I’m back in Zurich after three weeks of travel that took us from the French Riviera to Florence, Capri, and southern Italy.
There are still bags waiting to be unpacked and laundry staring at me accusingly. But before the details start to blur, I wanted to dish with you about Capri.
It’s only mid-August, which means summer is not over for many of you, so I need to share a few thoughts and insider tips while everything is still fresh.
This is part travel diary, part Capri review, and part gentle intervention for anyone who books a beautiful hotel and then spends the entire trip running around trying to “make the most” of the destination.
The Woman Napping in Amalfi
Many years ago, while touring hotels for wedding venues, Alessandro and I visited Hotel Santa Caterina in Amalfi, which I highly recommend.
While we were looking around, I saw a woman napping on the terrace of the suite next door.
It shocked me.
Not because she was doing anything strange. Quite the opposite. She was doing…nothing. In her hotel room. It had honestly never occurred to me that I could travel a great distance to take a nap in my hotel room.
Seriously.
I was still very much in my “wake up early, see everything, photograph everything, pack the schedule, go go go” era. A vacation had to be maximized.
And there she was, asleep on her terrace in Amalfi.
Iconic, frankly.
That woman changed the way I travel.
Since then, I almost never like doing less than three nights somewhere. I want to unpack. I want to settle. I want to see how the vibe changes over the course of the day. I want to follow my body a little. I want to be able to say, “Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow.”
Most of all, I want to enjoy the place I paid to stay in.
Stay Put
This summer, we spent three nights in Capri, and one of the best things we did was spend an entire day just enjoying our hotel.
We stayed at La Minerva, which I highly recommend. It is beautiful, intimate, charming, and yes, pretty pricey. But that is exactly my point.
If you are already spending a pretty penny on lodging, enjoy it.
Resist the urge to immediately run to another crowded beach club, another piazza, another tourist attraction, another place social media told you that you “must” see.
Take refuge from the crowds and over-tourism that most key summer destinations are suffering from.
Your hotel has already curated an environment for you.
The pools are often reserved for guests only. No curious eyes. No random people trying to catch a glimpse of a place they saw on Instagram. The staff knows who you are. They are committed to your comfort. They are, quite literally, obligated to be nice to you. There’s often a spa, a gym, and gardens.
Use them!
At La Minerva, breakfast is served until noon, which is basically them saying, “Please, madam, sleep in.” There is aperitivo by the pool, and some of the waiters are heavy pourers and generous with the top-ups. God bless them.
There is shade. There is service. There is a bathroom you do not have to stand in line to use.
This summer was unbearably hot, and Capri can be slammed during the day. The hotel became a very welcome oasis.
Sometimes the best thing to do on holiday is the thing you are technically already paying for.
Stay put.
Swim.
Read.
Nap.
Order the drink.
Enjoy the hotel!
Capri Has Changed
Now, a word on Capri.
I say this as an American, and as someone who loves many things about Americans— the friendliness, optimism, generosity, and ease with strangers, to name a few.
But after eight years in Europe, I finally understood the stereotype of the imposing American tourist this summer.
The island felt overrun…As do most European destinations.
This was my fourth time on the Island, but my first visit since 2020, and Capri felt noticeably different. Less Caprese in certain ways. More shaped around the wealthy American visitor.
The prices have gone through the roof because rich Americans will pay them. They come from New York and Palm Beach and frequent Saint-Tropez and Mykonos. They’re used to absurd numbers. Alessandro is from the region, so we expect Capri to be expensive, as it always has been. But he also knows when a restaurant is simply having a laugh with its pricing.
Then there is the tipping.
Tip jars on boat pickups. Tip requests in taxis. Suggested tip prompts when paying bills.
This feels new and aimed at Americans, because everyone in the world knows Americans are wired to feel guilty about not tipping. For most Europeans, tipping is discretionary. The amount is decided by the customer. It is not demanded with suggested percentages at every turn.
And the music.
Why, in Capri, am I hearing so much American music at restaurants?
I do not want to hear “Sweet Caroline.”
I am not at a college bar.
Why not play Italian music and teach visitors something new? At least play “Sarà perché ti amo” at the very least.
It was also hard not to notice the arrival of more international names and chains. Casa Tua and Zuma, for example. It used to feel as though you went to Capri to visit places you could only access on the island. Now some of the restaurants feel like they could be in Miami, Dubai, or Mykonos.
Capri Palace has also opened a members-only club called NOK. Cocktails are €50 a glass, and it is in Anacapri, a hike away from the center.
But a members-only club on Capri?
What happened to island vibes? I get exclusivity. I’m okay with a tough door. But members-only?
I used to adore Il Riccio. It had a playful but luxe feeling, with fun waiters who made you feel at home. This time, it felt stuffier. The waiters were in jackets on very hot days.
Why so serious?
They’ve come a long way from taking selfies with the kitchen staff as they prepared a custom order for me.
One thing that still felt pure was the existence of handmade, custom sandals on the island. I really hope they do not lose that.
I still love Capri and will always return. It is objectively spectacular. The water, the cliffs, the views, the architecture, the drama of the landscape. There are still moments when you look around and understand immediately why people have been coming here for decades.
But it does feel like the island is changing.
And not always in ways I love.
How to Do Capri Now
Stay for three nights if you can. Capri is not a place I would rush. The daytime is for hiding: on a boat, in your hotel, or at a beach club. Somewhere with water, shade, and as few crowds as possible.
The evenings are when Capri feels better. The day-trippers have left, the heat softens, the shops stay open late, and the island becomes more glamorous and alive. This is the time for dinner, wandering, shopping, people-watching, and, if you are in the mood, Anema e Core, which lives up to its famous reputation.
Anacapri is worth visiting too, especially for Villa San Michele and the single-person Monte Solaro chair lift, which takes you to the top of the island for spectacular views.
And this is a place where you can wear your best things. The clothes, the watches, the jewelry, the hair, the makeup. Capri may be changing, but people still know how to bring it. Hot tip: leave the stilettos at home!
And finally, dare I say it, Capri may be more fun in a group or with another couple, especially on those boat days.
Oh, and La Fontelina? Indeed, it is overpriced and ubiquitous, but still so beautiful. Though it’s been a while since I’ve visited. We tried something different this year and went to Bagni Tiberio. It is more “authentic,” and the food was out of this world. But I would probably recommend it more for lunch than for a full day at a beach club, unless you are very… easygoing. It made me appreciate La Fontelina.
And please, for the love of God, enjoy your hotel!
Don’t Be a Stranger
What do you think? Have you been to Capri, or is it still on your list? Did summer travel feel different to you this year?
Drop a note in the comments. I’d love to hear where you went, what surprised you, and whether you’re also learning to enjoy the hotel you paid for.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this! Super interesting reflections on how the place has changed and helpful tips for folks like me that still want to visit it. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your Capri experience..My husband is also from Italy. He loves Capri, but I have yet to visit. We plan to go many times, but always end up someplace else in Italy or some other European country. Reading your engaging descriptions and how the “changed” Capri made you feel seemed visceral but not canceling. Your rightful questioning of the sounds of Sweet Caroline(😆) while on the Island of Capri was justified. Clearly, the strange stiffness of the waiters at your favorite restaurant was like….”wait a damn minute.”(😉) Anyway, your love of Capri seems everlasting and that’s great………….. I saved your hotel and restaurant recommendations. Maybe I will run into you out there one of these days…….Ciao, Starr