masterpieces of art , Roman tombstones mixed with 18th-century furniture – everything arranged in a fanciful way in rooms and loggias where the sunlight plays on the polychromatic marble floors . Above all you will find a romantic garden with cypresses , myrtle and exotic flowers , filled with birdsong and sweet scents . In the remotest corner by the chapel the sphinx awaits you . Day after day it keeps perfectly still on the balustrade , watching the world spinning round . The breathtaking view from this enchanted spot creates the feeling that time has ceased to exist .”
None of the above is an exaggeration , this is a truly spectacular place to visit and being perched on the edge of the cliff affords outstanding views . You could lose yourself in this setting for hours on end . Hour long walks are arranged every day from April to October . Munthe also acquired the mountainside in order to stop the locals spreading nets to catch the birds and sell them off , so he created a sanctuary for migratory birds .
I had to smile at the selling technique for Mount Solaro “ Soaring 589 metres above sea level ”. Wow only yesterday we were up Vesuvius at 1200 meters above sea level . However , I have to say that when you are that high on a small island looking out at a short stretch of land and shimmering sea it seems higher than Vesuvius and more picturesque to boot . From this vantage point we had a snapshot of our journeys over the years , The bay of Naples , the Amalfi coastline and over to the mountains in Calabria .
If visiting natural caverns floats your boat you can join the queue along with people from around the world to visit the Blue Grotto . The cavern is 25 meters wide and 60 meters long , with a tiny one metre entrance . Lying on your back in a wooden rowing boat is the only way in ! Inside the dark cavern you will enjoy the breathtaking deep blue ocean . Floating here is an experience that should definitely be on your personal bucket list .
A short walk from the harbour are the Augustus Gardens from which you can view the dramatic Faraglioni , three towering rock formations which jut out from the Mediterranean just off the coast .
Food on Capri is simple the most popular dish being ravioli capresi . The pasta is light and filled with marjoram , parmesan and aged ricotta cheese , all
Giardino , Villa San Michele ,
Capri
tossed together with a fresh tomato and basil sauce . The beauty of this is that there is not a lettuce leaf in sight . Perfect . Freshly caught shrimps are also extremely popular and sometimes served sautéed or raw ! So much of this food is served with pasta and I can handle that plus of course a customary glass of wine . What better way to enjoy this than by sitting outside in the sun watching the tourists go by .
What more can I say about it other than whilst visiting main coast Italy , Capri and Villa San Michele are a must see .
My thanks to Claudia Ferraro at Villa San Michele for sending me such superb pictures . Garry .
Sphinx , Villa San Michele ,
Capri
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