Returning to Capri

There’s something wonderful about returning to the same places year after year. Since our son was born, we’ve visited the Amalfi Coast—and Capri in particular—every summer, and it’s been so special to see how much he’s grown between trips. Each year, we revisit favorite places and discover what he remembers: our go-to gelato spot, a beloved beach club, and chasing pigeons across the piazzetta. The destination may be familiar, but experiencing it through his eyes makes every trip feel entirely new.

This year, with our son now two and a half, we decided to stay just outside the center of town at the beautiful J.K. Place Capri. Perched on the edge of a cliff above Marina Grande, the hotel has sweeping views across the Bay of Naples toward Mount Vesuvius, with the most beautiful light reflecting over the water at sunrise and sunset.

We had booked a sea-view room but massively lucked out when we were upgraded two categories to an incredible suite with three balconies overlooking Marina Grande and the bay. (A video of our room in my Capri Instagram highlight here!) We had enjoyed such a wonderful dinner here last year—and had been so impressed by the service—that we decided to return and stay this time around.

Breakfast on the terrace overlooking the water was a highlight each morning, while the enormous pool became our go-to afternoon hangout. It was spacious and peaceful enough that we never felt as though our toddler was disturbing anyone, which is always such a gift when traveling with a little one.

The staff could not have been more helpful, and honestly, I would return for the treats left at turndown alone. Every snack, pastry, and small detail felt exceptionally well done. The only drawback is that reaching the center of Capri requires taking the hotel shuttle. Depending on whether the car is already at the top or waiting for other passengers, it can occasionally take a little while, although the staff can always arrange a taxi. Another option is to walk about five minutes down to the funicular and ride up into town. Either way, it was a small trade-off for the setting, and I would absolutely stay here again.

Our days on Capri tend to be divided between swimming at beach clubs, long lunches, afternoons by the pool, and a little shopping sprinkled in between. Keep reading for some of our favorite spots around the island.

Find everything I packed for 10 days in the Amalfi Coast here! (Including my amazing luggage that fits it all!)

SHOPPING LIST:

Breakfast on the terrace at J.K. Place is really something special. The menu is wonderful, and the views are unmatched. I love the hardwood deck, with its wicker chairs and punchy blue-and-white cushions, which give it the feeling of a yacht deck. It is especially fitting since you can watch so many boats passing through the water below. They make the most delicious eggs, from perfectly soft scrambles to beautiful omelets, and each morning there is also a gorgeous buffet spread in the dining room. This and a cappuccino are the perfect way to start a relaxed Capri day. (But if you want the approval of Italians, never order a cappuccino after lunch, it disturbs them.)

We had originally planned to return to Torre Saracena, a family-owned beach club we visited with friends last year, but we were there so early in the season that it had not yet opened. We walked all the way down only to find the team at Saracena still working on the electrical systems. Too bad! I'll have to dream of Saracena's pasta with peas and almonds for another year! (It sounds weird but trust me!) So Bagni Internazionali became our Plan B. (You have probably seen their multicolored umbrellas on Instagram.)

We ate lunch at Ristorante Da Ciro right next to the beach club and it was fairly standard but good. (Hard to mess up prosciutto e melone.) And of course the views were lovely. Despite a beautiful mid-May day with temperatures in the mid-70s, there were very few other beachgoers. The pebbles here were also a little smaller than at some of the other beaches, making them slightly easier on the feet—although water shoes are a good idea for much of the Amalfi Coast. Even in May, there were lots of people waiting for buses and taxis back up to the center of town. We ended up sharing a taxi with a couple from Milan who come to Capri for this very week every year, before it starts getting crowded. "It's the best time to visit!" they said. And after doing it ourselves for 4 years in a row, we couldn't agree more.

The terrace at the Grand Hotel Quisisana, overlooking one of Capri’s charming little squares, is iconic. I love the crisp white tablecloths and tiny flower arrangements scattered throughout, and it is a wonderful spot at any time of day, whether you are stopping for a morning cappuccino or an aperitivo before dinner.

David and I don't drink much anymore, but we have sampled Negronis at nearly every restaurant we have visited on Capri in years past, and the ones here are by far the best. (And their pours are LARGE, as they should be for 32 euros.) Each drink also arrives with an impressive assortment of snacks, from the usual olives and chips to savory puff pastries and little cups of fresh vegetables whisked around the tables on silver trays. The food menu is fairly limited if you are looking for a proper meal, although the grilled ham and cheese sandwich at the back of the drinks menu is delicious, if not remotely Italian. More than anything, I recommend coming for a pre-dinner drink and some of the best people-watching on the island. There is a petite Bottega Veneta outpost next door, and I love popping in to see their latest handbags. A woman was in the store while I was there, and she was shopping for a memento of her honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast. We ran into each other again on the ferry to Positano and she showed me her beautiful purchase. The perfect keepsake of a memorable trip for decades to come.

La Fontelina is always a must whenever we are on Capri. With its iconic blue-and-white umbrellas, rocky swimming platforms, and views that frame the Faraglioni like a postcard, La Fontelina feels like stepping into a Slim Aarons photograph. Reserve your lunch table and loungers weeks in advance, skip breakfast, and settle in for simple, fresh dishes like burrata and tomatoes, spaghetti, and affogato. The experience may ruin you for lunch anywhere else. This year, our son fell asleep in David’s arms just as lunch began, so we enjoyed a leisurely two-hour meal, which is practically unheard of when traveling with a toddler.

You can reach the beach club by descending a long, winding staircase, then avoid the climb back to the top of Capri by taking the complimentary boat transfer to Marina Piccola. Unfortunately, the waves were especially rough on the day we visited, so swimming was not permitted and the boat was not running. Thankfully, we had eaten a generous plate of pasta to fuel the hike back up, especially since David was rucking our 30-pound little boy for much of the climb.

When the water is calm, take your unfinished bottle of wine down to your spot on the rocks and jump in for a swim. La Fontelina welcomes children, but the rocky shoreline and deep water mean it is not the easiest place to visit with small children. Our son loves digging in the sand at the beach, so we didn't manage expectations very well when we told him we were going to a beach club, and he expected sand but was met with rocks and concrete. Oops.

We discovered a few new favorite restaurants this year, including Pulalli, which was easily the best meal of the entire trip. The shop girls at La DoubleJ’s new Capri boutique (so cute!) recommended it to us, and I’m so glad they did. I ended up wearing this La DoubleJ silk top to dinner and it was the perfect fit for the restaurants vibe.

Pulalli is tucked inside the clock tower in Capri’s main Piazzetta, and it is such an unexpectedly romantic spot. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, but the photos online simply do not do it justice. One tiny balcony table looks out toward Marina Grande and would be an incredible place to get engaged, while the other outdoor tables overlook the Piazzetta and its beautiful church, which was strung with twinkling lights. It was all so romantic, and the food was incredible. Truly, if you aren’t eating artichokes in Italy in the springtime, what are you even doing?

We love visiting Panorama for its incredible Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas and beautiful views of Mount Vesuvius. We usually go for dinner, but this year we stopped by for lunch instead. The space feels elevated yet wonderfully relaxed, and the walk up to the restaurant is lined with lemon trees heavy with fruit. Our son loved exploring the little garden before we sat down.

The staff always seem to remember us from years past, perhaps because not many guests arrive with such a small child. They could not have been more welcoming or gracious toward their smallest diner, which made returning feel especially lovely.

After lunch, David took our little boy back to the hotel for his nap, and I had the rare treat of doing a little shopping on my own. A few of my favorite boutiques include: Riccio Caprese where I bought a pair of ceramic vases, Daniela Capri for gorgeous tabletop (their leather woven coffee carafes!), Miu Miu for little raffia bags, Pucci (I got the most gorgeous mini dress here!), Eres for my favorite swimwear, and Fiore Capri where I replaced a beloved Borsalino hat that had been ruined while boating a couple years ago (see the photo below).

The pool at J.K. Place really is something special. It is wonderfully large, and every afternoon the staff wheels out a gelato cart for guests to enjoy. While you are swimming, you may return to find that someone has quietly placed a delicious treat in the shade beside your lounge chair or beneath your umbrella, waiting for you when you get out of the water. It is one of those thoughtful little touches that makes the hotel feel so memorable.

Le Grottelle is a quiet, family-owned restaurant near the Arco Naturale, about a 15- to 20-minute walk from the center of town, but it's always worth the journey. I love its rustic charm, and if you call ahead, they will reserve one of the tables along the edge with beautiful views of the sea.

The family is incredibly warm, especially now that we have been bringing our little boy, and the food is simple but genuinely lovely. It is a very different experience from some of Capri’s more polished restaurants, but it remains one of the places we love most. With its gingham tablecloths, thatched roof, and the gentle glow of candlelight at sunset, it feels wonderfully intimate and completely timeless.

Of course, you can visit Casa Tua in the States, but our lunch at its first Capri location was incredible. The restaurant opened several dining concepts at Hotel La Palma, a beautiful new interpretation of the island’s oldest hotel. Its terrace in the center of town is always buzzing, and I could not resist a proper girl lunch of one of their gorgeous salads with a side of roast potatoes, otherwise known as French fries.

Casa Tua also took over Hotel La Palma’s beach club in Marina Piccola. We were visiting quite early in the season and it had not yet opened, but otherwise we would have loved to try it.

Casa Tua’s founder, Miky, was there himself during our lunch. When a surprise downpour sent guests scurrying for sheltered tables, he happily helped move dishes and chatted with everyone as they settled in. The whole scene created such a warm, convivial spirit among the guests and made the meal even more memorable.

Dinner on the panoramic terrace at J.K. Place was such a lovely excuse to dress up a little. Heels can be tricky when you are navigating Capri’s steep streets and cobblestones, but they are perfect when all you have to do is take the elevator downstairs. Guests gather for aperitivo on the many teak couches lining the terrace, before heading to their table for dinner.

The menu features modern Mediterranean dishes, and no matter what you order, the meal is punctuated by amuse-bouches and thoughtful little surprises along the way. With the water stretching out below and the lights beginning to glow across the bay, it made for such an elegant and effortless evening, and the perfect bookend to a wonderful stay on Capri.

A few more photos from our room below, and the public beach pictured was right underneath our balcony and was so nice for children due to the soft sand and shallow, calm water. An incredible trip with so many sweet memories. Until next time, Capri! xx