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The island of Capri in Italy.
It's picture-perfect landscapes and turquoise sea
draw visitors from around the world.
But this is also Capri: foot traffic
at a standstill in narrow streets,
hours of waiting, upset residents.
In summer, Capri is hopelessly overcrowded.
What about visiting in fall instead?
You can only reach the island by boat.
Capri is located in southern Italy, in the Bay of Naples.
From Naples it takes between 50 and
90 minutes to get there by ferry.
Even the journey there is an experience.
All visitors pass through this Marina.
And it quickly becomes a bottleneck.
It's the end of September and it's still super packed.
From the harbour you can take the funicular directly
to the centre of the town of Capri.
But you'll need to be patient.
Taxis are an alternative, but
you'll have to wait for them too.
It's Antonio Alfano's job to keep the chaos under control.
He's the manager of the taxi queue and a one man show.
To skip ahead in line, some tourists
have even offered Antonio money.
But he promises he cannot be bribed.
Most taxis here are convertibles,
specially designed for Capri.
That's how warm it gets even in fall.
It's tough to catch one, but
much easier now than in summer.
Anacapri is one of only two towns
on the island with a real must see:
The Villa St. Michele.
Swedish physician and author Axel Munthe
had it built in the 19th century.
Today tourists flock here
and enjoy the magnificent view.
Munthe discovered this spot
300 meters above sea level
when he was just 19 years old.
He had a magnificent garden
created and collected antique art.
Like this over 3,000 year old sphinx.
There's plenty of art to see inside the villa, too.
In 1948, Munthe handed it over to the Swedish state,
which is why the site is now open to visitors.
If you want to spend a bit more
time taking in the spectacular view,
have a seat in the café.
On to the next tourist hotspot!
On the south side of the island
are the Gardens of Augustus,
created at the beginning of the 20th century
by German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp.
This also gives you a stunning panoramic view of Capri,
spanning the historic serpentine path Via Krupp
and the famous Faraglioni rocks.
And on we go to the most famous
square in Capri — Piazza Umberto I.
This is the heart of Capri.
It's crowded and full of cafés - even in the off-season.
Everyone checks it out when they come.
For locals like Marco Milano, it's a real nuisance.
He was born here and is a member
of the local consumer association,
he doesn't recognize his hometown anymore.
In high summer up to 16,000 tourists come every day,
with a population of about 14,000.
Since 2024 tourists have been
charged 5 euros during high season.
The aim is for more people to visit in winter instead.
But it doesn't seem to be helping.
For locals this is causing huge problems,
for example with housing.
But no tourism isn't an option either.
Many locals make their living
from it, such as the boatman.
Every day they ferry visitors to the famous Blue Grotto.
In midsummer, the rush for tours is
enormous, while in fall it's quieter.
In a nutshell, Capri is gorgeous,
but it's definitely not an insider tip!
If you still want to see the
island, come in the off-season
or the shoulder season.
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