Capri

Story by Karen Walker
Photos by Mikhail Gherman

The Italians have tricked us all into thinking that Capri is a small island off the Amalfi Coast but I’ve discovered the truth. It’s actually a Disneyland ride bringing you all the greatest Southern Italian clichés in one confined space. Walt Disney built it in the 50’s and it features narrow cobble stoned streets, steep cliffs plunging into the bluest Mediterranean sea, a piazza with cafes and a 16th century church, brightly colored rowing boats moored by seaside cafes, faded photos of Bridgette Bardot in flat sandles and Capri pants (they’re not called that for nothing), several thousand scooters, whitewashed houses hanging precariously from cliff edges, and some handsome Carribineri with beautiful uniforms and shiny silver swords. The soundtrack to the ride is Dean Martin singing ‘Amore’. It’s everything that you dream of Italy being but don’t actually believe it could be. It’s heaven on earth.

At 9pm Da Paolino is empty but by 10 it’s packed. All the tables are outside under a canopy of lemon trees - each table has its own tree and they’re all trimmed so there’s no sky visible - just a ceiling of thick green foliage with occasional lemons hanging down. The food is unbelievably good. They’re well known for their antipasto, which is amazing. Naturally, we finish the evening with limoncello.

The other dining highlight for me is Al Grottino in a little side street in the village. It’s the great Italian restaurant cliché. Low ceiling, archways, Chianti bottles and bread sticks. It’s clearly been around since the 50’s. The walls are covered with photos of Papa entertaining his guests - Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastraini, etc. It looks like the sons have now taken over but I can still imagine Sophia Loren stepping though the door. The American couple next to us obviously visits once a year because they make a big thing out of reminding the old waiter they were there twelve months previously. He fakes recognition. They’re wearing matching Charlie Brown sweaters - she has Lucy, he has Snoopy. They order two huge steaks.

Apart from the food the best thing about Capri has to be sitting in one of the piazza’s cafes after dinner - having gelato and limoncello and watching the crowds and listening to the 16th century clock chime each half hour. And Saturday night is when it’s at it’s most full on. I’ve often wondered who buys Valentino dresses and Bulgari diamonds. It’s the 40-something Donatella Versace look-alikes and their 50-something tycoon husbands who have a house on Capri and come in by chopper or launch for the weekend. The men are all in loose fitting pants and loafers, no socks. Even the old dears are out parading. They have walking sticks but they’re still dressed up and have the stones on. Parading late into the night is such a part of the culture in Italy. They get dressed up and they walk about. There’s no sitting around watching TV on Capri. It’s all about being out on the town.

By day, we lounge on one of two main beaches. Marina Piccalo is on the northern side of the island. It’s a $5 cab ride from town, or $2 bus ride or if you’re feeling fit about 300 steps down and up. There are three little pebbled beaches to choose from with a little white washed chapel in the centre. Each beach has deck chairs and umbrellas for rent. There are very few people there and we lie a meter from the water’s edge all day. There are several cafes on the water. They serve the greatest Caprice salad and pasta and wonderful sangria.

The next major bay round from Marina Piccolo is accessible by boat or steps. Taking a boat to leave is the way to go because I counted 290 steps and at the end of a hard day’s sunbathing, swimming and eating it can be pretty tough. This beach has no pebbles, just great flat rocks. You can hire mattresses and umbrellas and jump off the rocks into the water. It has a wonderful cafe called La Fontilina that has the best sangria and wonderful buffalo mozzarella.

As you can tell this has essentially been an eating holiday but who can blame me? The food is sublime - no matter where you end up.

The holiday season officially finishes on Sunday and we leave on Monday morning. Waiting for the boat it’s like being in a totally different place. The ride has been shut down and the last of the punters are being shipped out. The summer weather switch has been turned off. It’s dropped 10 degrees over night. The sky switch has been turned from endless blue to ominous grey. The wind machine’s been turned on and the lighting beneath the surface of the sea has been turned off so it’s no longer luminous aqua - it’s dishwater grey. By the time we reach Naples, an hour later, it’s raining harder than any rainstorm I’ve ever seen. The sky is black. The thunder and lightning’s stunning. This ride’s definitely been shut down for the next six months.

Sleeping Tips

• Only stay on the northern side of the island. My favorite in Capri is Hotel Luna. And go on, splash out, get the room facing the sea. That’s what you’re there for after all.

• Alternatively, La Scalinatella is intimate and luxurious

• But the most famous of the Caprian hotels is Punta Tragara, which was designed by Le Corbusier in the 20’s and is the essence of Capri.