To Dream of Capri
- chebelladonna
- Dec 8, 2025
- 4 min read
I stumbled onto Capri in the 90s in a serendipitous moment during my low budget, university graduation backpacking trip. Those days on the island were an unexpected bolt of lightning, its profound beauty, striking fast and deep.
Meanwhile, I blinked, and it was 25 years later. The day Pablo and I set out for Capri I felt nervous at breakfast. Had it really been as beautiful as I remembered, or was it all a figment of my imagination that grew with the decades?
We fidgeted around the dock as we waited for the ferry. The weather still wasn't great but I enjoyed poking around the fishing boats and nets, a surprising and refreshing slice of every day life in Positano. It had stopped raining but the sky was overcast, and windy, as we boarded.
Initially we sat on the upper deck of the ferry where we proceeded to be blown over. When my covid mask violently flew into the ocean we retreated to the cabin for the remainder of the journey. My heart felt trepidatious.
And then as if by magic the island came into view, the skies cleared and the winds subsided - a perfect cerulean blue day appeared. We scurried off the boat towards the port area where we poked around for a few minutes, hopping in a taxi to the town of Capri, not to be confused with Anacapri, farther up the mountainside. Jumping out of the taxi, we took off like two kids bolting out of school at recess.
We came across the top of the funicular which ferries people from the port (something I'd forgotten about) and stopped at the beautiful outlook to take in the vista. There stands the elegant clock tower in stone with a clock face in my favourite blue, yellow and white combination. The square beyond was bustling with life, a fat tabby cat lazily strolling about with confidence, as stylish Italians and travellers alike sipped coffees, people watching and taking in the view. This led to a labyrinth of streets spilling off the square lined with the most beautiful boutiques, restaurants, and gelaterias. One street was particularly beautiful, full of pastel buildings, in yellow and pink and blue. They were adorned with the most beautiful, brightly coloured flowers and the odd fountain thrown in for good measure. We followed our noses.
As we came to end of the street there was a pasture like meadow ahead of us with a long pergola over a windy path and a simple but elegant almost handmade looking sign that simply read Hotel Luna. We couldn't help but follow along. Eventually a pool appeared on our left and the hotel, in apricot stone, emerged straight ahead surrounded by lush gardens. As we reached the end of the patio we were greeted to a view of views ... the sea and the faraglioni rocks far below. Boats elegantly dotted the sea. It's a sight. We just stood there, side by side, dumbfounded, much the way I had been 25 years prior. Pablo describes it as a before and after moment, akin to the first time he saw breasts. It is something that just changes you. You can't un-see it.
Basically our tourist plans for the rest of the day evaporated, once we realized there was a restaurant on the patio one story up from where we stood. We settled in for an impromptu but leisurely sobremesa - a Spanish term that translates to 'over the table'. It means taking your time, lingering, chatting, digesting. We enjoyed a Caprese Salad, a simple pasta, Prosecco for me and beer for Pablo, chatting with the table next to ours. We breathed deeply. We reflected. We laughed. We took our time. Our eyes and our hearts tried to absorb as much of the beauty as possible. As we left the restaurant we meandered back up the path slowly. As I tried to express my gratitude for the ability to return to the island; my throat choked up. It had been a truly beautiful day.
We were left with a little bit of time and found the Carthusia Perfumeria a tiny perfume lab, uber stylish and dripping in flowers, back out on the road. It's dreamy. I purchased the Gelsomina di Capri. It's floral, sweet and citrusy. And Pablo purchased a varietal called Numero Uno with woody, aromatic and citrusy notes. I still have a little and try to ration it out for special events until I can return to the island to buy another bottle. After securing our purchases we strolled up to the terraced and lush Gardens of Augustus to drink in one last incredible view.
Eventually it was time to go and we walked back to town and rode the funicular to the port (which is fun in itself). Then we boarded our ship to take us back to Positano. Some days are just magical if you just let them happen. The travel tip here is to plan, but don't over plan. Leave room for spontaneity.
We left Capri with long list of things undone ...
We didn't go back to Anacapri where I stayed on my first trip.
We didn't go to the Blue Grotto.
We didn't do the various hike around the Island.
We didn't go to the beach or on a boat tour.
We didn't take the chair lift to Monte Solero.
We didn't tour Villa Jovis a Roman Palace built by Tiberius.
I think if we returned to the region, I would probably mix it up and stay on Capri for five days taking day trips by ferry to the various towns we want to visit, leaving us to explore the Island in the mornings and the evenings in a more relaxed way. Ojala, as they say wistfully in Spanish.
