"Magical Capri" a Capri Travel Page by goodfish

On a rainy Wednesday morning, we caught the train from Rome to Naples, took a hair-raising (!) taxi ride to the port, and then a 45-minute hydrofoil cruise to the island. It had poured buckets for the entire train route along the coast and I was feeling a little cranky as it looked like we were in for a dismal day. Too seasick to stay inside the storm-tossed cabin, I grabbed onto something solid on the aft deck and rode out the rain, across the bay and towards a bit of rock in the distance that grew bigger - and strangely brighter - with each passing minute. Just within sight of Marina Grande, our boat magically shed the heavy, damp mist and emerged to gentle, turquoise-blue waves under dazzling sunlight. Ahead, Mt. Solaro towered above lush, green hillsides covered in pueblo-like tiers of houses in pale pink, yellow, coral and white - all of them tumbling cheerful flowers from entry arbors and patio pots.

It's just another day in the enchantment called Capri.

Once part of the Sorrentine Peninsula and occupied since at least Palaeolithic times, the isle was favored by several Roman emperors who had magnificent villas constructed here - the ruins of which can still be seen. It endured invasion by Saracen and Ottoman forces, suffered through plague, was governed under several different flags, became an popular, 19th-century artist's haven and is now a holiday destination for everyone from the fabulously wealthy to budget-minded day-trippers.

While some write the island off as a tourist trap due to tour group overcrowding and the high prices of hotel rooms, meals and designer shops, those with a sense of adventure, a good pair of shoes and a desire to escape the masses will find breathing room away from the busy piazzas. Climb a mountain, pick through a ruin, wander impossibly narrow avenues, explore some of the island's natural wonders, rent a scooter or find a quiet perch over the sea and just sit - it's impossible to be bored in paradise!

Here's a website with a few more tidbits on Capri's history:
http://www.capri.com/en/storia

NOTE: I've placed more tips in my Italy pages, under customs, warning/dangers and transportation, as they apply to general travel within the country. Reference those if interested?