Octavius Augustus noticed it beforehand and was eager enough to build an imperial villa, to which he would return for 40 years to contemplate the Tyrrhenian Sea. His successor, Tiberius, did the same with Villa Jovis, whose ruins are among the best preserved in Italy. Thus, they invented holidays, a word that continues to sound like magic 2,000 years later, especially if they take place here. In the nineteenth century, European travellers began to speak of Capri as if they had discovered it to the world, and in the 50s it reached the status of a myth, becoming a mandatory scale of the international jet set.
We depart, then: let’s dress in white (of course capri pants), take sunglasses, a silk scarf around the neck and enjoy the island. If you do not find me, I’ve gotten lost around here!
Villa Mediterranea. It is a small hotel with only 10 suites. It is part of the famous Tiberio Palace hotel but maintains its independence and exclusivity. The decoration is absolutely different and original. It pays homage to the bathers of the 50s: mannequins with bathing suits, a hat and swimming glasses welcome the guests. The rooms with mint green and blue wallpaper, pink carpets, polka dot headboards, violet curtains and paintings with beach motifs are pure colour, creating a very summery atmosphere.
Jk Place Capri. Michele Bonan has designed the interiors of the hotel in a classic, urban style and even with a certain rural English touch, in soft pastel colours and patterned wallpaper. Some rooms (total 22) have balconies overlooking the sea, and the panoramic view of the Gulf of Naples. The JK Place is one of the few hotels in Capri that are located in the middle of the ocean and yet very close to the old Roman city, on the edge of a cliff overlooking the port.
Aurora. Probably the most luxurious pizzeria in Italy. It is the home of all’acqua pizza (a light version of the traditional Neapolitan mass). The D’Alessio family, now in its third generation, manages this “caprese gastronomy museum”. The chef Franco Aversa brings imagination and creativity to the famous pizzas of Gennaro D’Alessio, which are called “water” not referring the mode of preparation, but because they have so much pepper that they go “on fire”. Hence, customers ask for a lot of water to turn it down.
Laboratorio Capri. In the 60s, Sartoria Gigino was a point of reference for the international jet set that visited his boutique year after year, attracted by the fantasy and talent of two exceptional tailors: Luigi and María Luisa. In 2010 the family gathers so much creativity in the exclusive atmosphere of Laboratorio Capri, where they continue their famous handmade creations. Miguel and Augusto, the children, select the works of the artisans who reinterpret that flavour of the 50s and 60s. Colourful fabrics, ethnic details, new volumes and shapes, staying true to the unmistakably Capri spirit.
