Madeline
A big reason why we ended up in in the places we did during this trip was to enjoy the luxury of Capri. Naples was on the way to Capri and Barcelona was on the way to Naples. Capri was the real destination for us and it did not disappoint. The other cities were just a fun way to get to Capri.
Getting To, From, and Around Capri
There are a few ways to get to and from Capri but none as simple as the ferries. The ferries are relatively inexpensive, about $20 per person each way and leave from Naples nearly hourly and take about an hour and a half. When we left we did not leave through Naples but through Amalfi Coast, which had a ferry much less frequently. The ferries are full of day time visitors, which I do not recommend doing to get the full luxury of Capri experience.
When we arrived in Capri, we handed our luggage to a porter with the expectation of walking to the hotel. Capri has taxis, buses, and a tram to the top, but we wanted to experience Capri by walking the streets. Although it was only a twenty minute walk, the path was nearly vertical, but we did not care. We even walked up and down that same path nearly every day after, hoping that the physical exertion would cancel out all the pasta we ate.
The Blue Grotto
Where Pompeii was the highlight of the trip for me, the Blue Grotto was the highlight of the trip for my travel companion. We booked an hourly boat ride at the marina to take us there. Once there, we waited in the heat for an hour before being loaded into a small boat that fit four of us and the rower. We were taken to another boat, where we paid and showed that we were vaccinated and then off we went.
To get into the Grotto, the rower takes you to a small opening above the waterline. Everyone in the boat lays down and the rower puts down his ores and pulls you through the opening with a rope. Once inside everything is the most vibrant blue you can imagine. We were given the privilege of jumping out of the boat and into the warm water to get the full Blue Grotto experience. We then climbed back into the little boat and back to the bigger boat. The whole experience lasting maybe ten minutes. But it was worth it.
The Luxury of Capri
From the time we got off the ferry to the time we waved goodbye, the luxury of Capri was obvious. There was a drag of high end designer shops like Versace, Channel, Prada, and my favorite, Valentino. Unless you are expecting to spend over a thousand dollars on a single item, window shopping in the many stores is your only hope.
As a rule of thumb, I leave anything expensive at home when traveling, I never bring heals even though I live in them at home, and my clothes are mostly cotton and comfortable. Now I know, when going to Capri, I should never follow these rules. Once the sun goes down and the day tourists leave, the fashion show begins. Everyone is dressed to the nines and everyone is showing off their most expensive goods.
Mama – A Michelin Star Experience
I love food so much, many of my friends would call me a foodie. I have eaten at a number of restaurant with high accolades all over the world. This is why I made the executive decision to go to a Michelin Star restaurant while in Spain and Italy, and Capri was just the place to do it.
A bit about the Michelin guide. It is a rating of three stars. A good restaurant will get one star and a superb one will get three. The restaurants will never know who is there to judge them and put them on the list and each year they are evaluated. Because there are only so many judges, they focus on certain parts of the world. Italy, and specifically Capri, is definitely on the map.
There are only two restaurants on Capri that have stars and both have one star each. After talking to a local of where to go, what to see, and where to eat. She recommended Le Monzu over Mamma, but with such short notice, we could only get into Mama. Because of the luxury of Capri, of course it was part of the food conversation without hesitation.
As I mentioned, I have visited a number of Michelin star restaurants including many three and one stars. I have also visited a number of restaurants that do not have a star but deserve one, including one in Capri. How Mamma got a star is still beyond me. The food was okay. The service was okay. The wine was okay. The view was probably spectacular but difficult to see in the dark. The entire experience was okay.
Days after returning from this trip I went to another one Michelin star restaurant in San Francisco, Sons and Daughters. I told you I was a foodie. The experience here was night and day to Mamma. Everything was spot on. Moral of the story, if you are looking to have an amazing Michelin star experience in Capri, have the forethought to book Le Monzu in advance and skip Mamma altogether.
Final Thoughts
Capri is the Italian island of luxury. The hotels are fancy. The shops are expensive. And the restaurants have high accolades. When in Capri, it is expected that money will be spent but a high lifestyle will be given in return. For those of us who enjoy this type of thing, Capri is the place to be.
