Capri Captivates, Capri, Italy

The boat was full and the only space we could find was a row of seats outside and right at the front. Soon after we set off the wind started to seriously batter us and everyone moved inside. As we pushed past each other the sticky labels our guide had thoughtfully stuck on our chests were transferred to other passengers and we had fun retrieving them from complete strangers

By the time we docked in the Marina Grand we had composed ourselves and were ready to explore the beautiful island of Capri. This pretty island can trace its origins back to the Greeks and one theory is that it was named after the Greek word Kapros, meaning wild boar but others claim the name comes from the Latin word Capreae that means goats. Caesar Augustus visited the island in 29 BC when it was owned by the City of Naples and he was so captivated by its beauty that he exchanged it for the island of Ischia in the same bay. During the reign of his successor, Tiberius, twelve villas were built on Capri. Tiberius preferred to rule his empire from a tranquil island rather than the turbulence of the mainland. Today there is only visible evidence of just one of these villas.

Over the centuries the island was not affected by political events unfolding in Naples as one dynasty succeeded and it was also left unprotected from the threat of Muslim attack and it was left to fend for itself. Most of the population abandoned their homes around the marina and took refuge in the uplands creating a second community. The island has few natural resources and its population declined due to pirates, plagues and rivalry between the two communities, Capri and Anacapri (which means above Capri). But during the nineteenth century Capri once again found fame for its magical solitude and rustic simplicity and this attracted foreign artists, writers and poets to its shores. The first hotel, Locanda Pagano was built in 1826 and now there are luxury hotels in abundance including the fabulous Grand Hotel Quisisana that was originally a hospital but its exterior is now surrounded by chairs and tables with smart waiters weaving through them as they carry trays of drinks to their guests which, the day we visited, included a Rottweiler dog wearing sunglasses and sitting on a chair between its owners. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).