The Luxurious Journey

I have been obsessed with all things lemon lately- painted lemon serving platters, lemon-ricotta pancakes, lemon print bikinis… Maybe it’s my presently unquenchable thirst to return to Italy that is sparking this new obsession. I dream of returning to Capri, the island famous for its gigantic, lucious and fragrant lemons.

Life has certainly thrown quite a few lemons at us all this past year. We have been fortunate to have made our way through and look forward to the gradual return to normalcy. While travel is slowly making its way back, dreams of returning to Europe are on hold indefinitely.  But reminiscing and daydreaming and future planning don’t have to be. 

Several years ago when I was planning a trip to the Amalfi coast, my friend Melissa insisted that I spend a few days on Capri. I had been to Capri on a day trip as a child  and my memory of it was that it was a beautiful but slightly tacky island off the coast of Naples. Yes, the  blue grotto was stunning, but Capri, really? With an allotment of 10 days, three of which we were spending in Rome, and 3 at the legendary La Sirenuse in Positano, I had to choose wisely. Would Capri be worth it? I decided to give it a try. 

When our ferry arrived in Capri, my misgivings resurfaced. The harbor had no shortage of tacky souvenir shops, crowds and touristy restaurants. But I soon discovered Capri held a secret it only shared with those who took the time to get to know it.

As you exit the funicular that brings you from the commercialized harbor to the elegant Capri town, you enter Piazza Umberto I, also known as La Piazzetta, arguably the most fashionable square in the world.  Even from this relatively low elevation of this mountainous island, the views are breathtaking.

Walk a bit further past La Piazzetta and you enter a labyrinth of cobblestone streets lined with the finest shops in the world (think Gucci and Prada), artisanal products (like made to order shoes), and some of the best restaurants in Italy (Ristoranti Aurora, Villa Verde).

I should have known Capri would be incredible when I started researching the perfect hotel. There is no shortage of 5 star properties on this island.  The Capri Tiberio Palace is steps from the restaurants and shops, with chic, modern touches and gorgeous views of the Med. The hotel La Scalinatella is named after the “tiny staircase”- terraced levels- of this beautiful, tucked away property with unparalleled views of the marina.  In Anacapri, 900 feet above sea level and 10 minutes by car, there are some truly spectacular hotels including the Caesar Augustus and the JK Palace. We chose to stay at the Capri Tiberio Palace, as we wanted to be close to the action and didn’t relish traveling the windy, narrow roads to Anacapri.

It’s easy to avoid the day tripping crowds while staying in Capri by spending the day at one of the famous beach clubs. Our favorite was the Fontelina Beach Club, where you can rub elbows with celebrities while dining on the freshest linguine alle vongole you’ve ever eaten. Make your reservations for the club and the restaurant  in advance, as they do fill up quickly. Have your concierge triple check it before you arrive.

You can get to Fontelina after a lovely stroll and a very long descent down winding stairs. As you stroll to Fontelina, be sure not to miss Maria, the singing lemon granita maker on Via Tragara.

After spending the day relaxing and eating at the beach club, you might choose to take the taxi boat to Marina Piccolo rather than climb the stairs for that journey. Have your concierge set up a taxi to wait for you at the piazza, as there is often a very long line for taxis. Unsurprisingly, waiting one’s turn isn’t exactly part of la dolce vita. If you’re lucky, you will get one of the gorgeous jeweled open-air taxis for which Capri is famous.

If hiking is more your style, Capri offers some of the best hiking in Italy.  You can even hike up to Anacapri if you’re feeling adventurous. Or perhaps you’ll prefer to take Seggiovia Monte Solaro, the chair lift to the top of Capri.

If you rent the boat for the day, make sure to make a reservation at Conca del Sogno in Nerano for lunch and beach time. Conca del Sogno is a beach club/restaurant midway between Capri and Positano. The restaurant’s small boat will come and meet your boat to whisk you away to their gorgeous seaside restaurant. Be sure to order their famous spaghetti ala nerano (pasta with zucchini) which was the best pasta dish of our entire trip. And don’t miss the sea bass baked in salt.  After a leisurely lunch, spend a few hours relaxing at the beach club before heading back to get ready for dinner in Capri.

Which brings me back to lemons. Imagine dining under a lemon grove on one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean. The scent of lemons overhead lingers as you experience some of the finest cuisine Capri has to offer. An excursion to Capri is incomplete without a night spent under the 130 lemon trees at Da Paolino.

After dinner, stroll through the streets of Capri town, which really comes to life after the tourists have gone. The lights of the town are the perfect backdrop for this real-life fashion show. The stores stay open for the island’s guests, the restaurants are bustling and everyone seems to know how lucky they are to be in on its secret. 

It might be a while until we can travel to Italy, and although there are so many places I want to discover I can’t help but want to return to Capri. They say lemons contain a magical healing power. I think they’re right.