Capri & Co.
“It is the hermaphrodite island, a collision of mountains and sea, where opposites thrive and every political ideology and sexual preference finds a place.”
Ausilia Veneruso, Smithsonian Magazine, 2011.
Exclusive balconies for elegant suicides
“When we had got within earshot of the land, and the ship was going at a good rate,” says Ulysses in the 12th book of Odyssey, “the Sirens saw that we were getting in shore and began with their singing:
‘Come here,’ they sang, ‘renowned Ulysses, honour to the Achaean name,
and listen to our two voices. No one ever sailed past us without staying to hear
the enchanting sweetness of our song—and he who listens will go on his way
not only charmed, but wiser…’”
Ulysses pleaded with his sailors to untie him from the ship’s mast so that he could better hear the seductive siren song. Fortunately, they refused his request. Had they obeyed, they would have met a grim fate, their bodies rotting from within. Instead, they bound his ropes even tighter. The resourceful captain had earlier instructed them to plug their ears with beeswax to block out the sweet yet deadly melody of the mythical creatures. Once the danger had passed, the myth becomes unclear: did the Sirens meet their fated demise if someone survived their singing? Did they fling themselves into the water and perish?
As the ferry boat from Naples approached the shores where Ulysses’s crew is famed to have sailed past thousands of years ago, the tale haunted my mind. “This must be the place!” I murmured to myself. If the beautiful Sirens, with their womanly heads and winged bodies, symbolized a seductive spirit potent enough to kill, then Capri must be the very land, the sole land to exude such captivating energy. For those who have traversed the magnificent landscapes of the Amalfi Coast—boasting enchanting villages like Ravello, Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi—and explored the Gulf of Naples, it’s difficult to envision many other places in the ancient world more conducive to inspiring Homer to extend the strings of his dramatic flair.
Amidst this array of breathtaking shores, the island of Capri emerges as the jewel in the crown. With its dramatic beauty, Capri has consistently attracted power, kindled passion, and courted death. Indeed, for certain notorious figures, the island encapsulated all of these elements within a single tumultuous lifetime.
Ulysses and the Sirens, by John William Waterhouse (1891).
Dramatic beauty
Rich in steep verdant cliffs, pine forests, lush gardens, sparkling turquoise waters, and sapphire-blue caves, Capri epitomizes the concept of dramatic beauty in its entirety—a drama unfolding from the landscape’s contrasts, stretched to the extreme: bare rocks emerging from wild groves, blinding light playing with deep shadows, and sharp peaks crowning its cozy caves. The island’s beauty is not rooted in an Apollonian realm seeking balance, filling gaps, and inspiring harmony; it embodies a Dionysian kind of beauty, drawing power from constant optical tension that stimulates the senses, disorienting the gaze so swiftly that the spirit yearns to retreat and savor the moment. If Capri were an art movement, it would be the Italian Baroque; if it were a music genre, it would be jazz: irregular, unpredictable, and extravagantly dramatic.
Its atypical skyline is the first thing one notices from afar: A striking green rocky mass emerges on the east coast—the one opposite Sorrento—ascending to a rugged peak before plunging steeply toward the harbor; then the land rises once more, reminiscent of a phoenix, to form higher and wider peaks on the west coast: an endless succession of highs and lows encapsulates the essence of tension, offering a true blessing to restless souls.
These rocky, steep, vertiginous cliffs, Capri’s signature landmark, provide breathtaking vistas from all around the island: Punta Tragara, the Augustus Gardens, and the Canon Belvedere overlooking the Faraglioni rocks and the southern coasts, while Villa Lysis and Villa San Michele offer perspectives on the northern ones. And then, there is Mount Solaro: the highest peak of the island leaves visitors questioning whether they are still on earth or have ascended into the sky, like modern Olympian Gods.
Capri’s wonderful hiking trails offer yet another example of the island’s constant change of settings: on the Matromania pathway, our journey begins in the open, with vistas of the azure horizon; moments later, we find ourselves meandering through narrow alleys lined with vibrant gardens of neighboring villas. An orange grove follows, leading into a dimly lit woodland blanketed with pine trees. The potent aroma of resin, coupled with the gentle crackling of our footsteps crushing the pine needles, hypnotizes the senses until we reach a breathtaking sight: the ‘Arco Naturale’. This imposing natural limestone arch, a remnant of a Paleolithic cave, extends its 18-meter “legs” like a tireless, benevolent giant, captivating our mesmerized gaze. With the Arco Naturale, Blue Grotto, and the Faraglioni rocks casting their shadows like three Homeric Sirens—seductive, perilous, and petrified by some ancient spell—Capri epitomizes optical drama from every corner. The article “Of Cliffs and Flowers” embarks on a journey through the most breathtaking landscapes—including cliffs, beaches, and gardens—of the island.
Cradle of Emperors
Since antiquity, Capri had already established itself as a renowned resort, long before resorts came into fashion. The island’s mystic charm, punctuated by its thick forests and fearsome caves—the so-called “gates” into the realm of devilish spirits—drew Roman emperors like a magnet, one after another. Its legacy dates back to 29 BC when the Roman emperor Gaius Augustus, returning from an expedition in the East, was captivated by Kàpros—Capri’s ancient Greek name meaning ‘wild boar’. Augustus reportedly exchanged Naples and the nearby island of Ischia for the less fertile, yet more alluring, Capri. Roman historian Tacitus recorded that there were no fewer than 12 imperial villas in Capri—some of which survived in ruins through the 19th century.
In 27 AD, Augustus’s successor Tiberius was so enamored with the island that he relocated the headquarters of his Empire there. He owned numerous villas in Capri, including the famous Villa Jovis, and used the Blue Grotto as his personal pool, decorating the cave with statues to serve as a shrine for Cybele, a mother goddess. His life in Capri is clouded with mystery and rumors of him indulging in excessive drinking and sexually depraved activities. The “Salto di Tiberio” (Tiberius’ Leap), hanging at the peak of a steep precipice, is considered the spot from which the infamous Emperor reputedly threw his enemies into the dismal abyss below.
The statue of Emperor Augustus at Mount Solaro, Capri.
Emperor Tiberius’s Villa Jovis in Capri is the best preserved Roman villa in Italy.
Land of Villas
Abandoned in oblivion throughout the Middle Ages, Capri’s imperial aura resurfaced in the 19th century when news of the rediscovery of the supernal Blue Grotto reached the shores of Naples. By the end of the previous century, Naples had already become a popular tourist destination for English and French noblemen who wanted to explore the newly discovered site of Pompeii as part of their Grand Tour itinerary. These cultured and highly impressionable young men were more than thrilled to visit an island with such magnetizing power over Emperors they had read about in their Latin studies.
The intellectual aura cultivated by the Grand Tour visitors transformed Capri into the most coveted destination for Europe’s elite to settle in. Countless artists, including painters such as John Singer Sargent and Christian Wilhelm Allers, doctors like Emil von Behring and Axel Munthe, and renowned writers such as Norman Douglas and Maxim Gorky, either purchased a villa in Capri or rented one for periods exceeding three months. Among the most iconic villas on the island were those belonging to the Swedish doctor Axel Munthe, the Italian writer Curzio Malaparte, and the French poet Baron Fersen.
In 1887, Munthe, a physician known for his philanthropic contributions, relocated to Capri, embarking on a lengthy restoration project of the Villa San Michele, in Anacapri—a treasure trove filled with artifacts from ancient civilizations. Villa Malaparte consists of an uncanny reddish, box-shaped cement block that emerges stunningly from a rocky cliff hanging above the sea. The villa’s vast bay windows, framing the Faraglioni rocks and the Gulf of Salerno, create a real-life “tableaux vivants” of vibrant nature. In 1905, Villa Lysis was built at one of the highest cliffs on the island for its owner, Baron Jacques d’Adelswärd-Fersen, as a “Temple to Love and Pain” or “Amori et Dolori Sacrum”. Offering stunning views of the island, the villa served as an extraordinary backdrop for Fersen’s tumultuous life, which included love affairs with minors, revivals of pagan rituals in caves, exiles from the country, and drug abuse leading to the Baron’s demise at the young age of 43. The article “Land of Villas” recounts the stories behind some of Capri’s most emblematic residences, rich in anecdotes about the lives of their distinguished tenants.
Scandalous Glamour
Fersen’s scandalous lifestyle was not an isolated incident in Capri. One of the reasons why this island grew in popularity as a relocation destination was, in fact, the distance that separated it from the rigid, Catholic mainland. This geographical separation from the eye of the law and the clergy allowed Capri to evolve into a refuge for prohibited love affairs and attitudes regarded as ‘loose’ by the standards of that time.
While many homosexuals found in Capri a place where they could live freely, with most locals minding their own business, others had less enviable experiences, sometimes even fatal ones. Friedrich Alfred Krupp, a German industrialist, committed suicide following accusations of holding homosexual orgies. In 1897, the presence of Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas proved too scandalous even by the liberal standards of Capri, to the point where the couple was reportedly “even denied bread!”
After the Great War, Capri transitioned from its naughty, provocative past to cultivate a more polished image. For the past seven decades, Hollywood icons and pop stars have been flocking non-stop to the narrow Capriot alleys, nurturing the island’s glamorous look. Every summer, the Piazzetta —the island’s main square— transforms into a global stage where socialites and pop idols dazzle the visiting crowds with their cosmopolitan allure, luxurious outfits, and extravagant whims. The article “Scandalous Glamour” recounts some of the craziest stories witnessed at the Capriot terrace cafés and restaurants.
If you’re planning to visit the Campania region, don’t miss the opportunity to explore Capri. Get ready to immerse yourself in history through iconic monuments and villas, hike along magnificent pathways, take in jaw-dropping Mediterranean views, refresh yourself in turquoise waters, and indulge your palate at gastronomic restaurants. And remember, when in Capri, take your time to simply sit on a café terrace at the Piazzetta and let the socialites sweep you into Italy’s most glamorous parade!
Citinotes
