Capri Travel Guide: Where to eat,...

Follow in the leather sandal-clad footsteps of stars in one of Italy’s most iconic destinations

Capri, the jewel of the Tyrrhenian Sea, offers a heady blend of natural Italian beauty, historical intrigue and culinary prowess. From its dramatic cliffs to its storied landmarks, the iconic island is a magnet for well-heeled travellers – and not just because of its famous handcrafted leather sandals.

Whether exploring grand villas, savouring artisanal gelato or indulging in Michelin-starred dining, Capri is a veritable treat. With the island's holiday season about to restart in mid-April, running until mid-October, now is the time to book the best rooms and restaurants. Here’s a guide to best that Capri has to offer.

Follow in famous footsteps in Capri’s iconic handmade sandals
Rihanna, Elle Macpherson and Olivia Palermo are among the stars who have had handcrafted leather sandals created by Ciabattine, artisans who build bespoke shoes at the Emanuela Caruso boutique on Via Giovanni Pascoli 8.

Costing from around US$200, the sandals can be made with a variety of strap colours and styles in under half an hour using readymade soles, and further personalised with a selection of gems, symbols and letters. emanuelacaruso.com

Emanuela Caruso

Visit the scandalously beautiful Villa Lysis
Once you've strapped up your comfortable new sandals, take a 30-minute walk uphill from Capri town to the Via Lo Capo. Here, curious explorers are rewarded with the epic vistas of Villa Lysis (lead picture) and a journey into the island’s bohemian history.

Perched on a hilltop overlooking the sea, the villa is a masterpiece of neo-classical and Art Nouveau architecture, built in 1905 by the French aristocrat Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen. Fersen fled to Capri after his behaviour and illicit parties in Paris became subject to a scandal that led to his social ruin.

Villa Lysis became Fersen's sanctuary, embodying his desire to escape societal judgment and embrace his libertine ideals

Dedicated “to youth and love”, the his Capri retreat was soon hosting flamboyant parties that attracted Capri's bohemian elite, and a steady flow of artists and writers.

Ultimately struggling with addiction, depression, and the fading glamour of his heyday, Fersen died under mysterious circumstances at Villa Lysis in 1923. After his death, the villa fell into disrepair. For years, it stood as a haunting reminder of its owner’s turbulent life, with its grandeur crumbling into decay.

In recent decades, restoration efforts have brought the villa back to life, and it's now open to visitors as a museum. Capri Municipality Tourism

Villa Lysis

Sample Capri’s favourite ice cream at Buonocore
Say “ice cream” to a Caprese and they will likely reply “Buonocore!” – which translates as ‘good heart’. Buonocore is also the family name of Capri’s most famous ice cream vendors.

Operating since 1950, the family's small deli with an ice cream counter, located at Via Vittorio Emanuele 35, is still producing made-to-order hot waffle cones while admiring orderly queues form outside and patiently look on. It is worth the wait.

Have your cone filled with Fantasia de Capri, the Buonocore’s signature flavour of creamy vanilla laced with Nutella swirls and toasted almonds. buonocorecapri.it

Try the wafter-thin 'water pizza' at Capri's oldest restaurant
Capri’s oldest restaurant, the D’Alessio family-run Aurora at Via Fuorlovado 18, has been drawing diners for more than a century. The restaurant’s signature dish, Pizzallacqua, was created in the 1950s by the imaginative Gennaro D’Alessio to satisfy guests' cravings for simple, light food.

Known for its cracker-thin texture, the pizza is made with mozzarella, basil, chilli pepper and a secret ingredient

Despite conjecture, its name doesn’t come from its secret ingredient. Instead, it was born of an anecdote. Capri’s chilli peppers pack quite a punch and though diners enjoy the fiery kick, they often find they can’t have the pizza without a lot of water to tame its heat.

This ultra-light bite continues to attract the typically figure-conscious glitterati. The walls are lined with photos of visiting movie stars through the ages, from Leonardo DiCaprio and Mariah Carey to Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise. Aurora Restaurant

Savour Michelin-starred masterpieces at L’Olivo
L'Olivo, nestled within one of the island’s most luxurious hotels, Jumeirah Capri Palace, set atop leafy laidback Anacapri, is the island's only two Michelin-starred restaurant, offering an unparalleled dining experience. Book ahead for your choice of table in the elegant dining room or on the terrace, overlooking the Bay of Naples.

Smooth white table clothes, designer tableware, and impeccable professional service elevate the experience, while the Italian ambience is ramped up with opera singing performances and piano recitals.

Growing up on the nearby island of Ischia, Head Chef Andrea Migliaccio has a lifetime knowledge of local cuisine and how to craft it. Every dish brings vibrant colours and flavours to the table. The signature lemon-scented golden tagliolini pasta with burrata, red prawns and sea asparagus is a culinary gift to be unwrapped. Don't leave Capri without trying it. www.jumeirah.com

Michelin-starred L'Olivio's spaghetti

Book a blissfully serene room with a whirlpool in the beating heart of Capri
Tucked away in the verdant embrace of Capri’s narrow cobbled streets, Pazziella Garden & Suites is a sanctuary of serenity just steps from the island’s famed Piazzetta. Finding a haven that balances privacy and proximity to Capri’s lively pulse is the key to la dolce vita.

This boutique retreat, with just 25 refined suites housed in two historic villas, can be booked under an exclusive buyout arrangement for large parties

Individual suites – some with private pools – can make the perfect romantic escape for two. Interiors celebrate the region’s vintage furnishings and handcrafted ceramic tiles in bold blue and white patterns.

Manned by friendly, helpful staff and surrounded by lush gardens and fragrant citrus groves, Pazziella offers leisurely Mediterranean breakfasts beneath lemon trees. Days can then be lazed away around the communal pool, or the concierge team can arrange excursions, such as the ever-popular private boat tour to the Blue Grotto. By night, return to the dining room for candlelit dinners. Rooms from US$1,390; pazziella.it

Pazziella Garden & Suites' communal pool