visiting card" of the island. You can get there only when the sea is calm, in low boats, and riders should duck down. What you see will amaze you. You will surely believe that the sirens sung by Homer lived here. Not far from the grotto are the ruins of Gradola, the villa of Emperor Augustus. Villa Jupiter is located in the east of the island. No less interesting are the gardens of Augustus and the cave of Cybele - the mother of the gods.
The Middle Ages left many churches and monasteries on the island - excellent examples of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
And finally, the sights of nature. In addition to the Azure Grotto, you need to see the Faraglioni rocks - three sheer limestone reefs.
Beaches
The island of Capri, whose photos resemble heaven on earth, alas, has very few good beaches. As it is found on a rocky coast, it is completely pebbly here. And it's good if it exists at all. Many hotels on the so-called first line of the sea actually rise on a high cliff, from which a staircase descends to the shore. Bathing areas are most often platforms. There is a small strip of sand near the harbor of Marina Piccola. And if you come to Capri with a small child, the best placethan the beach of Bagni Tiberio, you will not find.
