The Perfect Capri Day Trip from Sorrento (What to Do + Skip)

Before our trip to Italy, Capri was the place I was least excited about visiting during our 5 days on the Amalfi Coast.

Based on what I’d read online, it seemed like it could be overwhelming and overrated, and I wasn’t sure it was worth the effort for just one day.

However, our day trip to Capri ended up being one of my favorite days of the entire trip.

But after visiting myself, I also completely understand why some people leave Capri feeling underwhelmed.

It’s a small island with limited transportation, massive crowds, and if you don’t structure your day right, you can spend more time waiting in lines than actually exploring.

So I’m going to walk you through exactly how we spent our day on Capri to avoid crowds + some of the mistakes we made so your trip is even better!

Capri Day Trip Hourly Breakdown

Here’s the quick version of how I recommend structuring your day on Capri before we dive into all the details.

I’ve adjusted the times slightly from our own trip, since you won’t be making some of the mistakes we made!

~8:30 AM — Ferry from Sorrento to Capri 🚢
~9:00 AM — Arrive at the port of Capri, taxi to Anacapri 🚗
~9:30 AM — Mount Solaro chairlift ⛰️
~11:00 AM — Wander Anacapri + lunch at Scuie Scuie 🍋
~1:00 PM — Head down to Capri town 🚗
~1:30 PM — Gardens of Augustus, then hike down Via Krupp
~2:00 PM — Beach time at Marina Piccola 🏖️
~4:30 PM — Taxi back to the port 🚗
~5:30 PM — Ferry back to Sorrento 🚢

Note: This itinerary is based on leaving from Sorrento since that is where we personally stayed during our time on the Amalfi Coast.

However, you can absolutely still use this Capri day trip guide if you are staying in other places like Amalfi, Positano, etc. The only difference will be what ferry you take back to your home base!

Top Tips for Your Capri Day Trip

I’ll explain all of these in detail below, but bookmark these for quick reference!

• ✅ Take the earliest ferry. This is the single most important thing. Early Capri is a completely different experience from midday Capri.
• ✅ Start in Anacapri, work your way down. Do the chairlift and lunch first, then Capri town, gardens, and beach in the afternoon.
• ✅ Take the taxis. If your budget allows. The bus lines get out of hand, and your time is limited!
• ✅ Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be doing lots of walking plus a short hike down to the beach!
• ✅ Pack your swimsuit in your daypack. Change at the Gardens of Augustus before the hike down to Marina Piccola.
• ✅ Leave plenty of time to get back to the port. Transportation waits can be significant, especially in the late afternoon. Build in buffer time!
• ✅ Check the departure board at Capri port on your way home. It clearly shows all ferries and which dock they’re leaving from — so much easier than Sorrento!

Getting from Sorrento to Capri

Capri is an island off the coast of Italy, so the only way to get there is by boat, either by ferry or on a private tour.

We personally opted to do our own DIY day trip to Capri instead of booking a boat tour (more on that in the next section), so we took the ferry to Capri from Sorrento (where we were staying).

The ferry ride from Sorrento to Capri takes around 30 minutes and costs around $25 each way. All ferries leave from the main port of Sorrento!

There are normally 20+ ferries per day to choose from, but I recommend booking one of the earlier options.

We didn’t want to wake up toooo early on vacation, so we booked an 8:30am ferry that got us to the port of Capri around 9:00am. When we arrived, the port was extremely quiet, but I wouldn’t arrive any later than 9am!

On Capri, the crowds just build and build throughout the day, and the difference between 9am Capri and 11am Capri is genuinely shocking.

My biggest tip for this entire day trip guide: start your day early to avoid the crowds by booking an early morning ferry in advance (these sell out first).

Should You Do a Capri Boat Tour?

When I was researching for our trip to Italy, I saw everyone mentioning a boat day around Capri on their itineraries.

A lot of people opt for a combination boat day trip to Capri! Basically, a tour that takes you around the island by boat, visits the famous Blue Grotto, makes a few swimming stops, and then gives you some free time on land.

These are super popular, and you’ll see lots of options available from Sorrento.

Here’s why we decided not to do it:

First, we had already spent an entire day on the water doing a small-group boat tour of the Amalfi Coast the day before, which included swimming stops, coastal views, and plenty of sea time.

Second, and more importantly, we wanted to maximize our time actually on the island.

There’s a lot to see on Capri, and if you’re combining a boat tour with island time, you’re really squeezing both. We didn’t want to feel rushed!

Third: we didn’t have any interest in visiting the Blue Grotto.

This is the main draw of the boat tours, and while I get the appeal, I’ve done something very similar in Split and was not super impressed, so we decided to skip it!

That said, here’s when I DO recommend doing the boat tour:

• If you’re not doing any other boat activity during your time on the Amalfi Coast (this is a must-do at some point on your itinerary)
• If seeing the Blue Grotto is really high on your list — just go in with managed expectations!
• If you’re visiting with extra time and can spend a night on Capri to explore more

If you do want to book a boat tour, I always recommend a small group tour like this one over the big group tours. The experience is just so much better when you’re not packed onto a boat with 30 strangers.

Getting Around Capri

After 30 minutes on the ferry, you’ll arrive at the port of Capri on the north side of the island.

From here, most people make their way up to Capri town first, and there are three ways to do that:

1. The funicular: runs from the port directly up to Capri town in about 10 minutes. You buy tickets at a little stand in the port and then walk across the street to board.
2. Bus — cheap (less than €3) and connects the port to Capri town and Anacapri.
3. Open-air taxis — the iconic Capri taxis are vintage-style open-air cars waiting right at the port. No advance booking needed, just walk up and go.

However, since your first stop of the day is Anacapri (not Capri town), you can skip the funicular entirely.

There are buses that run straight from the port to Anacapri, but they didn’t start running until 9:50am, and we didn’t want to wait around (you can view the full Capri bus + funicular schedule here).

So instead, we took the funicular up to Capri town (after waiting 20 minutes), then waited again for a bus from Capri town up to Anacapri. It worked, but it added a totally unnecessary 30–45 minutes to our morning.

My actual recommendation: take a taxi straight from the port to Anacapri when you arrive. It costs around €25–30 but definitely would’ve been worth it for the time and headache saved.

And this taxi-vs-bus question matters for your whole day, not just the morning!

The bus looks like the smart budget choice, but as the day goes on, the lines get absolutely insane. We experienced this firsthand, trying to get from Anacapri back down to Capri town.

We waited 30+ minutes in the blazing sun, then got squished onto a sweaty, packed bus, getting jolted around the hairpin turns. Not the vibe!

Moral of the story: if your budget allows, just take the taxis while on Capri (unless there is NO line for the bus). You only have one day on this island, so spend it exploring, not waiting in line! 🚕

Standard taxi fares to know:

• Port → Anacapri: ~€25–30
• Port → Capri town: ~€15–20
• Capri town → Anacapri: ~€15–20
• Marina Piccola → Port: ~€20–25

Morning: The Mount Solaro Chairlift + Anacapri

Mount Solaro Chairlift

Again, my top recommendation for structuring your Capri day trip is to start in Anacapri and work your way down to Capri town and the beach in the afternoon.

And once you arrive in Anacapri, the first thing you should do is ride the Mount Solaro chairlift, as it gets extremely busy as the day goes on!

The chairlift departs from the center of Anacapri and takes you to the top of Mount Solaro, the highest point on the island, in about 20 minutes.

A round-trip ticket costs €14, or you can buy a one-way and hike back down if you’re feeling adventurous!

Because we arrived early (around 10am), there was no line at all, and we walked right on.

The ride up the mountain is absolutely magical!! You float above orchards, terraced gardens, and the rooftops of Anacapri, with the deep blue sea stretching out below you on either side.

You’re not really close enough to anyone else on the lift to talk (it’s one person per chair), so it’s a wonderfully peaceful moment.

At the top, there is a small café where we had an incredible coffee and the most delicious lemon cake while soaking up the views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius in the background.

There’s also a path behind the café that leads down to the edge for even better panoramic views, so make sure to walk down there before heading back!

Wandering Anacapri & Lunch at Scuie Scuie

After coming back down on the chairlift (which did have a line by this point!), we spent some time wandering the main area of Anacapri.

It’s a small town, but so charming and a lot more relaxed than Capri town (especially earlier in the morning). There are some cute little shops to poke around in, and it’s a great place to pick up some ceramics or lemon-themed souvenirs!

After you’re done shopping, head to Sciue Sciue for lunch, which was one of the best meals of our entire trip.

We had pizza, lemon ravioli, and limoncello slushies, and I am not exaggerating when I say I think about this meal regularly.

I truly could’ve stayed here all day!! We sat at a lovely little table right on the main pedestrian walkway, and the owners were so friendly and sweet.

Afternoon: Gardens of Augustus + Marina Piccola

Capri Town

After lunch and a bit more shopping in Anacapri, head back down to Capri town to start the second half of your day on Capri. (This is the moment I wish we had just taken the taxi, but we waited a whileee for a bus instead).

When we arrived in Capri town around 1:30 PM, we were shocked by the number of people. The bus stop to Anacapri had a line stretching back so far down the road. I was so glad we did Anacapri first!

Capri town itself is full of high-end designer shops (Prada, Gucci, etc.), a few restaurants, and not much else, so we didn’t spend much time wandering around. We just made our way straight to our next stop!

Gardens of Augustus

From Capri town, walk about 10 minutes along Via Matteotti to the Gardens of Augustus. This is a stop I really recommend not skipping!

Entry is just €3 per person, and you can buy your tickets via a QR code at the entrance to skip the line, or just buy them at the ticket window.

We also changed into our bathing suits in the bathrooms outside the garden entrance, since there aren’t really changing facilities at the beach. Plan ahead!

The gardens themselves are small but absolutely beautiful, with colorful flowers, shaded paths, and the most stunning views of the coastline below.

But another reason to come here is the view of Via Krupp — a hairpin footpath that you’re about to walk down to get to the beach. Seeing it from above first is super cool (and will make you appreciate your hard work).

Via Krupp Hike Down to Marina Piccola

After leaving the gardens, follow the signs for Via Krupp!

Via Krupp is a paved footpath featuring the iconic switchback hairpin turns (the ones you saw from the gardens!) that zigzag down the side of the island toward the sea.

It’s steep, but since you’re going downhill, it’s not difficult at all, just make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes. I’d avoid heels or sandals with no grip!

The whole descent takes about 20 minutes, and it is absolutely gorgeous. The views from this path were insane, and it was hard not to stop for photos every five steps.

After about 10 minutes of the hairpin turns, the path flattens out to a normal road. After another 5-10 minutes, you will arrive at Marina Piccola!

Marina Piccola Beach

Okay, I saved the best for last: Marina Piccola was my absolute favorite stop of the entire day!! One of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been to – it feels sooo European.

We arrived around 2pm, and while it was busy, there was still plenty of room to lay our towels on the rocks! (Yes, it’s a rocky beach, not a sandy one, so pack accordingly!)

There are actually two separate sections of the beach, divided by a small café and some shops.

We went to the right side, but when we were leaving, we noticed the left side had a cool rock archway and seemed slightly less crowded, so definitely explore both and see which you prefer. They’re right next to each other!

Or, if you want to splurge on a sun lounger, the Bagni beach club is nearby with their cute green and yellow umbrellas, and you can reserve a spot for about €30!

The water here is the most gorgeous shade of turquoise blue and so stunning against the huge cliffs towering in the background. There are also some rock formations that people were jumping off of.

There’s a small café right off the beach with drinks and snacks – grab a couple of Italian beers or a mango smoothie like I did!

We stayed for about 2 hours before reluctantly making our way back to the port to catch our ferry!

Evening: Return to Sorrento

After a couple of hours at Marina Piccola, it’s time to make your way back to the port to catch your ferry back to Sorrento.

Definitely leave yourself more time than you think you need for this journey.

Both the bus and taxi lines at Marina Piccola can get pretty long in the late afternoon, and the last thing you want is to be stress-running to catch your ferry.

We opted for the taxi line over the bus so we could go straight to the port without transferring through Capri town, which I definitely recommend! Plus, the bus line was much longer.

The Capri port in the late afternoon/early evening will look very different than how you left it this morning, as everyone and their mother are also trying to leave the island.

Luckily, right in the center of the port, there’s a large departure board showing all the ferries, their departure times, and which dock they’re leaving from. There’s also a map right next to it showing you exactly where each numbered dock is located!

Once you’ve located your ferry on the board and know which dock you’re heading to, if you’ve got some time to kill, grab a gelato or a drink from one of the cafes!

But don’t cut it too close to your departure time. When we arrived at our dock, the boat was already there, and most of the seats had been claimed.

We ended up standing on the back deck for the ride back to Sorrento (which was honestly kinda nice and gave us great views as we left the island!).

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

I went to Capri a bit skeptical and left completely in love with it!!

The lemon ravioli, the chairlift views, the insanely blue water at Marina Piccola… truly what Italian dreams are made of.

Again, the key to enjoying your time on Capri is starting early and having a plan. If you sleep in, catch a late ferry, and wing it from there, I can totally see how Capri could feel like a sweaty, crowded, chaotic mess.

But if you follow this itinerary and get yourself on that early morning boat, you will absolutely love Capri.

I can’t wait to go back one day and hopefully stay overnight on the island to explore more!!

I hope this guide has helped you plan your own day trip to Capri without the stress.