Capri may conjure visions of grand villas, limoncello spritzer, and luxury boutiques beneath cascades of bougainvillea—but that’s only half the story. Beyond the postcard glamour lies a wilder, more rugged Capri, where cliffs drop into the sea, goats navigate rocky paths, and hikers, not yacht-goers, rule the trails. Welcome to Anacapri: the quieter, bolder, and far more elemental heart of the island.
Anacapri: Capri’s rugged soul
Capri, one of Italy’s three volcanic Phlegrean islands, is a tale of two towns. The eastern end hosts the Capri of legend—where espresso-sipping elites gather in Piazza Umberto I beneath linen umbrellas and motorized luggage carts dodge Instagram photo shoots. But to the west, a different spirit prevails in Anacapri, Capri Town’s laid-back, topographically dramatic sibling.
Perched high above sea cliffs and bristling with prickly pear cacti, Anacapri is less stilettos, more hiking boots. It’s where outdoor adventurers come for cliffside trails, sea-swimming coves, and quiet village charm. And while Capri Town swells daily with as many as 16,000 visitors—outnumbering its 12,900 residents—most never make it across the island’s spine to Anacapri.
“Time and imagination,” says Camilla Formisano of Capri.com, when asked why most visitors skip Anacapri. “Eighty percent of tourists are on day trips from Naples or Sorrento. They follow the easiest, most famous routes. And social media reinforces this ‘Capri Town only’ mindset. People think they’ve seen the island after one piazza and a photo of the faraglioni sea stacks.”
But Capri was not always this polished. Long before it became a celebrity hideaway, it was a Greek outpost, then a Roman retreat. The emperor Tiberius built imperial villas here. Later, Romantic poets and Hollywood directors discovered its allure. Still, Anacapri has remained stubbornly off the mainstream trail—a place where nature leads, and luxury whispers rather than shouts.
A different kind of glamour
Formisano sums it up perfectly: “In Anacapri, glamour means golden sunsets and orange blossom trails.” Take the Trail of the Little Forts, or Sentiero dei Fortini. This six-kilometre coastal route connects three 19th-century military forts and is, according to Formisano, “a must-see.” Beginning near the famed Blue Grotto and ending at Punta Carena Lighthouse, the trail offers dramatic sea views, hidden coves, and a sense of total isolation. On one recent hike, I saw just one other person in two hours. No shops. No gelato. Just the hum of crickets, wild rosemary, and ceramic markers identifying local flora and fauna.
Capri, indeed but not as you know it. Punta Carena itself is a rugged swimming haven. Sunbathers stretch out on the rocks as daredevils leap into the cerulean waters below the rust-colored lighthouse. There’s da Antonio, a beloved shack offering cold panini, gelato, and the island’s best panzanella. For more polish, there’s Lido del Faro with a pool and oceanfront restaurant. But the best time to be here is sunset.
“It’s the only spot on Capri where the sun dips directly into the sea,” says Formisano. “The whole coastline turns gold.”
Orange blossoms, rocky trails, and sublime solitude
Anacapri’s landscape is defined by stone-walled paths, ancient stairs, and craggy trails. While buses connect key spots like Piazza Vittoria, the Blue Grotto, and the lighthouse, the island is best discovered on foot—or better yet, by getting lost.
The Migliera trail, starting from the Boffe quarter, winds through citrus groves and fields before ending in a cliffside belvedere with stunning faraglioni views. A side path climbs to a secret ridge, where hawks circle above and wild goats peer from behind rocks. Formisano recommends this as one of the best views on the island.
But the view from Mount Solaro—Capri’s highest point at 589 meters—may be even better. Reachable by a 13-minute chairlift or an hour-long hike via Via Axel Munthe, it offers sweeping views of the Gulf of Naples and Amalfi Coast. The descent is lined with lemon trees, stray goats, and silence.
For any hike in Anacapri, trail shoes are essential. As Formisano warns: “Leave your Capri sandals behind. And stop at De Martino in Piazza Capri for an excellent panino before setting off.”
Ancient steps and modern escapes
While most arrive in Anacapri by bus, a few brave the Scala Fenicia—a 921-step stone staircase carved into the cliffs by Ancient Greeks. The path once connected Marina Grande to Anacapri and is still climbable today, starting at sea level and ending near the historic Villa San Michele.
“It’s not for everyone,” admits Pep Minichino, founder of Campanica, a blog about the Gulf of Naples. “But it’s a rite of passage. Just put on a Led Zeppelin anthem in your head and go.” The climb offers a unique reward: quiet olive groves, lemon terraces, and a cliffside garden at Villa San Michele, former home of Swedish physician Axel Munthe. His eccentric, Roman ruin–topped mansion is now a museum. But the real treasure is the sense of climbing through layers of time.
And after dark? The staircase is open, lit by starlight and scattered lamps. As Minichino puts it: “You can descend step by step, guided by a cascade of lights and stars.”
Swimming with locals, not the crowd
Of course, Anacapri has its own version of the island’s famous sea cave—the Grotta Azzurra or Blue Grotto. But with it comes an Instagram-fueled crush: queues of boats jostling for entry, crowds lining the shore. Still, its phosphorescent blue glow is unforgettable, especially when the boatman breaks into a crooning “O Sole Mio” inside the cavern.
Formisano’s advice: arrive on foot at 9:00 a.m. before the boat crowds, and you’ll enjoy it in near solitude. Better yet, skip the grotto altogether and follow signs to Gradola, a peaceful terrace popular with locals. Here, Capresi swim, dive, sunbathe, and enjoy unfussy meals overlooking the open sea. “It’s the best swimming on the island,” says Minichino. “No contest.”
Slow evenings and secret rooftops
After a day in the wild, Anacapri invites you to slow down. My bed and breakfast, Giardino dell’Arte, isn’t a palazzo, but it’s rich in detail—ceramic tiles, blooming citrus, and the innkeeper’s homemade ravioli alla Caprese.
Wandering through the Boffe quarter, I pass tiny bakeries selling sour cherry pastries, pizzette, and local wine. I stumble upon La Casa Rossa, an eclectic mansion blending medieval, colonial, and Moorish influences. And tucked into a back street is the Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo, a Baroque church whose entire floor is a dazzling, hand-painted ceramic tableau of the Garden of Eden—lions, crocodiles, and all.
But Anacapri still knows how to dazzle. Just off the Boffe quarter lie two high-end retreats: Jumeirah Capri Palace and Hotel Caesar Augustus. At sunset, I slip past reception and take in the view from their rooftop bars. The sky glows pink and violet. The islands of Ischia and Procida rise like stone whales on the horizon. My hiking boots are dusty, my cheeks flushed, but I feel—finally—like I’ve seen the real Capri. Princess and athlete. Luxury and wilderness. Anacapri is all of it.
