Know Before You Go: Visiting Capri and the Blue Grotto

Capri bursts at the seams with visitors from June to September, while the island’s hotels, shops, and restaurants shutter from November through February. The best time to visit Capri is in the spring and fall, when the businesses are open, but the island’s beaches, sights, and public transit aren’t overcrowded.

Easter marks the beginning of the tourist season each year, and the temperate weather makes spring ideal for boat tours and hiking excursions. However, warm sea temperatures in fall mean that you can take a dip comfortably until the end of October on sunny days. The Blue Grotto remains open year-round, but expect long lines to enter in the summer and frequent closures due to rough seas in the winter.

Visiting the Blue Grotto tops the list of things to do in Capri, Italy, but do confirm that this popular attraction is open to visitors before heading to the entrance to avoid disappointment. The cave opens at 9am all year, but closes at 2pm from November to March; at 4:30pm in April, May, and October; and at 6pm from June through September. Due to its low entrance, however, the grotto closes when sea conditions are rough or there are high winds—often without much warning.

Check with the tourist information office or boat tour companies located in the Marina Grande port to see if the grotto is open before setting off to visit by land or sea.

Although Capri has a small heliport for visitors arriving by air, the vast majority of tourists reach the island by sea. Check the Capri ferry schedule to see how to get to Capri from Naples, depart from Sorrento, or go via towns along the Amalfi Coast by public hydrofoil or ferry.

Alternatively, book a private transfer by boat that takes you directly to the island’s main port or combines a sightseeing cruise around the island before dropping you off on land. Once you’ve arrived, join a shared or private Blue Grotto boat tour to reach the cave by sea or take the island bus or a taxi to the steps that lead down to the cave entrance by land.

Although the grotto is at its most spectacular at midday, lines to enter are longest between 12pm and 2pm—often with wait times up to two hours long in summer. Beat the crowds by kicking off your Capri day trip itinerary with a Blue Grotto visit in the morning: The light is less intense inside, but the wait to enter is significantly shorter. There are also less daunting lines in the afternoon, but choppy sea conditions later in the day mean the grotto often closes to the public. Avoid visiting on overcast days, when the light is too dim to create the grotto’s famed blue reflections.

You can visit the Blue Grotto as part of a half- or full-day cruise around Capri, or book a Blue Grotto boat tour that heads directly to the sea cave from Marina Grande. Capri tours by land also often include a stop at the Blue Grotto, accessed via the steps and waterfront platform.

Since the grotto often closes without prior notice due to sea and weather conditions, tours cannot guarantee entrance, and tickets must be purchased separately at the cave entrance. Blue Grotto ticket prices are €18 for visitors ages 6 and up, which includes both the rowboat service and admission to the grotto. Tipping your rower (in cash) is optional, but expected if you request a serenade inside the grotto.

Whether you arrive by sea via a boat tour or by land via the steps down to the cave entrance, the only way to enter the Blue Grotto is aboard one of the small rowboats operated by the grotto staff. A rowboat will pick you up from your boat (if arriving by sea) or from the platform (if arriving by land) and take you to the floating ticket office to purchase an admission ticket.

Afterward, you’ll be instructed to lie flat against the bottom of the boat as the rower pulls the boat through the low, narrow grotto opening via a chain. Once inside, you can sit up and will have about five minutes to admire the reflections and snap photos before having to lie back down to exit via the cave mouth.

If you’ve booked a boat tour that includes stops to swim or time to lounge on a sun bed at one of Capri’s beach clubs, bring a bathing suit plus a change of clothing to slip on to explore on land. Most restaurants, shops, and sights on the island do not allow visitors to enter in swimwear. You may also get splashed or wet in the rowboats used to access the Blue Grotto, so opt for clothing that dries quickly or bring a change of clothes.

You’ll also need a hat, sunscreen, and a bottle of water while waiting to enter the grotto. In spring or fall, bring a light jacket or other layers in case there’s a cool breeze.

The island of Capri is steep and rugged, making it challenging to visit by wheelchair. Public ferries are wheelchair accessible, but many private boat tours and transfers are not. Once you disembark at Marina Grande, you can take a taxi or the funicular to the town of Capri or a taxi to the town of Anacapri. Both have relatively level town centers and shops, restaurants, and sights that are wheelchair accessible. The only way to enter the Blue Grotto, however, is via small rowboats that are not suitable for travelers with limited mobility.

One of the top tips for visiting the Blue Grotto is to have an alternative plan in place if the cave is closed. The attraction often closes with little or no warning when the weather or sea conditions make it dangerous to pass through the low opening, especially later in the afternoon. If you’ve booked a boat tour that includes the Blue Grotto, the skipper will generally add an extra swim stop onto the itinerary if you're unable to visit.

Tours by land may fill the time by visiting an alternative attraction or scenic overlook. Alternative sights to explore if visiting Capri on your own include Villa San Michele, Monte Solaro, the Chiesa di San Michele, or the Casa Rossa Museum—all located in the village of Anacapri just above the Blue Grotto.

• Can I swim in the Blue Grotto? No, swimming inside the Blue Grotto is both dangerous and illegal. Rough sea conditions can toss swimmers against the rocks when attempting to enter and exit the cave through its low mouth.

• Can I stay overnight on Capri? Yes, the island has numerous hotels and other tourist services, and an overnight stay is an ideal way to experience Capri in the quieter evening hours when most tourists have left. You also have extra time to visit the Blue Grotto if you find it closed on your first day.

• Can I visit Capri by public transportation? Yes, the island has several bus routes that cover the towns of Capri and Anacapri, as well as the main outlying sights and beaches. There is also a public funicular linking the Marina Grande port with Capri town.

• Can I visit Capri on foot? Capri is less than 4 square miles (10 square kilometers), so it’s quite compact. It’s also very steep and there’s little shade, so getting around on foot can be a chore. However, there are several scenic walking and hiking paths on the island, ideal for exploring on foot.

• Are there other caves on Capri besides the Blue Grotto? Yes, you can also visit the White Grotto and Green Grotto by boat, but neither features the glowing reflections that make the Blue Grotto so famous.