Capri & Blue Grotto Boat Tour from Sorrento with Swim Stops

4.80

(594 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We climbed onto the boat at Marina della Lobra, still half-asleep but grinning because the air already smelled like salt and sunscreen. Our skipper, Marco, handed me a cold bottle of water and pointed out where dolphins sometimes show up — I squinted but didn’t see any (maybe next time). The boat was small enough that you could hear everyone’s laughter bouncing off the fiberglass. It only took about half an hour to reach Capri, but it felt longer in a good way. There was this hush just before we reached the Blue Grotto — everyone stopped talking for a second, listening to the slap of water against stone. The entrance is tiny; honestly, I wasn’t sure we’d fit. Marco just winked and said “piano piano.” I still think about that blue light inside — it’s not like anything you see in photos.

Afterwards, we drifted along Anacapri’s cliffs and past Punta Carena lighthouse (which looks even taller from sea level). Someone passed around chips and beer while a couple tried snorkeling near the Green Grotto — they came up laughing about how cold it was at first. The Faraglioni rocks are massive up close; our guide offered to take photos for everyone but I almost dropped my phone into the sea trying to get all three stacks in one shot. At Marina Piccola there were yachts everywhere, people waving from decks or just sunbathing like they had nowhere else to be. We got four hours on Capri itself — wandered through narrow lanes smelling of lemons and coffee, watched old men play cards in the shade. I tried saying “grazie” with my best accent; Maria at the café smiled anyway.

The return ride was quieter — maybe sun-tired or just full from too much limoncello gelato. There’s something about seeing Sorrento’s coast come back into view after a day like that. Maybe it’s relief or maybe you just want five more minutes out there on the water. Either way, I’d do this Capri boat tour again without thinking twice.