Marina Piccola
Capri, Campania
Once Capri’s main harbor, Marina Piccola today is simply one of the picturesque spots on the island’s southern coast. The towering Faraglioni sea stacks loom just offshore, and the tiny cove is home to exclusive beach clubs and waterfront restaurants. To get a taste of Capri’s chic la dolce vita vibe, this is the place to head.
Marina Piccola was used by Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius to holiday on the island, and its regulars today are no less VIP. The marina is split into the Marina di Mulo and the Marina di Peannauro by the Scoglio delle Sirene cliff; both are sheltered from the wind and enjoy a warm southern exposure. According to legend, this cliff was once inhabited by the sirens described in Homer’s Odyssey, but the only siren song you’ll hear today is that of the fashionable glitterati who gather here each summer.
Marina Piccola is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline on Capri, and a highlight of any boat tour around the island from Naples, Sorrento, Positano, or Amalfi. Most boat tours or day cruises to the island also include free time on land to explore sights like the Piazzetta, Gardens of Augustus, and Charterhouse of San Giacomo.
*If taking a boat tour around Capri with a stop at Marina Piccola, be sure to wear sunscreen and a hat. Some tours include time to swim, so bring a swimsuit and towel. *The coastline of Marina Piccola is not accessible by land for wheelchairs or strollers due to stairs down to the waterfront. *This spot offers one of the best views of the Faraglioni sea stacks just opposite. *The beach clubs and restaurants here are some of the most popular on the island, so reserve a sun bed or table far in advance.
Marina Piccola can be reached by bus from the Piazzetta or by walking about 15 minutes from the Piazzetta along Via Roma to Due Golfi and then taking the stairs down Via Mulo.
With its southern exposure, the beaches along this stretch of coast are the warmest on the island and you can sunbathe here until late in the afternoon.
Visitors could once reach Marina Piccola thanks to a remarkable feat of engineering: a paved footpath that led steeply down the mountainside from the Gardens of Augustus to the harbor below. Commissioned by the German steel magnate Friedrich Alfred Krupp at the beginning of the 20th century, this magnificent cliffside route has been closed for the past few years due to falling rocks. It can, however, still be viewed from a scenic overlook in the Augustus Gardens.
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