10 Facts About Italy's Isle Of Capri

Italy isn't the biggest country in Europe but it sure is filled with so many delightful scenes and foods, tourists will need to spend weeks in the country just to get a taste of everything Italy has to offer!

Many tourists have been infatuated with the Island of Capri; a small island right off the coast of Sorento, nestled on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It's hard to pinpoint what makes this island so magical because everything from the smell to the limestone walls to the houses built into the cliffs makes Capri a poet's dream.

If you're planning on visiting the Isle of Capri, whether you're traveling from Naples or the Amalfi Coast, we have 10 facts that may enrich your time once you step foot on land!

10 THE ISLE OF CAPRI HAS ITS KNOWN SCENT

Once you've taken a boat to Capri and start roaming the steep alleys, you'll notice all the beautiful flowers and lemon trees just begging to be smelled. In fact, when Queen Giovanna d’Angiò (once the Queen of Naples) was heading to Capri back in the 1300s, a man named Giacomo Arcucci wanted to welcome her with flowers handpicked from the island.

After not changing the flower's water for a few days, he realized how lovely the water smelled. With a little bit of work, he created the gorgeous scent of the flowers into the island's very own perfume, known as Carthusia Perfume. You can grab samples and bottles of this perfume on the island today.

9 YOU CAN WALK TO THE HIGHEST PEAK OF CAPRI

The gorgeous island is completely made from limestone and has a history dating back to the prehistoric age. And like most of Italy, Capri is quite mountainous, thanks to Monte Solaro – the island's mountain.

Locals and visitors alike can visit the highest point of the mountain (1,932 ft.) by hiking up the island's steps or by taking a chairlift over at Piazza Vittoria in Anacapri.

8 FOR SUCH A SMALL ISLAND, IT SURE IS FULL

When looking at the Island of Capri on a map, it's one of the smallest islands off the Amalfi Coast. However, it's actually to about 12,000 people. (Imagine calling Capri your hometown!)

In the summer months, Capri is totally swamped with tourists, totally 20,000 visitors every single day between June and September. One of the most popular months in Capri is in Agust, so be aware of long lines and crowds if you're planning a summer trip.

7 THERE'S A BLUE GROTTO

One of the biggest reasons people head to Capri is to see the Blue Grotto. Hidden inside a cave, the grotto is almost 500-feet deep and welcomes thousands of boaters every day. What makes the grotto such a gorgeous blue is thanks to how the light hits the water through the cave, filtering out other color spectrums.

While there is more than one grotto around Capri, the Blue Grotto is by far the most popular. Tourists can rent a boat go through the grotto — even taking a dip to cool off!

6 ONE ISLAND – TWO TOWNS

Home to 12,000 people, the Island of Capri is split into two towns: Capri and Anacapri. Capri is most visited thanks to its popular marina and shops, but you can totally take a taxi to the other side of the island–Anacapri—for a different experience.

Anacapri tends to be less crowded and is where most of the island actually lives. It's also higher above sea level than Capri, which is where you can catch the chair lift to take a 12-minute ride to the highest peak in Capri: Monte Solara.

5 BRING YOUR WALKING SHOES

The Island of Capri may seem small but it's quite mountainous and requires a ton of walking. In fact, the island is actually walkable from every direction, meaning you don't necessarily need transportation to get where you need to go (although, you will get winded!).

However, thanks to Capri's steep roads and dangerous turns, Capri has banned tourists from renting and driving cars on the island. Knowing how many people visit Capri in the summer, traffic would ruin Capri's beautiful scenery and would be awfully dangerous for everyone unfamiliar with the island. If a mode of transportation is needed, taxis and buses are available!

4 KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR A SPECIAL STATUE

Capri has a welcoming statue that's hard to notice (considering there's so much to look at) but is special when finally being spotted.

The bronzed statue is called "Gennarino the Scugnizzo,” and is a young Napoleon boy sitting on a large rock, welcoming tourists by boat. Rumor has it, saying "ciao" to the statue will bring good luck!

3 THE ISLAND HAS 'MONSTERS TEETH'

Monsters Teeth doesn't sound too inviting, however, that's quite the contrary in this regard. Also known as the Faraglioni, it's a large rock formation (three in total) that can also be seen from the coastline. Each rock has its own name: Stella (the one still attached to the mountain), Faraglione di Mezzo (the one with the center carved out), and Faraglione di Fuori.

Boaters can buzz around these gorgeous rock formations and celebrities can be seen hanging around on the yachts nearby.

2 KNOWN FOR SPECIAL DELICACIES

In case you were wondering, yes, the Caprese salad was created on the Island of Capri. Created using fresh tomatoes, chunks of mozzarella, basil or arugula, and olive oil — it's one of the freshest salads you can get.

The island is also known for its flourless chocolate cake, too! The history of this flourless cake has a few variations to it, but nonetheless, flour was forgotten in the recipe and the result was exceptional. You can have both freshly made on the island.

1 A PLAGUE ONCE TOOK OUT HALF THE CITY

Back in the 17th century, a nasty plague reached the Island of Capri and took hold of over 300 people. Mind you, there were only 755 locals at the time!

With the death toll increasing, Capril locals were devastated by the local monasteries not helping them, as they were hiding in their monastery to stay safe. To get back at the monastery, locals threw the dead bodies of the sick over the monastery walls for a taste of their own medicine.

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