Italy
Anacapri occupies the upper plateau of the island of Capri, a quieter, more contemplative counterpart to the glamorous town below. While Capri town draws the day-trippers and the see-and-be-seen crowd, Anacapri rewards the traveler who climbs higher—literally and figuratively. The town sits at roughly 300 meters above sea level, draped across the slopes of Monte Solaro, and its character is defined by whitewashed houses, lemon groves, bougainvillea-draped walls, and a pace of life that the lower town abandoned decades ago. The Swedish physician and writer Axel Munthe chose Anacapri as his home in the late nineteenth century, building the Villa San Michele on the site of a Roman chapel and filling it with antiquities, gardens, and views that he described as the most beautiful in the world.
The atmosphere of Anacapri is one of luminous serenity. The Piazza Vittoria, the town's modest main square, looks out over a landscape that drops precipitously to the sea on three sides, with the Bay of Naples, Mount Vesuvius, and the Sorrentine Peninsula visible on clear days. The Church of San Michele, an eighteenth-century gem, contains a remarkable majolica tile floor depicting the Garden of Eden—best viewed from the organ gallery above, where the entire scene unfolds in a riot of painted ceramic. The chairlift to the summit of Monte Solaro, at 589 meters the highest point on Capri, provides twelve minutes of suspended silence above vineyards and gardens, arriving at a panorama that encompasses the entire Gulf of Naples and, on exceptional days, the Apennine Mountains of Calabria.
The culinary life of Anacapri is rooted in the island's extraordinary produce and the simplicity of Caprese cuisine. Ravioli capresi, filled with the local fresh cheese and dressed with tomato sauce and basil, is the signature dish—and the version served at Il Riccio, the Capri Palace's Michelin-starred beach club, may be the definitive preparation. Insalata caprese—tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil—was born on this island, and when made with the tomatoes that ripen in volcanic soil under the Mediterranean sun, it transcends its familiarity. Limoncello, the sweet lemon liqueur that has conquered the world, originates from the lemons of Anacapri's groves—the sfusato amalfitano variety, its thick rind fragrant with essential oils. An after-dinner glass, ice-cold and homemade, is the island's signature farewell.
Villa San Michele is Anacapri's cultural jewel, a museum-garden-viewpoint that Axel Munthe spent decades creating from the ruins of a Roman-era villa. The sphinx-guarded terrace at the garden's edge, overlooking the Marina Grande and the Bay of Naples, provides what many consider the finest view on the island—a sweeping panorama that combines natural beauty with the sense of deep history that makes Italy so compelling. The Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), Capri's most famous attraction, is accessed from the sea at Anacapri's base—a small rowboat carries visitors through a low cave entrance into a cavern illuminated by an ethereal blue light reflected from the sandy bottom. The Philosopher's Path, an ancient Roman road that traverses the cliff face between Anacapri and the Grotto, offers a spectacular walking route.
Anacapri is reached by bus or taxi from Capri town (ten minutes) or directly by boat from Naples and Sorrento to the Marina Grande, followed by a bus or funicular up to the upper town. Cruise ships anchor off Capri and tender passengers to the Marina Grande. The best time to visit is April through June and September through October, when the crowds are manageable and the Mediterranean light is at its most golden. July and August bring intense heat and the peak of tourist season. Winter offers an intimate, local atmosphere—many hotels close, but the island's beauty remains undimmed.