Capri

Naples has two adjacent ferry terminals, and picking the wrong one is the classic Capri-day mistake. Fast aliscafi (hydrofoils) and catamarans run by SNAV, NLG (Navigazione Libera del Golfo) and Alilauro leave from Molo Beverello, the terminal right in front of Piazza Municipio. The slower, cheaper conventional and fast ferries operated by Caremar leave from Calata Porta di Massa, about a 10-15 minute walk further east along the waterfront.

In high season (April-October) there are up to around 17 daily fast departures from Beverello, dropping to a smaller guaranteed core (roughly 8+) in winter, with the first boats near 07:00 and the last returning in the evening. Hydrofoils take about 45-50 minutes; the conventional Caremar ferry is slower at roughly 70-80 minutes but usually the cheapest option. Fares vary widely by operator and vessel, commonly landing around the low-to-mid €20s each way for foot passengers, plus small luggage surcharges on some boats. Full timetables and live prices are on the Naples to Capri ferry route page.

On the Naples-Capri run the practical decision is usually between the two big hydrofoil operators, SNAV and NLG. Both reach Capri in roughly 45-50 minutes, so speed is close to a wash. The differences are in schedule and comfort. NLG typically fields slightly more daily departures, while SNAV runs a year-round core service; NLG's fast hydrofoils are heavily concentrated in the warmer months.

On board, traveller feedback tends to favour SNAV for a more generous cabin, easier luggage handling and a bigger free hand-baggage allowance (around 9 kg vs NLG's tighter ~5 kg limit, with extra-bag fees on some sailings). NLG is occasionally a touch cheaper. In practice, do not agonise: buy the departure whose time fits your day, arrive at Molo Beverello 20-30 minutes early, and treat the operator as secondary. Both are safe, established Gulf of Naples companies.

Sorrento is the closest mainland launch point to Capri and the easiest for a stress-free day trip. Boats leave from Marina Piccola, downhill from the town centre (a steep walk or a short bus/taxi ride from the Circumvesuviana train station). Operators on this route include Caremar, NLG, SNAV/Gescab and seasonal fast-ferry brands, with crossings typically quoted at 20-30 minutes; some fast sailings are advertised even shorter.

Frequency is the real advantage: in high season departures run every 30-60 minutes, up to around 40 crossings a day, so missing one boat rarely wrecks your plans. The first sailings leave in the morning and the last return to Sorrento usually falls in the 19:00-19:40 range in summer, earlier in winter. Because the peninsula is close, this route stays comparatively cheaper and less weather-sensitive than the longer open-water runs. See timings and fares on the Sorrento to Capri ferry route page.

This is the single most misunderstood point about Capri, so plan around it. To fight overtourism and gridlock, the municipalities of Capri and Anacapri prohibit non-resident cars, motorcycles and mopeds from landing or circulating on the island during the tourist season. For 2026 the ban runs roughly from 1 April to 2 November, with an additional winter window around the Christmas-New Year holidays (about 22 December to early January).

The restriction also covers rental vehicles and foreign-plated cars, with narrow exemptions (residents, second-home owners registered on the island, hotel-registered vehicles, disabled-access and emergency vehicles). The upshot for almost every visitor: do not plan to ferry a car to Capri. Leave it in a Naples or Sorrento garage and travel as a foot passenger. It is no loss, Capri's centre is pedestrianised anyway, and getting around uses the funicular, small electric buses, taxis and boats. Only in the deep off-season (broadly November to before Easter) can non-residents ship a vehicle across at all.

Every ferry docks at Marina Grande, a busy quay at sea level. Capri town and its famous Piazzetta sit high above, so your first job ashore is going up. The classic way is the funicular, which climbs from the port to the Piazzetta in about 4 minutes for a modest fare (around €2.40 one way). Tickets are sold at the port right by the ferry offices, and turnstiles now support tap-and-go card entry; the funicular is step-free with lifts at both ends.

If the funicular is closed or the queue is long, orange SIPPIC buses and taxis (the open-top convertibles are an experience in themselves) also make the climb, and buses continue up to Anacapri, the quieter upper town beneath Monte Solaro. Buy return-boat and Blue Grotto tickets while you are still at Marina Grande, then head up. Keep your ferry return time in mind, the port is the one place everything funnels back to at the end of the day.

Capri works beautifully as a day trip if you respect the clock. Take an early boat (aim to be on the island by 09:30-10:00) to beat the mid-morning surge of tour groups, and build your plan backwards from the last return sailing. In summer the final boats to Sorrento generally leave around 19:00-19:40 and the last to Naples a little later (often near 19:55, frequently an NLG hydrofoil); in winter the last departure can be as early as around 18:40. Always confirm the exact last time for your operator and port on the day.

For midweek off-season travel you can usually turn up and buy at the kiosk. But for weekends, Italian holidays and the July-August peak, book your afternoon return in advance, popular evening sailings sell out and you do not want to be stranded. High-frequency service means a missed boat is rarely fatal in summer, but the last one of the day is non-negotiable. If you want to slow down, staying overnight lets you enjoy the island once the day-trippers have sailed home.

The Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra) is reached by its own short boat trip, not by the main ferries. From Marina Grande, Laser Capri and the Motoscafisti run round-trip transfers to the cave mouth (roughly €25, about an hour round trip), where you transfer into a small rowboat to enter; there is a separate entrance fee of around €19. Crucially, the grotto only opens in calm seas, skippers assess conditions each morning around 09:00, and it can close at short notice on windy days. Go early (before 09:30) to dodge waits that can top an hour.

Capri also links directly to Ischia in the warmer months. The seasonal direct hydrofoil runs roughly April to October, takes about 50-60 minutes (longer if it calls at Procida) and is operated by companies such as Alilauro and Alicost, with only a handful of sailings a week, so check timetables carefully. Outside that window you generally have to backtrack via Naples. Details are on the Capri to Ischia ferry route page. Positano and Amalfi are similarly connected only in season.