MY TRAVEL STORIES
Capri, The City On The Island With The Same Name
Through the elegant streets of a very beautiful and chic little town
After visiting Anacapri, we stopped in the heart of the town of Capri, Piazza Umberto I, affectionately called Piazzetta, bordered on one side by the Town Hall’s Clock Tower, and on the other by the Chiesa di San Stefano.
The Piazzetta is quite crowded and cramped, previously serving as a market where fish, vegetables, and meat were sold.
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At one point, a young man took the initiative to put out a few tables from his bar right in the center of the square, followed then by other islanders who opened their own businesses, and from that moment on, the Piazzetta became the center of social life on the island, becoming famous among both locals and visitors.
I wandered at will through the elegant streets with expensive shops, cafes, discovering a very beautiful and chic little town, with white, quaint, and elegant buildings.
We continued our way to the intersection with Via Matteotti, which we followed to reach our next destinations, the Gardens of Augustus and Via Krupp.
From a distance, on the left side, we saw the Certosa di San Giacomo, the oldest monastery in Capri, built in 1371 by order of Count Giacomo Arcucci on land donated by Queen Giovanna I d’Anjou.
We took a few more steps and on the right side, the renowned Carthusia perfumery, which is connected to the Certosa di San Giacomo monastery, appeared in front of us.
The story of Carthusia perfumes begins with an incident involving the abbot of the monastery, who, taken by surprise by the visit of Queen Giovanna d’Anjou, composed a bouquet of the most fragrant flowers picked from the island, which was kept in water for three days.
The abbot then noticed that the water from the flowers had a particularly pleasant smell, and with the help of the monastery’s alchemist, discovered that the wild carnation of Capri was responsible for this aroma.
Thus was born “Garofilium Silvestre Caprese”, the first perfume from Capri. The secret of the perfume recipe was well hidden for centuries, until 1948, when the abbot found the old perfume formulas and, with the permission of the Pope, they were presented to a chemist from Turin, who created one of the smallest laboratories in the world and named it Carthusia.
Because a logo was also needed, one was created, embodying a mermaid made of flowers.
The tradition has been preserved to this day, with the entire perfume-making process being artisanal, following strictly the same methods once used by the monks, even the original and inspired bottles are handmade.
Men’s perfumes have been created using rosemary from Monte Solaro and women’s perfumes based on the wild carnation of Capri. The Carthusia collection consists of eight exclusive perfumes: Io Capri, Aria di Capri, Fiori di Capri, Mediterraneo, Carthusia Uomo, Ligea, Numero Uno, and Via Camerelle.
The fruity essences (lemon, orange, peach) mix with those of wood (cedar, oak) or with floral ones (lavender, mimosa, ylang-ylang, lilac, camellia, gardenia), black pepper, and green tea.
If I were to buy a perfume, it would have been Mediterraneo, which has a predominant lemon scent, discreet, which undoubtedly reminds you of Capri and the Amalfi coast.
After visiting the perfumery and the laboratory, we continued our journey and arrived at the entrance to the Gardens of Augusto. We paid 1 euro each at the nearby ticket office and entered the not very large park, organized on several terraces, decorated with statues and multicolored flowers.
The German industrialist Friederich Alfred Krupp bought the land and arranged these gardens at the end of the 19th century and offered them to the municipality. Somewhere around here, there is also a bust of Lenin, who lived on the island for two years, invited by Gorky.
However, what impresses is the superb panorama towards Via Krupp and towards the Faraglioni, offered from the upper platform.
Via Krupp, the famous road on the island of Capri, has its own story. It all started from “a whim” of the same Friedrich Alfred Krupp, who ordered the construction of the road out of his desire to reach more quickly from the hotel where he stayed to the Marina Piccola port, where he used to keep his yacht every summer.
He was passionate about underwater world research, moving here to study the marine fauna of the Gulf of Naples.
The pedestrian path carved into the rock winds in dizzying switchbacks above the sea, over a length of about one kilometer, being a symbol for the island for over 100 years and a point of attraction for visitors from all over the world.
Krupp bore all the costs of construction and donated the road to the local community. In gratitude, he was named an honorary citizen of the island. Over time, the road has been closed several times due to landslides or the risk of collapse.
Turning our gaze almost 180 degrees, we discover another symbol of the island of Capri, the Faraglioni, the three nearby rocks, named: Stella, connected to the island by an isthmus, Mezzo, and Scopolo.
On the latter rock lives the blue lizard, an endemic species, which is said to have adapted to the environment, its color coming from the blue of the sea and sky.
We stopped on one of the benches arranged in the gardens, looking towards the infinite horizon, basking in the warm sun, together with a seagull, but the time also came for us to head towards the port.
We returned following the same route, back to Piazza Umberto I, where we had seen a sign towards the port. We followed the pedestrian path, descending on a slope, on stairs, and occasionally crossing the road, admiring for the last time the houses and gardens of the island’s residents.
We arrived at Marina Grande port, bought our ferry tickets, and as I wrote in the previous article, I recommend the larger ones, which also transport vehicles, after which, since we had some time to spare, we walked along the port.
Thus, we discovered shops selling ceramic bells, which, of course, have their own story.
In Anacapri lived a poor boy with his mother, in a small, dilapidated hut. Their only wealth was a sheep, which the boy used to take grazing on the slopes of Mount Solaro.
One evening, while picking flowers for his mother, he was late, and when he returned to get his sheep, he could not find it. He searched for it, but without luck.
At one point, he heard the sound of a bell in the distance, ran towards the sound, nearly slipping into a deep ravine. Suddenly, Saint Michael appeared before him, with his sheep, which wore a shining bell around its neck, featuring the image of a four-leaf clover.
The Saint told him to listen to the bell’s sound, which would protect him from dangers. From that moment, the boy and his mother became prosperous and happy.
During World War II, replicas of these bells were very popular among soldiers, who bought them as lucky charms. The bells also became a traditional holiday ornament in Capri, in Sorrento, and along the Amalfi Coast.
Since we’ve talked about symbols and brands of the island, I have one more story about Capri Watch, the official watch of the Italian Tennis Federation.
They are inspired by the beauty and colors of the island of Capri, unique models characterized by the presence of original Swarovski crystals, the Austrian house being the official partner of Capri watches.
In the island’s stores, there are newer or older models, whose prices vary, starting at 200 euros.
That’s it about Capri, the island with quaint towns, beloved by personalities of the times, a place where Hollywood stars spend their vacations and where fashion designers have holiday homes.
Thank you for reading and make sure to follow me. I’m constantly exploring new destinations and sharing my stories, tips, and the beauty I discover along the way.
