Sorrento to Capri Ferry Service
At least a dozen daily departures, depending on the season. Crossing time between 20 minutes and half and hour depending on the type of vessel. Tickets are reasonable, 17-20 euro each way, and comfortable lounge style seating inside, or outside deck seating with fresh air and sun.
From Sorrento, the port can be reached by taking the stairs down from the main square, or driving to the parking garage down the winding road cut into the cliff side. You’ll pay about 20 euro for a full day of parking at the Marina Piccola garage, but with friendly staff who valet park your car in the cavernous parking area cut into the side of the cliff.
Purchasing tickets from careless staff at the port, make sure you check to see which pier the ferry is leaving from. Departures are frequent from Sorrento, to points across the bay of Naples, so two or three ferries could be in port at any time. Rather than find yourself running from one side of the marina to the other, ask the angry ticket staff where your boat is departing from first. Arrive for your departure at least 15 minutes early to ensure a comfortable seat.
Marina Piccola – Island of Capri
Upon arrival at the primary port of Capri, Marina Grande, throngs of guides are on hand to offer you any number of tours all around the island. Restaurants line the harbor with over eager maitre d’s beckoning you in to eat their mediocre tourist food. Shops extend up the streets from the waterfront selling trinkets and generic ceramic souvenirs. The hordes and masses congregate buying tickets for the funicular to continue the shopping and dining experience in the main town center, at the top of hill.
Rather than take the funicular, we opt for the more strenuous hike up the narrow footpath, Via Truglio, up to the town center, and then down the other side on the idyllic Via Mulo to the quiet, tranquil, often overlooked, Marina Piccola.
Once on this side of the Island, the hustle and bustle of the tourist overrun Marina Grande is left far behind. Just a few small restaurants and shops, and family run hotels. We rent kayaks from Ristorante da Gioia, and set off across the crystal clear waters to the Green Grotto, about 20 minutes paddling time from the beach. Dodging wakes from larger tourist filled boats that threaten to swamp us, we enjoy a truly unique experience making our way through the grotto where larger boats do not fit. Afterwards, we enjoy a refreshing Aperol Spritz at the restaurant, relax, and enjoy the unparalleled scenery of Capri.
Sorrento Shopping
The strenuous physical activity finished for the day, we descend back to Marina Grande, and take the 3:15pm ferry returning to Sorrento. Rather than negotiate the traffic immediately, Sorrento offers a near endless variety of shopping for those who enjoy the peculiar passtime.
Narrow alleys lined on both sides with shops of all sorts, Sorrento is a holiday shopping paradise. A store dedicated to 100% linen clothing on one corner, and a speciality gastronomic and wine shop on the other. Don’t forget to get a gelato, there are gelatarias to choose from on every street. Also plenty of food options for those who need to eat dinner at 5:30pm.
Satisfied with our experience, we emerge with Golf from the parking cave Marina Piccola at the port in Sorrento and run the veritable gauntlet of crazy Napolitano style traffic back up the mountain to Sant’Agata, once again miraculously unscathed.
