How many days in Capri? 3 days, staying on the island after the last ferry
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Capri is only about 6 km long, but on summer days thousands of day-trippers arrive between 10:00 and 17:00 and squeeze into the same funicular, the same square and the same boat queue. The island changes completely in the evening and early morning. Give it three days and sleep there: one for Capri town and its cliff paths, one on the water and in the Roman ruins of Villa Jovis, and one in quieter Anacapri, higher up on the western side, with the chairlift to Monte Solaro.
Short answer
Two days covers the Piazzetta, the Gardens of Augustus, a boat trip around the island and Anacapri. The third day adds the long walks to Villa Jovis and the Arco Naturale, or the Fortini trail on the west coast.
The 3-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Capri town, the Gardens of Augustus and the Faraglioni
Morning. Arrive at Marina Grande and take the funicular up to Capri town (about €2.40, 5 minutes), arriving next to the Piazzetta (Piazza Umberto I), the island's tiny main square. Walk 10 minutes to the Gardens of Augustus (a few euros), terraced gardens with the classic view of the three Faraglioni rocks and the zigzag Via Krupp below.
Afternoon. Visit the 14th-century Certosa di San Giacomo next to the gardens, a former monastery with cloisters and paintings, then take the bus or walk down to Marina Piccola to swim from a beach club (sunbeds about €25-40 each) or the small public beach.
Evening. When the day visitors have left, walk the Pizzolungo path towards the Faraglioni viewpoint at sunset, then return to the Piazzetta for a drink (an aperitivo there costs about €15-25) and dinner in the lanes off Via Camerelle.
Via Krupp has been closed for long periods because of rockfalls. Check locally whether it is open before planning to walk down it.
Day 2: Around the island by boat, the Blue Grotto and Villa Jovis
Morning. Take a shared boat trip around the island from Marina Grande (about €20-30, 1.5-2 hours), passing the Faraglioni, the Green Grotto and the White Grotto. Many boats offer a stop at the Blue Grotto, where you change into a small rowing boat and lie flat to pass through a 1-metre opening into a cave lit electric blue from below; the rowing boat and entry cost about €18-20 extra.
Afternoon. Walk from the Piazzetta about 45 minutes uphill to Villa Jovis (small fee), the ruined palace of Emperor Tiberius on the eastern cliff, with views to the Sorrento peninsula. On the way back, take the path to the Arco Naturale, a limestone arch above the sea, and the steps down to the Grotta di Matermania.
Evening. Have dinner in a trattoria on the lanes between the Piazzetta and Villa Jovis, where prices are lower than in the centre; pasta costs about €16-24. Try ravioli capresi, filled with local cheese and marjoram.
The Blue Grotto closes when the sea is rough or the tide is high, often without notice, and queues can last over an hour at midday. Go early in the morning on a calm day.
Day 3: Anacapri, Villa San Michele and Monte Solaro
Morning. Take the bus from Capri to Anacapri (about €2.40, 15 minutes on a winding road). Visit Villa San Michele (about €12-15), the house and garden built by the Swedish doctor Axel Munthe, with a sphinx on its terrace 300 metres above the sea, and the church of San Michele, whose floor is a majolica painting of Adam and Eve in Paradise (a few euros).
Afternoon. Ride the single-seat chairlift up Monte Solaro, at 589 metres the highest point of the island (about €14-16 return, 13 minutes each way), for a view of the Faraglioni, Ischia and the Amalfi Coast. Walk down by the path to the hermitage of Santa Maria a Cetrella if you have good shoes.
Evening. Take the bus to the Punta Carena lighthouse on the south-western tip to swim from the rocks and watch the sunset, then have dinner in Anacapri, quieter and cheaper than Capri town.
The Sentiero dei Fortini, a coastal path of about 5 km linking old forts on the west coast, is one of the best walks on the island; allow 3 hours and carry water.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do Day 1 and the boat trip on the morning of Day 2, then spend the afternoon in Anacapri with the chairlift. You lose Villa Jovis and the walks.
Got extra days?
A 4th day can go back to the mainland: Sorrento is 20-25 minutes by fast ferry, and Positano and Amalfi are reached by summer boats; check current timetables. Pompeii is about 1.5-2 hours via Sorrento and the train.
Where to stay in Capri
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Anacapri guesthouses | The cheapest rooms on the island, with buses to Capri and Marina Grande. | €120-220 |
| Mid-range | Anacapri | Quieter village, close to Monte Solaro and the west coast walks. | €220-400 |
| Mid-range | Marina Grande | Next to the ferries and the boats, with a short funicular to town. | €200-380 |
| Comfort | Capri town hotels | Historic grand hotels near the Piazzetta and Via Camerelle, with pools and views. | €600-1,800 |
Getting around
Ferries and hydrofoils link Capri with Naples (Molo Beverello, about 50 minutes by fast boat), Sorrento (20-25 minutes) and, in summer, Positano and Amalfi. Tickets cost about €20-30 one way and include a small landing tax; check current timetables. On the island, small orange buses link Marina Grande, Capri, Anacapri and the beaches for about €2.40 a ride, but queues are long at midday. Open-top taxis cost about €25-35 for short trips. Visitors cannot bring cars in summer.
What to eat in Capri
Capri gave its name to the insalata caprese: tomato, mozzarella or fior di latte, basil and olive oil. Other island dishes are ravioli capresi, filled with caciotta cheese and marjoram, and torta caprese, a flourless chocolate and almond cake. Order fish such as spigola or pezzogna, baked in salt or in acqua pazza, and drink a glass of limoncello made from local lemons. Restaurants around the Piazzetta charge €25-40 for a main; pizza and pasta places in Anacapri are cheaper, about €12-18. A sandwich from a grocer is €6-8.
Best time to visit
May-June and September-early October, with 22-28°C and warm sea. July and August are crowded, hot and the most expensive, and boat queues are long. Many hotels and restaurants close from November to March, ferries are fewer and the Blue Grotto opens less often, but the island is very quiet and the walks are pleasant.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €80 | €160 | €500 |
| Food & drink | €40 | €70 | €150 |
| Sights & tickets | €20 | €50 | €100 |
| Local transport | €8 | €20 | €70 |
| Total per person, per day | about €150 | about €300 | about €820 |
Approximate 2026 prices in euros for May-September, excluding the ferry to and from the mainland. Capri charges a tourist tax of a few euros per person per night, and a landing fee is included in ferry tickets.
Before you go
Common questions
Is it worth staying the night on Capri?
Yes, if your budget allows. Most visitors come on day trips, so from about 18:00 to 10:00 the Piazzetta, the paths and the viewpoints are much quieter. Staying lets you take the earliest boat to the Blue Grotto and walk to Villa Jovis or the Faraglioni viewpoint in cool air. Anacapri is the cheaper base.
Is the Blue Grotto worth it?
It is beautiful but short: you spend only a few minutes inside the cave, after a queue that can last over an hour in summer. It is best early on a calm, sunny morning. It closes often because of waves or high tide, so do not plan the whole day around it; a boat trip around the island is worth it regardless.
How do I get to Capri from Naples airport?
Take the Alibus or a taxi to the port of Molo Beverello, about 20-30 minutes, then a fast ferry to Capri, about 50 minutes. In summer, boats leave often from early morning to evening. Check current timetables and buy tickets online or at the port; the last boats can sell out on Sunday evenings.
Can I walk around Capri?
Yes, and walking is the best way to escape the crowds. Capri town to Villa Jovis is about 45 minutes uphill; the Pizzolungo path and the Arco Naturale make a 2-hour loop; the Fortini trail on the west coast takes about 3 hours. Paths are steep with many steps, so bring water and good shoes.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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