CAPRI: THE PARADISE OF IDLENESS

"Have you been to Capri?" is a common question asked to a tourist looking for interesting sights in Naples. The island is less than an hour drive by ferry and a favourite destination for tourists. Many of them take at least one day to see Capri.

There are different versions explaining the origin of its name. According to one, it comes from the Latin Caprae (goat island). Another version is related to the colonisation of the island by ancient Greeks, who named the island Caprios (wild pig)… Millions of tourists visit the island every year to enjoy the fantastic scenery of the island, stroll along its historic medieval streets, sunbathe on the delightful beaches and taste the delicacies of the local cuisine. The climate is warm and mild regardless of the season. Capri is ideal for people suffering from lung diseases.

More than 2,000 years ago, the Roman Emperor Octavian Augustus, who worshipped Capri for its quietness and detachment, nicknamed it "the paradise of idleness".

Let's go

If you decided to see Capri, here is your approximate itinerary. Please note that it is impossible to get to the island quickly and easily. The local airport is only open to private and military aircraft. The nearest airport is Capodichino in Naples (NAP), which is 37 km away. Most tourists get to Capri through this airport. Buses leave to the seaport of Naples every half an hour. From there, you can get to the cherished island on ferries and small boats leaving about once an hour for 20-25 euros. The ferry takes about 45 minutes to cover the 33 kilometres to Capri. You can buy tickets either online or on the spot. However, please note that weekend and public holiday schedules can change, so it is advisable to enquire in advance.

Capri can also be reached from the ports of Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno. But the frequency of routes from these ports is much less than from Naples.

Capri is not a cheap seaside resort. According to online resources, there are about 150 hotels on the island, both budget and top category. A week-stay for two people in the cheapest of them will cost at least 700-900 euros. At the same time, the average price of accommodation for two people will be about 1900-2000 euros. If you're rich enough, you can enjoy a high-class holiday in five-star hotels for 20,000 euros for a week for two people.

Remember the main trick - in autumn and winter hotels reduce prices by 3-5 times. For example, if a single-day stay in a simple four-star hotel costs 346 euros on Booking.com in summer, in autumn-winter it will cost you 82 euros only. In hostels, you can find a bed for just 22 euros.

Attractions

Capri is an island jagged by steep cliffs with grottos, coves, gorges and reefs. That is why there are no large sandy beaches. They are mostly covered with pebble, and thanks to stairs you can go down to the sea from special platforms. The island consists of two main settlements, Capri and Anacapri, with 15,000 inhabitants.

Tourists mainly arrive by ferry and boat at the central port of Marina Grande. That's where you can purchase various tours. For example, you can take a group boat trip to the former main seaport of Capri, now the resort harbour of Marina Piccola. The legend says it was home to sirens who lured Odysseus. The main point of interest will be the main symbol of the island—the Faraglioni rocks: Stella, Scopolo, Mezzo, etc. It was a location for many Italian films, including one of the episodes of the popular comedy The Second Tragic Fantozzi, where Paolo Vilaggio's character drives through the Stella tunnel on water skis, causing an earthquake.

To see all of Capri's maritime attractions in a short time, book a boat tour around the island. For example, there are excursions (21 euros) to the grottoes, with the most famous being the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra). This is a sea cave illuminated in such a way that it looks as blue as a pure sapphire. The cave stretches for almost 50 metres, going deep into the cliff; it is about 150 metres deep and the bottom is sandy. As the guides say, there are very few such shining emerald-blue caves in the world with so much clear water. In addition to the Blue Grotto and Faraglioni, there are tours to such interesting places as Villa Giovis, the Green Grotto, Marina Piccola with many caves, the Punta Carena lighthouse, the Monastery of San Giacomo and many others.

The highest point of the island is the Mount Solaro (589m ASL). In fact, it is also the most panoramic point of Capri. From there, tourists can see Faraglioni, as well as the historic part of the city, the Sorrento Peninsula, the Galli Islands and the entire Gulf of Naples.

From the central square, you can also take a funicular ride up to the Piazzetta, the historic centre of Capri. There are small but always crowded cafés, a church, and a winding lane leading to the island's new shopping area with trendy and expensive boutiques. The Piazzetta, nicknamed the "living room of the world", offers great views of the island, get your smartphones ready for endless pictures. And be sure to visit the so-called Gardens of Augusta.

The shuttle buses will take you to the town of Anacapri in 10 minutes. Between the olive groves and vineyards, this is where Alexandre Dumas, Somerset Maugham, Oscar Wilde, Lenin, Fyodor Chaliapin and many other famous people have walked. There are several tourist routes here. One leads to numerous art workshops, another to the Villa San Michele, built by the Swedish doctor and writer Axel Munte, a confidant and allegedly the lover of the Swedish Queen. Nearby is an observation deck to observe the cosy harbour of Capri and the formidable Vesuvius towering over Naples. Here you can also visit two interesting churches: Santa Sofia built in the 16th century, the main church of the city, and San Michele built in early 18th century. The floor tiles in the latter depict the plot of Adam's and Eve's expulsion from Paradise.

It is difficult to see and learn about so many sights in a few hours of stay. Therefore, if you can extend your stay for a couple of days, you will feel all the multifaceted colour and spirit of the island.

Heydar Aliyev and Capri

Interesting, the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev visited Capri in 1997. According to eyewitnesses, as part of his official visit to Italy, he expressed his intention to visit Capri and see its beautiful scenery. On September 27, a tour of the island was arranged, where he was accompanied by a large group of Azerbaijani artists. President Aliyev toured the landmarks of the island and even took part in official events. "I am glad to learn about the sights of Italy, the world-fascinating Capri Island and its hospitable, kind inhabitants," Aliyev said.

One of the memorable and emotional moments of Aliyev's stay in Capri was a chance meeting with newlyweds in front of the church. He wished happiness and prosperity to the bride and groom, presented an Azerbaijani carpet as a memento and said, "Let this carpet always remind you of Azerbaijan".

Quite recently, Azerbaijani traveller Azer Garib presented his film Bir səfərin izi ilə based on Heydar Aliyev's official trip to Italy in 1997. Interestingly, the film crew could find that married couple. They told about their meeting with the President of Azerbaijan and showed a carpet presented to them 26 years ago.

Dolma in Capri?

After endless walks around the island, you will certainly want to eat. There are many cafes and restaurants offering tourists interesting local and Italian cuisine. Many local residents believe that it is the Campania region that is the birthplace of pizza. They also claim that one of the most popular traditional alcoholic drinks in Italy, limoncello (lemon liqueur), was invented here. The population of the nearby towns of Positano and Amalfi also believe so.

The cuisine of Capri is similar to traditional Italian cuisine, but has its own speciality. The local food is made of exclusively local produce, including the seafood. That is why the main ingredients of dishes are fresh fish, special tomatoes, semi-soft caciotta cheese, buffalo milk mozzarella, aubergines, olive oil, basil, parsley, oregano, garlic and hot red pepper.

Local restaurants will offer you different varieties of pizza and pastas. But what else can you try here? One of the most common local specialities is Ravioli Capresi (average portion 15-20 euros)—a pasta filled with cacciotta cheese and parmesan, with a tomato sauce and a touch of marjoram. It can be served fried—same as we do with dushbara, gurza or khinkali in Azerbaijan. At the same time, any kind of pasta or ravioli can be prepared with a sauce made from the traditional tomato varieties of this part of the Mediterranean called Chiummenzana. The sauce is often served with meat as well. You can also try lemon ravioli (Ravioli al limone) for 18-20 euros.

One of the local dishes bearing some similarity to the Azerbaijani ajab-sandali is Pennette aumm aumm made of vegetables, which is served either alone or with pasta.

Unlike the Azerbaijani jiz-biz with beef or sheep liver and potatoes, in Capri they make it with squid (20-25 euros). Local fresh squid has a particularly bright flavour, and the dish itself is served with thin breadcrumbs.

Azerbaijani tourist can also find interesting the dolma made with squid. They use squid instead of the grape leaves, while the stuffing is made with whatever the chef has available, including cheese, rice, olives, herbs and much more.

The most popular salad in Capri is Caprese (Insalata Caprese) for 15 euros. This famous Italian salad should ideally be made only from local produce: tomatoes from Capri and the freshest mozzarella. The cook cuts tomatoes and mozzarella into rings, puts them on a plate, pours olive oil, basil or oregano sauce over them. If you are hungry after a walk, you can have a Caprese sandwich (Panino Caprese for 6 euros) instead of doner and shawarma, which you won't find here.

In cafés or dessert shops, you can try Italian coffee with Capri cake or the famous Caprese chocolate and hazelnut cake. Be aware that the prices shown in menu lists in the cafes and bars of Capri are valid at the bar or for takeaways. If you want a table served by a waiter, the price will almost double.

So save up your money, plan your itinerary and welcome to the Paradise of Idleness!