Things to do in Marina Grande

Marina Grande is where Capri meets the sea. It's the working harbour below the hill towns, and the point almost everyone arrives at. Ferries and hydrofoils land here from Naples, Sorrento and Positano, and a funicular climbs straight from the quay into Capri town.

The harbour itself

A curve of net-drying boats, ticket booths and restaurants has fed arrivals for generations. The small beach at its edge is pebble and crowded. It's still the easiest swim on the island.

• The funicular. A few minutes up to Capri's Piazzetta, running since the early 1900s and still the fastest way up.
• The fishing quarter. Boats and gear stored along the eastern arm, still a working corner rather than a display.
• The Blue Grotto. A short boat ride west along the coast, reached from here rather than climbed down to.

Where the boats go

This is the departure point, not the destination. Round-the-island circuits, sunset runs and grotto stops leave from the same quay. Boats range from a shared gozzo to a private yacht.

Anacapri and Monte Solaro belong to the hill above. The water belongs here. A morning on deck usually beats a morning walking in August heat.

Practical

• Weather. Summer runs warm and mostly dry, around 28C with the sea near 26C; winter stays mild, rarely below 10C.
• Arrival. Hydrofoils take about forty-five minutes from Naples, twenty to twenty-five from Sorrento, and thirty to forty from Positano.
• Up the hill. The funicular queue is worst at midday; the Anacapri bus leaves from the same square.
• Ferry frequency. Drops sharply outside April to October, and rough seas cancel both grotto and circuit trips.
• Luggage. Porters work the quay for a fee; the walk up to town is steep with bags.