CRUISE
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Hardly anyone can escape the magic of Capri, the rock island in the Gulf of Naples.
When you arrive the Marina Grande, a
picturesque water front at the foot of steeply rising rocks from chalk
stone welcomes you. A funicular railway takes you
to the enchanting heart of the city of Capri on the hill,
which is the main town of the island.
Arriving on top, the first sight is a romantic terrace with flower decorated
pergolas, which offers grand views of the city and
the surrounding scenery.
The lovely centre of the city and a must see is the
Piazetta Umberto, the market place, with the town
hall, a free standing bell tower and lots of pavement cafés
and restaurants. Right around the corner is the ex-Cathedral
of Santo Stefano. From the small market square narrow
alleys and streets meander through the city,
lined with boutiques, shops and elegant hotels.
Walking southwards you soon arraive the
Giardini di Augusto beautiful, terraced botanical gardens, which strech up to the southern steep coast, from where
can enjoy grand panoramic views of the Island of Capri, the bay of the Marina Piccola
and the famous Faraglioni, coastal rock formations, eroded by waves.
At the gardens also the
Via Krupp begins, which winds down to the coast in 8 hairpin
bends. The steep footpath is 1,346.60 meters long, three meters wide and overcomes rise of
about 100 meters. It was built from 1900 to 1902 on behalf of the German
industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp, who was there at the
time. It is now a tourist attraction.
Another beautiful sight is the Arco Naturale on the east
coast of the island. The natural limestone
arch dates back to the Old Stone Age and is a remain of a
former grotto.
With a width of12 m at a height of
18 m above ground it forms a natural bridge.
Also the famous
Blue
Grotto (Grotta Azzurra) is a Must see. The cave in
the northwest of Capri is approximately 52
meters long, 30 meters wide and 15 meters deep.
The secret of the incredible luminosity and
the blue color of the water is, that there is another
opening under the small entrance through which daylight can
penetrate into the cave, illuminating
the water from below. As light
falls through the water, red reflections are filtered out
and only blue light enters the cave.
Just put your hand in the water and you will see how it
glows strangely.
Capri
Sights and Vievs
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View of Capri |
View Point |
Market - Belltower |
Cathedral of Santo Stefano |
Grand Hotel
Quisisana |
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Gardens of Augustus / Giardini
Augusto |
Via
Krupp |
Arco
Naturale |
Blue Grotto
/ Grotta Azzurra |
Anacapri
A gem on the island is the Villa San Michele at Anacapri.
The villa was built by the Swedish physician and author Axel Munthe at the end of the
19th century. It is beautifully designed with open transitions to the gardens, grand outlooks over the sea
and adorned with antique collectibles.
The enchanting gardens with pergolas and statues, an abundance of subtropical plants and flowers as
well as a bird sanctuary are a delight to see.
Beyond that, situated at a height of 327 meters above sea level on a ledge, the villa offers panoramic views of the sea and the city of Capri up to the Vesuvius.
From the Marina Grande in Capri a long steep stairway with 500 stone steps leads to
Anacapri, known as the Phoenician Steps (La Scala
Fenicia). Until only a few years ago it
was believed that the steps had been built by the
Phoenicians (hence the name). However, a most recent research suggests that the staircase was built by the ancient Greeks in the
7th - 6th century.
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Villa San
Michele, living |
Villa San
Michele, loggia |
Villa San
Michele, pergola |
Villa San
Michele, outlook |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
in Greece
Santorini - Museum of Prehistorik Thira
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