There are a lot of mediocre restaurant serving the tourist hordes in Capri, but Da Tonino, a 20-minute walk from town, is perfection
From Palermo we took an overnight ferry to Naples, where we would catch a morning ferry to the island of Capri, one of our favorite places in the world. But first let’s talk about that overnight ferry.
We did the same ferry in reverse 13 years ago, setting out from Naples for our first ever visit to Sicily. We didn’t really know what to expect, but it was a really fun experience. Soon after we settled into our modest private cabin we went looking for dinner. First we checked out the “cafeteria,” a huge space teeming with tons of people filling plates with sloppy looking, seemingly low budget food selections. Then we looked for the “restaurant” and found a shockingly elegant space with white tablecloths, white-jacketed waiters, a lovely menu, and hardly another soul dining there. There we had one of our most memorable meals ever.
As we prepared for this repeat journey I was wondering if that amazing, improbable dining experience was still an option. I asked ChatGPT about it, and they confirmed that yes, this route still has both a crowded cafeteria and an “elegant” sit-down à la carte restaurant. Yay, another fun travel experience to look forward to!
Now, it turns out that ChatGPT is sometimes just wrong. And while there was still technically a table-service restaurant, it had been seriously downgraded. No tablecloths. Surly waiters. Not a great menu at all. And just to really rub it in, they had put the boat’s children’s play area immediately across from this restaurant so diners could enjoy the screaming and squealing of the ship’s loudest and most boisterous passengers. Our dinner was a shadow of the faded glamour we’d hope to recapture.
But we survived and made it to this beautiful island for the first time in nine years. We are nearing the end of the summer season, and we got four days of the perfect weather we hoped for. Sunny. In the 70s. A little breezy. And the sea water warm and bright blue.
What do we do in Capri? Most days we head to one of the beach clubs. The island has no actual sandy “beaches,” but these elegant clubs have grown around rocky outcrops where you can jump into the sea and climb out by a ladder. Or you can walk over uncomfortable pebbles until you are relieved to fall into the soothing water. And then you have an elegant Italian lunch overlooking the stunning land and seascape.
La Fontelina is a popular beach club that we’ve been coming to for years. The views from here are among the absolute best. But I was a bit annoyed at how outrageous the prices were this time!
Lunch at La Fontelina
Lunch at our hotel’s own beach club near Marina Piccola. They are newer and don’t charge nearly the prices that La Fontelina does, yet the service and food were way better.
Enjoying the warm blue October water
What you don’t do is walk through the cute town during the day because it is completely overrun by hordes of day trippers. I don’t know how many thousands of people are dumped off here by the ferries and cruise ships, but they are really a menace. They crowd the central streets, form huge lines at the gelato shops, and make it a chore to get around. From about 11 am to 5 pm they are jammed into the central square, sporting their wrist bands, ID stickers, and lanyards around the neck. Big clusters wear headphones as they follow their flag-bearing guides.
And then as evening comes on they all go away and peace descends again.
From here we’ll travel up the island to spend another four days in the charming town of Anacapri. But as we look at the weather forecast, we fear the summer season is abruptly coming to an end!
The iconic Faraglioni attract yachts of all types and a gazillion photos
The narrow lanes that snake all over the island
The hordes of day trippers that jam the center of town during the day; note the skinny little trucks that carry luggage, food, and supplies through all the narrow roads all over the island
A peaceful aperitif in town after the day tripping hordes have cleared out
Lunch at Da Tonino
The comfort of Al Grottino, a reliable restaurant we’ve returned to numerous times over the years