Capri off the usual plan: Tiberius' villa, the Natural Arch and the lighthouse
An emperor who ruled Rome from a cliff from 27 to 37, an arch left by a collapsed cave and a lighthouse in the south-west, where people come for the sunset.
- Villa Jovis
- €15 (combined ticket with Certosa
- Natural Arch
- free
- Punta Carena
- free (from outside)
These three places stand outside the regular visitor flow, which passes through the Piazzetta and Anacapri. Villa Jovis is at the eastern end of the island, the Natural Arch on the east coast and the Punta Carena lighthouse in the south-west, about three kilometres from Anacapri. Two of the three charge no entry.
Villa Jovis — the palace from which an empire was ruled
Tiberius moved permanently to Capri in AD 27 and governed the Roman Empire from there until his death in AD 37. The villa was built on Monte Tiberio, at 334 metres, and what remains today are walls and staircases on eight levels, covering about seven thousand square metres, and there was a tower from which signals were sent to the mainland with fire and smoke. The way there is about two kilometres uphill from Capri. Entry: €15 (combined ticket with Certosa, Blue Grotto, Casa Rossa, Villa Damecuta); opening hours: 1 Mar–15 Oct: 10–17; 16 Oct–28 Feb: 10–16; closed Jan–Feb.
The Natural Arch — what a collapsed cave left behind
The Natural Arch is on the east coast, about twelve metres wide and eighteen above the sea. It is what remains of a cave that collapsed: only the arch is left. Entry: free.
Punta Carena — a lighthouse and the sunset
The Punta Carena lighthouse is about three kilometres south-west of Anacapri. Building began in 1862, and it has been in service since 1867. The tower is twenty-eight metres tall and the light sits seventy-three metres above the sea, under the Marina Militare. There is no entry fee, and the sunset is the main reason to come. A bus runs to it from Anacapri, and on foot it is 45 min on foot. On the shore is the Lido del Faro: €100 (sunbed + restaurant credit).
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
How much is Villa Jovis?
The ticket is €15 (combined ticket with Certosa, Blue Grotto, Casa Rossa, Villa Damecuta). Opening hours: 1 Mar–15 Oct: 10–17; 16 Oct–28 Feb: 10–16; closed Jan–Feb.
Is there a charge for the Natural Arch?
Entry: free. There is no closed day.
Why go to the Punta Carena lighthouse?
For the sunset: free (from outside); sunset is the main reason to come. A bus runs there from Anacapri.
Ready for Capri?
Where to next
What to eat in Capri
→A salad that carries the island's name, a chocolate cake without flour and a liqueur made from lemon peel…
Positano · 22 km
→A town built on a slope that shouldn't work, and somehow does
How well does Capri suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
Leave your email and we'll let you know when a new destination or story goes up.