Italy 2009 - Day 6

Marina Grande on Capri

Random church we walked by

On top of Mount Solaro

Another view from the top

Brian going down the chairlift

Waiting for boats to leave the Blue Grotto

So, where were we? Italy ... Have we really been home a week? I'm feeling very nostalgic this past week, I must say. Hopefully I'll snap back to reality soon. Anyhow, we left Positano, and caught the ferry jet to Capri (about a 40 minute ride). Once there, we took the funicular (I had no idea what that was) to Capri town, then a very winding bus ride along cliffs to Anacapri, where we would be staying the night -- Hotel Senaria (nice sized rooms with a private bath and terrace). It was close to Mount Solaro, so our first stop was to the chairlift to take us to the top of the mountain. The ride was about 12 minutes up, and the view was breathtaking. We would have loved to have hiked down, but since we were only going to be visiting Capri for the night and had more to see, we took the lift down too.

On the way back, we stopped at the Carthusia perfume store, per the recommendation of our friends The Frigs (again -- seriously, all their recommendations were great), and I picked up some Mediterraneo and Via Camerelle scents. A nice keepsake since we traveled really light, and didn't have room for anything too big.

Next, we raced back to our hotel, changed into swim suits, and took the bus to the Grotta Azzura (Blue Grotto). One way to get in, is to take a boat trip to the grotto, then load smaller boats to enter the grotto (you lay down in the boat to enter). Or, you can do what we did, and wait until the boats leave, then jump in and swim into the grotto for free. There were probably about 50 of us waiting for the boats to leave. And in fact, the front desk person at our hotel suggested this was the best way to see the grotto. It was stunning. I have no idea how long we spent, but we swam around it it a few times and didn't want to leave. You do have to be careful of the waves coming in the entrance hole, since they can push you up against the sides, which are quite sharp. But for the most part, it was no big deal.

That evening, we were walking to get dinner and stumbled upon a symphony. They would be performing a classical show later that evening, but were rehearsing a piece for another night -- it was just amazing. And the backdrop just made everything more perfect. It was a magical day.