The Grotta Azzurra

If you find yourself in Capri then congratulations, you’ve reached one of the most beautiful places on earth. You could easily have a wonderful vacation doing little more than basking in the sun and sipping on limoncello all day. That said, I have two suggestions for you. Add a little shaved ice to that limoncello, and take an afternoon to see the Grotta Azzurra, the Blue Grotto.

I hear you though. Why would you leave the sun and the second most delicious liquor on the face of the planet? Because you’re going to want to see this.

The Grotta Azzurra can be found on the northwestern tip of the island of Capri, in a city called Anacapri. For €14 you’ll climb into a rowboat and be led into the grotto by a local guide. For €320-340 you can hire out a private motor or speed boat and have a tour of the entire island. Having never been on those I can’t attest to them, but I can tell you that the rowboat is absolutely worth it.

You’ll climb down a set of steps to get to the boats, and the cave is just to your right. That’s where the magic starts. Catch them on a good day and you’ll see thousands of tiny jellyfish fluttering just under the surface of the water. Look carefully! They’re pale white, nearly translucent, they’d be easy to mistake for just part of the sparkling water, which was what I did until Mom pointed them out to me. If you’re lucky these little friends will follow you on your journey. Don’t touch though! They might sting rather harshly.

Be sure to duck when you go into the cave, especially if you’re tall! Then, prepare to be amazed.

The cave was once used as a temple, and it’s easy to see why. The cave stretches much further back than the picture shows, this is just the entrance, but the colour is real, there isn’t any retouching. The light also shines on the ceiling of the cavern, illuminating it with moving ribbons of blue light. Where better to celebrate a god of the sea? The statues that were found in the cave can now be found in the Cassa Rosa in Anacapri, should you like to visit them. The story goes that sailors would avoid the cave for fear of evil spirits which lived in it. The statues within might have given rise to that story, they depict nymphs, servants of the gods. Neptune, Poseidon, the Romans had a tendency not to care who one worshiped.

Remember to check the weather before you book your trip, as the grotto closes if the sea gets too rough. This happens a lot between November and March, but on sunny, calm days they’ll open up.

Bring your sense of wonder, a solid set of walking shoes, some sunscreen, and a camera!