Capri Travel Forum

We are going to Isle of Capri in May and want to see the Blue Grotto.

We were thinking it would be nice to walk there instead of getting a bus or a boat. Can anyone tell me if this is possible?

What I'm asking specifically, is can you walk from Marina Grande to Anacapri (and then to the Blue Grotto) and how long does it take and how do I get a map?

Thanks in advance. Grazie millie :o)

The Blue Grotto is accessible only by boat. Walking there is not an option. My only view of the Blue Grotto was from the top of Capri looking down to the sea (a long way). Not recommended for someone who wants the actual Blue Grotto experience.

Yes, I suppose that you can walk from the Marina to Anacapri, but it's sharply uphill and the funicular is a lot more fun...you can see the walking route by going to http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/int/dyn/controller/Driving_directions# and entering "Italy", "Marina Grande", "Capri" for the starting point, and "Italy", " ", and "Anacapri" as the destination...and click on the "On foot" option before you hit "Search".

You'll see that the walk is 3.5 kilometers, but like I said, it's uphill...

Bill

you can get to the entrance to the blue grotto by road so you could technically walk there. there is a bus that goes down there from anacapri. i'm not sure if there is a trail or if you would just have to walk down the road but i know that there are good trails on capri so there might be one leading to the blue grotto. i think there is probably an area hiking map available on the island or in tourist shops in the area.

I'm not sure re: the grotto.

But we walked from the Marina to Anacapri using the ancient path known as "800 Steps" that was the only way to access Anacapri way back before the roads were built according to the Frommers guide. You can see it from a distance as the steps traverse the steep mountainside, it's pretty impressive.

Nowadays most people take the bus so we had the entire walk to ourselves and very nice views all the way. Although it was a lot of work (800 steps was no lie), we enjoyed the exercise and it was nice to get away from the crowd. That probably took us about an hour, but we stopped a few times along the way to catch a breather, snap a photo, enjoy the view. You don't need a map, its real straightforward, we had asked a couple locals directions down by the marina and they pointed it out easily.

"want to see the Blue Grotto. "

Unless things have changed a lot, you can only "see" the Blue Grotto by taking one of those small boats that wait for the right tides and weather, then going in the narrow entrance where there the sea flows through a natural cave (the grotto). The point of this trip is to be inside the cave, with the sunlight from outside reflecting up through the seawater, turning the grotto "blue".

While I did not know that you could get "to" the Blue Grotto on foot (and I have trouble picturing this between travel programs showing the entrance as well as the time I looked down from the heights over the entrance), I don't think that just seeing the entrance is what the OP had in mind (although, indeed, I did see larger boats - too large to fit in the grotto - standing off to the side so that the passengers could see the entrance from a distance).

Are you saying that there is a way for pedestrians to go through the Grotto? Or are you saying that you can walk close to the entrance before picking up one of the boats that will take you inside?

Bill

you can drive/bus/walk down from anacapri to the place extremely near the entrance to the blue grotto. there, you get on one of the little boats.

OK...good to know...

Bill

Thank you!

Does anyone know specifically how long it takes to walk from Anacapri to the area extremely near the Blue Grotto entrance?

Is it possible to walk on the roads between Marina Grande to Anacapri instead of 800 steps?

I realise to go inside the cave Im going to have to take a small boat - but Im basically just trying to avoid catching buses around the island - I want to walk (dont want to get the boat from Marina Grande to Anacapri either as I get sea sick!)

Assuming you are on a day trip, there really isn't time. Take the funicular from Marina Grande up to Capri, and then the bus to Anacapri. From there another bus goes directly to a stop at the Blue Grotto. You walk down the hill and there is a special loading pier ( small ) for " walk-ins ". Indeed, you may actually get faster service this way than waiting in the head boats from MG because tour groups in boats get priority over individual travellers, but the little boats going to the pier are dedicated.