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Capri is a tale of two islands, one by day and one by night. From about
9 a.m. until the sun goes down, it feels like Coney Island, its streets,
shops and cafés packed with day-trippers from the Italian mainland.
Yet at night and in the early morning, Capri is a serene paradise, where visitors and locals share
the warm and relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere for which the island has long been known.
Giuseppe Rossi, the young, energetic manager of the island's best hotel, Grand Hotel
Quisisana, says that as many as 50,000 people visit Capri each day. "The island is at its best either early in the morning-before the hydrofoils and fast boats arrive with tourists-or in the
evening, when they have taken back the visitors." " Capri, a rock that juts dramatically from
the Mediterranean south of Naples, became a tourist destination only two or three decades
ago. Before then, it was an exclusive hideaway for the affluent and artsy. It was also a favorite
destination of Roman emperors, who built villas and palaces there for their courts. Through
Spanish, French and Italian rule, Capri remained a tiny sanctuary. Literary legends such as
Joseph Conrad, D.H. Lawrence, Somerset Maugham and Oscar Wilde were regular vis-
itors, many writing about the beauty and soul of Capri.
Their descriptions of the island come to life the minute you
see the small harbor of Marina Grande, where the ferries arrive
from Ischia, Naples and Sorrento. Just above the marina lies the
small town of Capri. The buildings between the two towns seem
to be carved into the limestone rock of the island like steps in a
giant ladder. You can reach Capri from Marina Grande by foot or
by bus, but a ride into town in an open-topped taxi costs only
$10, and racing up the winding roads is an experience in itself.
Bring a rolling hag if you are staying in town, since the center is
a pedestrian-only zone, and few porters are available to help.
Capri is 4 miles long and less than 2 miles across at its widest
point. Energetic visitors can easily hike around the island in a
day. Most, however, prefer to spend their time hanging out in
one of the four bars in the piazzetta, or central square, or shopping in the chic designer boutiques. There are also plenty of
tourist shops with postcards, curios and T-shirts, as well as fastfood joints and ice cream shops.
It's not easy to find a serious restaurant on the island, since
most visitors grab a slice of pizza or a sandwich for lunch. How-
ever, there's no reason to eat poorly. The surrounding sea is rich
with fish, from voluptuous octopus and tasty tiny squid to succulent swordfish, sea bass and sea bream.
Capri makes wine, but I prefer the flinty whites from Campania, the volcanic winegrowing region across the Gull of
Naples. Many Campanian vines are made from varieties
brought to Italy by ancient Greeks. Greco di Tufo and Fiano di
Avellino are the best. Look for such producers as Feudi di San
Gregorio or Terradora. Buy the youngest vintage possible2000 at the moment.
The Grotta Azzurra, or "Blue Grotto," an ocean cave located
on the northwest side of the island, is one of the main tourist attractions. Boats and guides are available at the Marina Grande.
The water in the grotto shines a deep, bright blue, lit by sunlight
refracting through a hole in the roof of the cave. An English
writer once wrote that the grotto belongs "to the immense categories of things that cannot be described, because their beauty
cannot be appreciated only by the eyes." The same words could
describe Capri as a whole. At the right time of day, its beauty
leaves a visitor speechless.
Grand Hotel Quisisana
An Oasis Within a Crowded Town
throng the narrow streets of Capri, but once you
enter the grounds of the Grand Hotel Quisisana it's hard
Tourists
to believe you're on the same island. Take a dip in the
small oval pool, a drink at the poolside bar, a nap on the terrace,
a round of tennis, a session in the gym or a complete beauty
treatment. There's little reason to venture out into the crowds
during the day, and those who stay there rarely do.
"We try to keep the Quisisana relaxed and familiar," says di-
rector Gianfranco Morgano, whose family owns the hotel.
"Many of our guests conic back every year, so we know their
wants and needs. It's like their own home here."
The atmosphere of the hotel is casual and low-key. Many of
the guests know one another and talk about past holidays on
Capri or future ones elsewhere. They look like characters from
Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger advertisements, especially
compared with the glam Versace and Gucci crowd who frequent
other Mediterranean resorts. Staff seem to recognize guests and
almost instinctively know their needs.
Many of the 143 rooms, plus seven special suites, are booked
years in advance, since guests have preferences for the decoration
and location of certain rooms. All are warm and cozy, with tile
floors and comfortable furnishings. Most have a view of the sea
through the well-kept garden and cypress trees, while the seven
garden suites are located a few steps from the root. Most guests
spend their days enjoying the tranquil grounds of the Quisisana,
where the bird songs are the only distraction from the warm
Mediterranean sun and fresh sea breeze.
The Quisisana has two restaurants, a casual grill called
Colombia near the pool, and the more formal Quisi. The cuisine of
chef Mirko Rocca at the Quisi may he some of the most underrated
in southern Italy. This talented young Italian trained in Michelinstarred restaurants in England such as Chez Nico, and in London's
Halkin Hotel. Sophisticated, delicate and fresh, his food focuses on
traditional local ingredients, yet his contemporary touches en-
hance their flavors. A starter may he a simple lobster salad, but a
sauce of local peaches and a scoop of yogurt sorbet enliven the
fresh flavors of the shellfish. Roasted sea bass is standard fare on
the island, but add a cucumber coulis with sour cream and caviar
and the delicate flesh of the fish becomes tangy and more flavorful.
The wine list has a solid selection of well-known Italian names
such as Sassicaia, Isole e Olena and Fontodi, as well as hard-to-find
reds from the south, such as Montevetrano. The best whites on the
list are from Feudi di San Gregorio, whose perfumed and flinty flavors go well with most fish dishes. Quisisana recently established a
Krug Champagne room with a vast selection of vintage Champagne
from that illustrious producer.
Krug Champagne and a candlelight dinner with an ocean
breeze and a magnificent view create a very different world from
the hustling daytime crowds in Capri. That's the magic of the
Hotel Quisisana.
Ristorante Pizzeria Aurora
18-20 Via Fuorlovado Telephone (OlI) 39-081-837-0181 Open Lunch and
dinner, (laity Cost Entrées $14-$23
This is anything but a run-of-the-mill pizzeria. In the oldest
restaurant on the island, young owners Mia and Franco d'Alessio
produce some of the freshest, tastiest food on Capri.
From a simple pizza bianco with mozzarella and arugula to
roasted local fish such as prezzogna with a zesty spinach garnish, everything is first-rate. Mia says that her family has run
the restaurant for more than 100 years and that preparing simple food with the best local ingredients is a family tradition.
The biggest change that she and her husband, Franc<), made
when they took over about seven years ago was in the wine list.
For a small restaurant, Aurora has a very good list with more
than 250 selections, from Antinori's Solaia to single-vineyard
Fianos and Grecos from Feudi di San Gregorio. When Mia and
Franco are not in their restaurant, they travel the vineyards of
Italy looking for special bottles for their cellar.
"The most knowledgeable customers we have for wine are
the Americans and Germans," she said. "They always want to
drink the best wines we have."
Ristorante da Tonino
12 Via Dentecala (Piazzetta delle Noci) Telephone (011) 39-081-837-6718
Open Lunch and dinner, daily Cost Entrées $9-$15
This small restaurant, a simple place with a small terrace for
outside dining, is one of the best-kept secrets in Italy. About a
15-minute walk tip the hill from the main square of Capri,
and near to the island's picturesque natural arch, Ristorante da
Tonino is a treasure trove of fabulous bottles of wine. In addition, the food is authentic and hearty, focusing on the traditional cuisine of the island.
The meals are mostly fish-based, though a main course of a
timbale of roasted rabbit with a light tomato sauce and olives
vent well with a big, juicy red from Basilicata. Be sure to try
the lively starter of alici dorate e fritte ripiene di pangrattato e
pressemolo, a cold-layered terrine of potatoes, fresh anchovies
and parsley. The fresh pastas, all made by hand here, are to die
for, whether simple ravioli filled with eggplant and mozzarella
or large penne with a sauce of tomatoes, arugula and fresh bottarga (dried mullet roe).
The vine list includes over 800 selections-about 300 whites
and 500 reds. A temperature-controlled cellar keeps them in top
condition. It's packed with thousands of bottles, from top wines
such as Gaja Sort San Lorenzo and Roberto Voerzio Barolo
to excellent unknown wines from Puglia and Campania
Brunate
that rarely make their way outside of those regions. The owner is
a wealth of information on the wines of the south; ask him for
his recommendation.
With so much good food and great vine, by the end of the
meal, you'll he happy to have a 15-minute walk back to town, especially since it's downhill.
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