Capri: The Island of Dreams

It was once known as the Island of the Wild Boars.

It's made of limestone. It stands as the tip of a mountain chain on the Sorrentine peninsula. Its coast is surrounded by dolomite cliffs that fall straight to the sea, all the while beckoning adventurous travelers into its many caves and caverns.

Welcome to heaven on Earth. Welcome to Capri.

More than 890 types of flora and fauna envelop you upon entrance to Capri, making your entrance so fragrant you'd think you passed a delicious perfume counter. If you're here in Capri, you are one of many tourists that have begun to make the trek to this picturesque piece of heaven since the 1950s. It was then, after the discovery of the glorious Blue Grotto, that the since-nonstop flow of tourists, both Italian and foreign alike, began.

Beginning in the late 1700s and continuing until the end of the second World War, a multitude of creative beings (a term which encompasses writers and painters, as well as the rich and famous, exiles and refugees) selected the island as a site for a summer residence/year-round residence/hideout and began to construct on the fairly uninhabited island what is modern-day Capri.

My absolute favorite thing to do in Capri is to take the funicolare to Piazza Umberto I. The Piazza, basically one large cafè', is set outdoors in a large square and serves as an uber-hangout for the hip tourists of Capri and the nonchalant natives. I generally stop for a gelato, espresso and a chat, then head to the Natural Arch area. My boyfriend decided to stop once on the way to eat lunch, and found a charming and absolutely delicious cafÈ on the way called Bar Paradiso. This place was NOT in any of our guides or maps, but the food and the views were simply stunning. It was here I sampled a bit too much bianco caprese, the local white wine generally served around Capri.

We rested for awhile to let the wine wear off, then continued to Grotta di Matromania, which we had heard was a place where ancient Romans chose to worship their gods through a series of strange, mind-altering rituals. Being a couple interested in the head trips and religious feats of others, we continued to explore the this area for the rest of the afternoon. We didn't really see evidence of anything unusual, but there were enough tourists exploring at the same time we were that we learned a great deal more than we read in our tour books.

When we were finished, we followed a tour group down to Tragara (don't worry, the path in is fairly good shape given the tourist traffic) where we walked continuously along the Faraglioni, hands down one of the most recognizable and famous landmarks in Capri.

Eventually, we ended up back where we started. It was an incredible first day. I can see why Capri is compared to heaven; its deep, clear blue sea, lilting sea breezes, the peace, the atmosphere - it's simply unthinkable that all these things should culminate here on Earth for this kind of visual pleasure.

It might be hard to believe, but all it takes is a visit to prove it. I've never once regretted changing my itinerary to head off to Capri, and look forward to May when I plan to lose myself there again for two weeks.