Capri ( , ; ) is an island located in the

Tyrrhenian Sea The Tyrrhenian Sea (, ; or ) , , , , is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named for the Tyrrhenians, Tyrrhenian people identified with the Etruscans of Italy. Geography The sea is bounded by the islands of C ...

off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the

Gulf of Naples The Gulf of Naples (), also called the Bay of Naples, is a roughly 15-kilometer-wide (9.3 mi) gulf located along the south-western coast of Italy (Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania region). It opens to the west into the Mediterranean ...

in the

Campania Campania is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy located in Southern Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian Peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islan ...

region of

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. A popular resort destination since the time of the

Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...

, its natural beauty, historic sites, and upscale tourism have made it famous worldwide. The island is characterized by its rugged limestone landscape, sea stacks ( Faraglioni), coastal grottoes including the renowned Blue Grotto, and high cliffs overlooking the sea. Notable features include the harbours of Marina Grande and Marina Piccola, the panoramic Belvedere of Tragara, the ruins of Roman imperial villas such as Villa Jovis, and the towns of

Capri Capri ( , ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. A popular resort destination since the time of the Roman Republic, its natural beauty ...

and Anacapri, the latter situated higher up the slopes of Monte Solaro, the island's highest point. Administratively, Capri is part of the

Metropolitan City of Naples The Metropolitan City of Naples () is a Metropolitan cities of Italy, metropolitan city in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Naples. The province was established on 1 January 2015 and contains 92 ''comuni'' (: ''comune''). ...

within the Campania region. The island is divided into two municipalities (''

comuni A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

''): Capri and Anacapri.

Etymology

The origin of the name Capri is uncertain. It may derive from the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

(), meaning '

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

'. Ancient Greek colonists from

Magna Graecia Magna Graecia refers to the Greek-speaking areas of southern Italy, encompassing the modern Regions of Italy, Italian regions of Calabria, Apulia, Basilicata, Campania, and Sicily. These regions were Greek colonisation, extensively settled by G ...

were the first recorded inhabitants, calling the island (). Alternatively, the name could come from the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

, meaning '

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the ...

s'. Fossils of wild boars have been found on the island, supporting the Greek etymology. A less likely theory suggests an Etruscan origin meaning 'rocky', referencing the island's limestone terrain.

History

Antiquity

Archaeological evidence indicates human presence on Capri dating back to the

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

and

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

. The Roman historian

Suetonius Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (), commonly referred to as Suetonius ( ; – after AD 122), was a Roman historian who wrote during the early Imperial era of the Roman Empire. His most important surviving work is ''De vita Caesarum'', common ...

recounts that when workers excavated the foundations for Emperor

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

's villa, they discovered giant bones and stone weapons, which Augustus displayed in his residence, the Palazzo a Mare. (Modern analysis suggests these may have been fossils of large extinct mammals). The Roman poet

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Rome, ancient Roman poet of the Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Augustan period. He composed three of the most fa ...

, in the ''

Aeneid The ''Aeneid'' ( ; or ) is a Latin Epic poetry, epic poem that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Troy, Trojan who fled the Trojan War#Sack of Troy, fall of Troy and travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Ancient Rome ...

'', referred to the island being inhabited by Greek settlers from the

Ionian Islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...

(the Teleboi). The geographer

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

noted that Capri anciently had two towns, later reduced to one. Emperor Augustus developed Capri as a private resort, building villas, temples, and aqueducts, and planting gardens. His successor,

Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Cl ...

, constructed twelve villas on the island according to

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. Tacitus’ two major historical works, ''Annals'' ( ...

. The most famous, Villa Jovis, is one of the best-preserved Roman villas in Italy. In AD 27, Tiberius moved permanently to Capri, governing the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

from the island until his death in AD 37. Later, in AD 182, Emperor

Commodus Commodus (; ; 31 August 161 – 31 December 192) was Roman emperor from 177 to 192, first serving as nominal co-emperor under his father Marcus Aurelius and then ruling alone from 180. Commodus's sole reign is commonly thought to mark the end o ...

exiled his sister Lucilla to Capri, where she was subsequently executed.

Middle Ages and Modern Era

After the fall of the

Western Roman Empire In modern historiography, the Western Roman Empire was the western provinces of the Roman Empire, collectively, during any period in which they were administered separately from the eastern provinces by a separate, independent imperial court. ...

, Capri came under the control of the Duchy of Naples. The island suffered raids by pirates and

Saracen upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Rom ...

s. In 866, Emperor Louis II granted the island to the Duchy of Amalfi. In 987, Pope John XV established the Diocese of Capri, initially as a

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led ...

to the Archdiocese of Amalfi. Capri remained a diocese until 1818, when it was absorbed into the Archdiocese of Sorrento. It is now listed as a

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbi ...

. In 1496, King Frederick IV of Naples established administrative parity between the settlements of Capri and Anacapri. Pirate raids intensified during the 16th century; admirals Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha and Turgut Reis captured the island for the Ottoman Empire in 1535 and 1553, respectively. The French antiquarian Jean-Jacques Bouchard visited in the 17th century and is considered one of the first modern tourists; his diary provides valuable insights.

19th Century to Present

During the

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

, French troops occupied Capri in January 1806 but were ousted by the British in May. Britain established a naval base (a "Second

Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...

") but caused damage to archaeological sites during construction. The French recaptured the island in 1808 and held it until 1815, when it was returned to the Bourbon Kingdom of Naples. In the 19th century, naturalist Ignazio Cerio catalogued the island's flora and fauna. His work was continued by his son, Edwin Cerio, an author and engineer known for his writings on Capri life. From the later 19th century, Capri became an increasingly popular resort for European artists, writers, and expatriates. It gained a reputation as a tolerant haven, attracting wealthy gay men and lesbians seeking a more open life than elsewhere in Europe. Notable figures who lived or spent significant time on the island include John Ellingham Brooks, Somerset Maugham, Norman Douglas, Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen, Christian Wilhelm Allers,

Emil von Behring Emil von Behring (; Emil Adolf von Behring: born Emil Adolf Behring; 15 March 1854 – 31 March 1917), was a German physiologist who received the 1901 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the first one awarded in that field, for his discovery ...

, Axel Munthe, Louis Coatalen,

Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (; ), was a Russian and Soviet writer and proponent of socialism. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Before his success as an aut ...

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...

(briefly), Compton Mackenzie,

Romaine Brooks Romaine Brooks (born Beatrice Romaine Goddard; May 1, 1874 – December 7, 1970) was an American painter who worked mostly in Paris and Capri. She specialized in portrait painting, portraiture and used a subdued tonal Palette (painting), palette ...

, Dame

Gracie Fields Dame Gracie Fields (born Grace Stansfield; 9 January 189827 September 1979) was a British actress, singer and comedian. A star of cinema and music hall, she was one of the top ten film stars in Britain during the 1930s and was considered the h ...

, and

Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov ( 187021 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin, was a Russian revolutionary, politician and political theorist. He was the first head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 until Death and state funeral of ...

(hosted by Gorky in 1908). Queen Victoria of Baden was a frequent visitor. German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp funded archaeological work but left after a scandal involving accusations of homosexual orgies. Today, Capri remains a major tourist destination, particularly popular during the summer months, attracting visitors from Italy and abroad.

Geography

Capri is located in the

at the western entrance to the

, approximately 5 km from the mainland tip of the Sorrento Peninsula. The island has an area of 10.4 km² (4.0 sq mi). The terrain is mountainous, consisting primarily of

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

and

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

; steep cliffs dominate much of the coastline. The highest point is Monte Solaro at 589 m (1,932 ft). The island's western part, culminating in Monte Solaro, is known as Anacapri, distinct from the eastern part centered around the town of Capri. The two main harbours are Marina Grande on the north coast (the primary port) and Marina Piccola on the south coast. Notable natural features include the famous sea stacks known as the Faraglioni off the southeast coast, the Blue Grotto sea cave on the northwest coast, and the Arco Naturale, a large natural arch on the east coast.

Climate

Capri experiences a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Csa''). Summers are warm to hot and generally dry, while winters are mild and wet. Sub-zero temperatures are rare.

Administration

The island is divided into two municipalities (''

''): *

* Anacapri These are administratively part of the

, which is part of the

region.

Main sights

File:Capri sights.png, 520px, center, A clickable map showing some of the most important sights on Capri. (Use icon on the right to enlarge) rect 49 952 212 1050 Punta Carena Lighthouse rect 701 575 898 725 Monte Solaro rect 1157 562 1325 636 Via Krupp rect 1599 396 1768 497 Arco Naturale rect 1627 101 1789 182 Villa Lysis rect 1772 174 1897 249 Villa Jovis rect 1553 765 1731 866 Faraglioni rect 774 206 983 286 Villa San Michele rect 236 42 408 128 Blue Grotto rect 270 682 466 881 Capri Philosophical Park rect 1725 544 1910 663 Villa Malaparte rect 1346 552 1551 618 Certosa di San Giacomo rect 475 246 765 518 Anacapri rect 1338 500 1514 554 Capri (town) rect 1287 429 1462 501

Piazzetta Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (also called Giambattista Piazzetta or Giambattista Valentino Piazzetta) (February 13, 1682 or 1683 – April 28, 1754) was an Italian Rococo art, Italian Rococo painter of religious subjects and Genre works, genre s ...

rect 1191 185 1446 299 Marina Grande rect 1101 644 1307 699 Marina Piccola rect 1151 499 1318 561 Gardens of Augustus rect 294 552 483 671 Torre Materita #the following entries do not yet have articles: #rect 129 128 344 211 Villa Damecuta #rect 827 90 1007 180 Bagni di Tiberio #rect 1568 523 1710 643 Monte Tuoro #rect 1335 309 1537 422 Monte San Michele #rect 771 369 937 511 Monte Cappello #rect 1793 66 1990 171 Monte Tiberio Notable sights include:

Economy

Capri's economy is mostly based on

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

. The island has been a major resort destination since the 19th century, attracting visitors from Italy and internationally. During summer, particularly July and August, the island experiences a large influx of tourists, including many day-trippers arriving by ferry from Naples and the Sorrento Peninsula. The central Piazza Umberto I, commonly known as the ''Piazzetta'', is the hub of social life and tourism in Capri town.
The island is known for upscale hotels, shopping (including luxury brands and local products like Limoncello and handmade leather sandals, and restaurants. Agriculture is very limited, though some

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

and

olive oil Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea'', a traditional Tree fruit, tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin) and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods, as a cond ...

are produced locally.

Handicraft A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...

s also contribute to the economy. The popularity of the island has led to concerns about

overtourism Overtourism is congestion or overcrowding from an excess of tourists, resulting in conflicts with locals. The World Tourism Organization defines overtourism as "the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that excessively influ ...

, particularly during peak season, with discussions about measures to limit day-tripper numbers. The international luxury linen brand ''100% Capri'' originated on the island.

Culture

In arts and literature

Head of a Capri Girl-John Singer Sargent 1878

During the latter half of the 19th century and early 20th century, Capri became a popular destination and residence for European artists, writers, and other prominent figures. August Kopisch's account of his 1826 rediscovery of the Blue Grotto significantly boosted the island's profile. Painters

John Singer Sargent John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 15, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era, Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil ...

, Frank Hyde, and Charles Caryl Coleman worked on the island. Writers who set works on Capri or lived there include Norman Douglas ('' South Wind''), Compton Mackenzie (''Vestal Fire'', '' Extraordinary Women''), Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen (''Et le feu s'éteignit sur la mer''), Somerset Maugham (" The Lotus Eater"), and

. Notable memoirs set on the island include Axel Munthe's '' The Story of San Michele'', Edwin Cerio's ''Aria di Capri'', and Shirley Hazzard's ''Greene on Capri: A Memoir'' about

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a re ...

Claude Debussy Achille Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionism in music, Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influe ...

titled one of his préludes '' Les collines d'Anacapri'' (1910).

Annual events

Capri hosts numerous annual events, including religious festivals, cultural happenings, and traditional celebrations. Key events include: * Festival of San Costanzo (

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

of Capri town) – May 14 * Festival of Sant'Antonio (patron saint of Anacapri) – June 13 * International Folklore Festival (Anacapri) – August * ''Settembrata Anacaprese'' (Anacapri harvest festival) – September * Capri Hollywood International Film Festival – Late December/early January * Capri Art Film Festival * Capri Tango Festival * Capri Hollywood * Eventi Villa San Michele * Premio San Michele * Premio Faraglioni * Premio Cari dell Enigma * Maraton del Golfo Capri

Transport

Capri is accessible via

ferry A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus ...

and

hydrofoil A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. Boats that use hydrofoil technology are also simply termed hydrofoils. As a hydrofoil craft gains sp ...

services operating from

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

(ports of Molo Beverello and Calata di Massa),

Sorrento Sorrento ( , ; ; ) is a City status in Italy, city and overlooking the Gulf of Naples, Bay of Naples in Southern Italy. A popular tourist destination, Sorrento is located on the Sorrentine Peninsula at the southern terminus of a main branch o ...

, Positano, and Amalfi. Services also run from Ischia and other locations during the summer months. Boats arrive at Marina Grande. From there, the Capri Funicular ascends to Capri town centre (the Piazzetta). A public bus network connects Marina Grande, Capri town, Marina Piccola, Anacapri, the Blue Grotto, and other points.See, e.g., Taxis, often open-top

limousine A limousine ( or ), or limo () for short, is a large, chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle with a partition between the driver compartment and the passenger compartment which can be operated mechanically by hand or by a button electronically. A luxu ...

-style cars, are also available. Vehicle access for non-residents is heavily restricted for much of the year (typically April to November), due to the island's narrow roads. Visitors generally rely on public transport, taxis, or walking.

Airports

The island does not have an airport. The nearest airports are: *

Naples International Airport Naples-Capodichino International Airport () is the international airport serving Naples and the Southern Italian region of Campania. According to 2023 data, the airport is the fourth-busiest airport in Italy and the busiest in Southern Ita ...

(NAP) * Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport (QSR)

Twin towns – sister cities

Capri municipality is twinned with: *

Crosby, Merseyside Crosby is a coastal town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England. it is north of Bootle, south of Southport and Formby, and west of Netherton, Merseyside, Netherton. It abuts the areas of Blundellsands to the north and Water ...

, United Kingdom *

Bethlehem Bethlehem is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, located about south of Jerusalem, and the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate. It had a population of people, as of . The city's economy is strongly linked to Tourism in the State of Palesti ...

, Palestine

References

External links

* (Municipality of Capri) * (Municipality of Anacapri)
Capri Tourism official website
{{Authority control Islands of Campania Islands of the Tyrrhenian Sea Geography of the Metropolitan City of Naples Ionian colonies in Magna Graecia