Beyond Capri’s rampant commercialism, you’ll discover stunning natural beauty. Most hikes are hilly but not terribly rugged; a pair of sneakers should be enough to hit the trails. To reach the Arco Naturale, a triumphant stone arch, start in P. Umberto I, head down V. Le Botteghe, and veer right onto V. Matermania. Head down a steep staircase and you’ll hit the spot. Turn back around and head left, passing the Grotta di Matermania and the Villa Malaparte, a rare work of modern architecture. When the road opens onto V. Pizzolungo, the Faraglioni, Capri’s three famous rocks, is around the way. The walk is about 1½hr. Head to the tourist office for detailed maps of other suggested hikes.
Boat trips around the island are expensive but spectacular. They stop at grottoes and allow passengers to dive into the deep blue water. Companies like MBS Blu Charter offer half- or full-day boat rides from Naples or Sorrento. (}335 52 99 826 or 328 77 55 594; www.sorrentocapritours.com ` €75-100 per person.)
Grotta Azzurra, as its name suggests, is pretty blue—and when we say blue, we mean swimming-pool aquamarine (On the island’s northwest coast, below Anacapri }081 83 70 973). One of the few grottoes accessible without a boat, it’s consequently one of the busiest and most expensive. Still, it’s a beautiful sight: the walls of this water-filled cave shimmer almost artificially when sunlight beams through from the water’s surface. Roman statues were discovered here, and legend has it that spirits reside in the caves. If the authorities don’t catch you taking a prohibited swim, maybe the ghosts will. (> From Vle. Tommaso de Tommaso in Anacapri, take the bus to Grotta Azzurra (15min., every 10-20min. 6:30am-10:30pm). Once there, catch a Cooperativa Battellieri rowboat to the entrance. ` Boat €8.50. Entry €4. Cash only. ~ Last boat at 5pm.)
Monte Solaro (V. Caposcuro 10 }081 83 71 428; www.capriseggiovia.it) might be nearly as expensive as the ferry to Capri, but the 589m ascent above the island is worth it. For 13min., titillate (or tremble) as your chairlift climbs to the summit. From the island’s highest point, enjoy an unrivaled panorama of land and sea: Ischia, Naples, and the Appenines loom in the distance. Thankfully, you probably won’t meet the fate of ill-fortuned guests of the island’s former owner, Emperor Tiberius—if he didn’t like your politics, he’d invite you over for dinner and push you off the cliff.(> The chair lift leaves from V. Caposcuro 10, just off P. Vittoria in Anacapri. ` €9. ~ Ticket office open daily 9:30am-5pm. Last ride to Monte Solaro at 5pm; last ride back at 5:30pm.)