Capri filled with legends, over boarding beauty and Italian `dolce vita´
More than 190 years after the German painter August Kopisch's `discovery´ of the Grotta Azzurra in 1826, Capri (it is pronounced `KAH pree´, with an accent on the first syllable) is the most sophisticated island in the Mediterranean. The sound of its name evokes nostalgia, beauty and enthusiasm.
And more so, each one of us can and will find its `own´ Capri.
During a Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona to Venezia on board the yacht like ANDREA of ELEGANT CRUISES & TOURS one of the beautiful destinations has been Capri ...
Capri smells of sweet life, light moments, riches and pomp. It is the island of love and happiness. Capri is the place for yearning, dreams and wonderful craziness. Capri is a myths in the Mediterranean Sea, unique and tender, full of promises. Capri is a promise.
Rudi Schurike `Capri Fischer´, 1943, only a short time after the recording, the song was blocked by the Nazi regime for broadcasting because US American troops had already landed on Capri - Source: YouTube, Deutschlandsender
The longing sighing from us Germans to Capri is long ago, but Capri has not lost its radiance. The pulse of Capri is throbbing, colorful and noble. Capri's magic flares up especially in spring, when the island shines full and juicy and the Caprisian are mostly still underneath each other. We landed on Capri in September, and Capri was still shining green, plump and alive.
In the harbour the boats are rocking stoic, only the ferries from the mainland spread a certain pressure. And our ANDREA is located outside in the midst of most expensive yachts. Just like a few days ago in Portofino. It is strange you do not see up to 20,000 tourists immediately - the permanent and daily guests from the mainland, who are spread out on a daily basis in Capri, are hardly noticeable. Capri is merciful. More gracious than the equally wonderful but with the double tourist crowd crowded narrow Ragusa (Dubrovnik).
Capri and its hotels are bursting at the seams in summer. We reached Capri, the island of bliss in the far more gracious September.
On our tour through and over the island
we could admire the Grand Hotel Quisisana - "Qui si sana" means "here
one heals" in Italian. It started as a spa hotel in 1845 and was converted in 1861 into a Grand Hotel. It is located in the heart of the
old town of Capri, opposite the Hotel
Residenza Capri and the Villa Sanfelice, to the south of the Piazza Umberto I. The Quisisana is surrounded by its own lush park.
The La Colombaia restaurant serves lunch in the outdoor
restaurant next to the pool and serves fresh seafood, pastas and pizzas,
chicken dishes and fruits, cheeses and pastries. The Restaurant Quisi
indoors serves Italian cuisine for dinner, accompanied by romantic
music. It has been cited as one of Italy's finest hotel restaurants.
Grand Hotel QUSISANA - courtesy Grand Hotel QUISISANA
The Quisisana is the perfect expression of Capri's Dolce Vita, famous throughout
Italy and the world. The yellow exterior façade of the house radiates in competition to the warm September sun. Movie stars, royalty, politicians and heads of
state have all chosen the Quisisana for their vacation on Capri, confirming "the hotel as one of the world's most exclusive
resorts."
And the chef of the Quisisana created for this Farouk a light "night snack" in the colours of Italy - the Insalata Caprese, sliced tomatoes, crowned by mozzarella cheese and olive oil above the tomatoes and not the cheese, garnished with basil.
Insalata Caprese - Source: Shutterstock
Later the Quisisana became a place for party excesses, love dramas and the great frame of the international jet set.
We came after the great storm of daily and longer-term tourists, but the Caprese were still friendly, just as Maria, standing in her both, from which she sells juices and fruit cocktails from citrus fruits to the passers-by.
Mary and her citrus stand - she is humming, so it seems through her live. Every day anew, as she told. She has, as she told me, never left the island: "Why should I? This is a nice place. Here I have everything!" Life can be so simple and lucky. She looked happily out of her shop window, squeezing fresh lemon and orange juice, which she sells to the passers-by, always smiling, and always humming it to herself. Like this is the ultimate happiness. Maria´s both so it seems is her big stage of life.
Once you've been to Capri, you'll be caught
This is what happened to a certain Mr. Krupp from Essen, at that time the richest man in Europe. He left Capri and the world the most famous serpentine route in the world - the Via Krupp. Today the most photographed serpentine in the world. Friedrich Alfred Krupp had fallen for Capri and his young men, and he became a patron of Capri.
They all knew of Friedrich Alfred Krupp´s preferences and allowed him to be himself, until one day ruthless journalists blackmailed him, and desolating articles appeared in the Italian `Propaganda´ and later in the German `Vorwärts´, destroying his life and reputation. The articles had been published in mid October and mid November ... on November 22nd, he died in the Villa Hügel in Essen. Officially, a stroke was reported as a cause of death.
The Piazetta, is the central square in Capri, cramped by cafés, bars, restaurants and luxury boutiques. This is where the life of Capri's inhabitants and their guests takes place.
I needed a café after all the water we got from our cruise director Andrea at ANDREA. So I looked for a free seat at a table and ordered - sinfully expensive and small, but Italians drink espresso! It was life-giving, especially when you're a café gourmet like me.
Piazetta di Capri, the lounge or living room of Capri - Source: capritourism.com
I watched the activity on the Piazetta and suddenly I had to laugh out loud.... This was caused by some tourists, two couples, who unfortunately didn't let themselves be infected by the hospitality and cheerfulness of Capri and his inhabitants. Unexpectedly I was approached from the neighbour's table and a visibly amused neighbour asked me why I would laugh so easily. I pointed to the matrons - in ancient Rome, this is what the married women were called!, who blew their husbands' a march. We started chatting for some time.
It was Rupert Everett with whom I chatted so easily about Capri, our cruise and life in general. I did not dare taking a photo of or with him. I guess he would have allowed ... but ... why should I?
As prominent as its visitors are, so exalted Capri´s residents are
If you are on Capri, you definitely must take Paolo di Grigorios cherry-red Fiat cabriolet. "Here on Capri driving a taxi, is holiday!" Paolo said joyful when I rode with him to my next destination on Capri.
Paolo talks happily about his life and family, after he asked curiously about our origin. I guess he thought of ANDREA as a yacht ... He reported about the countless VIPs he had chauffeured in his taxi over and through Capri and Anacapri. Among them were the Bardot, Onassis, the Callas, Sivia and Karl Gustav of Sweden, Sophia Loren and some more ... and they all let him chauffeur and photograph them. Maybe I was too unimpressed, but at our destination he showed us his photo album, that he has always in the car with him. Quite a collection of VIPs he had there ...
The di Giorgios are quite proud Capresian for generations. Now that I'm interested in old cars, he reported us satisfied about his FIAT, a 2100, the car was converted into a convertible, with that extended by 70 cm and now has 1,000,000 km on the sheet metal.
While we drove he showed us the villas of some prominent residents on Capri and garnished it with anecdotes, among the beautiful houses that of Giorgio Armani.
Capri is bursting with superlative and super-rich. Their villas are enthroned like cream tarts on the rocky outcrops and on the steep slopes... with unobstructed views of the sea and towards the distant horizon.
Amori et Dolori Sacrum - Love and Sorrow are Sacred
Our goal was the Villa Lysis, which Baron Jacques d' Adelswärd-Fersen had built in 1905. The villa, the baron and his life are an absolute island legend. Today the palais is empty and belongs to the municipality of Capri. Baron Fersen named the palais for Plato’s dialogue on the nature of male love.
Paolo, our special tour guide by accident, introduced us to Glauco, who keep the estate. He led us through the rooms of the villa and assured us that he had already met the spirit of the baron. And when we were in the baron's opium den - no kidding, the Baron integrated a room in his palais, only to be used for opium sessions, we heard a strange crack. Marilyn was scared and pointed to the window, where we saw the flying shadow of a huge gull. "This is the Barone," whispered Glauco. We looked wide eyed at each other questioningly.
Here in this room Baron Fersen ended his life, pompous and stylish as he had lived, with an overdose of cocaine and opium mixed in his Kristall champagne - less than this one it was not possible for Jacques d' Adelswärd-Fersen. With that he marched out from the life of Nino Cesarini. Nino, once a Roman newspaper boy, and the Baron united a deep love which they enjoyed and publicly celebrated in opium and love frenzy.
Baron Jacques d' Adelswärd-Fersen, a French-Swedish aristocrat who moved there in self-imposed exile from France after a
1903 sex scandal involving young Parisian schoolboys and all kinds
of debauchery. With the age of 22 he inherited the vast fortune from his
industrialist father.
Villa Lysis, Capris, Soundtrack : Maleficent flies : James Newton Howard - Source: YouTube
For 20 years, Nino and Jaques lived together, high above the sea, in the palais. It must have been beguiling years for the two of them. And as it is well known that one becomes even more beautiful through love, Nino also became a muse for other artists.these were photographer Wilhelm von Plüschow, painters Paul Hoecker and Umberto Brunelleschi and sculptor Francesco Jerace, during his youth. In his adulthood he modeled for Vincenzo Gemito. Roger Peyrefitte novelized his life in his work The Exile of Capri (L'exilé de Capri) in 1959. But at some point her love must have become stale, and so the Baron stepped out of the life of Nino, his friends and the world.
Villa Lysis, Amori et Dolori Sacrum, terrace overlooking the Marina Grande - Source: capritourism.com
Nino, actually Antonio, thanks to Jaques, a cultured and refined man, he apparently spoke several languages, died October 25th, 1943 in Rome.
Perfume and Limoncello, Capris´s sweat alcohol
Capri loves such stories, the island loved and loves exalted, legendary and its own history.
Capri understands how to make something out of himself and his given possibilities. So the famous Limoncello, a liqueur which is distilled exclusively from lemons of Capri. The Limoncello is a real export hit and fiber at every corner to enjoy or buy. Two weeks the lemon shells swash in a 96% alcohol. The unsprayed shells swimming in the alcohol finally merge their aromas into a new substance - the limoncello. I was told, when working in the destillerie, you should wear some kind of protection ... otherwise you will be drunk without ...
These lemon have really a special flavor, which is very special and typical for those from Capri. The lemons are not sprayed and grow natural and even without any fertilizer.
Lemon trees you find everywhere in Capri, each garden has at least one or two. And in the landscape are some plantations.
The Romans also brought perfume production to Capri. At that time, the Romans needed fragrances for their religious ceremonies, but also for themselves. The first monks followed in the footsteps of the Romans, handing down the procedures and creating new fragrances from the sea of flowers pouring over Capri. So you can take the scent of Capri home with you. The 870 different flowers growing on Capri produce a very special bouquet.
10 m² Sophisticated Glamour
Capri has always been a point of attraction for the rich and powerful, here they were and mostly remained among themselves.
Already Emperor Tiberius discovered Capri for himself, and had a villa, or rather a residence built. He stayed on Capri for 10 years and ruled the Roman Empire from Capri.
He was followed by other potentates who came for a summer refreshing, or in spring Capri, when the island is restarting it wonderful beauty. Later it was first the educational traveller on his Grand Tour, then came industrialists, burgeoise and aristocrats. But since the BELLE ÉPOQUE, Capri has been the focus of international high society.
Sabrina, ehm ... Audrey Hepburn, her style in `Sabrina´ made Audrey the more a style icon she was - promotion photo for `Sabrina ´
Capri pants were first introduced by German fashion designer Sonja de Lennart in 1948. The name of the pants is derived from the Italian isle of Capri, where they rose to popularity in the late 1950s and early '60s. De Lennart became one of the most innovative European fashion designers
after World War II influencing a whole generation of new designers and
was considered a leading pioneer of her time by major magazines wherein
she was interviewed along with legendary fashion designers as Yves Saint Laurent, Paco Rabanne, and André Courrèges. There was almost no fashion designer who did not add Capri pants to their collection.
Capris are 5/4 length trousers, anything else is no Capri pant!
Grace Kelly, Hollywoodstar, Oscar and style icon in Capris - found at Marta Corriedo
The first to wear the `Capris´ 1949 in public was the German actress Mady Rahl. Then it was the Austrian actress Erni Mangold. Audrey Hepburnpromoted the `capris´ by wearing them in her films. The American actress and Oscar winner, Grace Kelly, as well a style icon as Audrey, was among the first international movie stars who wore `capris´ on the island. It is said that it was the Bardot who cut off her pants, but its wrong. Despite she made these trousers more famous and gave them a "scandalous" attire. But nevertheless the trouser was worn by high society ladies, as Jaqueline Kennedy and a lot others follwed. `Capris'´ acceptance in the United States was influenced by the 1960s television series The Dick Van Dyke Show. The character Laura Petrie, the young housewife played by Mary Tyler Moore, caused a fashion sensation in over prude America.
Giancarlo Giammetti with Valentino and Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis in Capris - Source: thisisglamorous.com
The exquisite boutiques on Capri do not only sell "the usual suspects" of designer fashion, but especially their own creations, which give their wearers a hip, up-to-date individual touch.
Capri is known for its handmade capri sandals with fanciful adornments and capri pants of the 1950s. The most famous shopping street is Via Camerelle, from the Piazzetta, where the boutiques of Armani, Versace, Valentino and the others line up.
Today even men wear the Capris, but as for women, only in 5/4 length is okay. Anything else is not a Capri pant, and especially no cargo or sweatpant. Anything similar to, is eventually something for the beach, but never a street wear.
The Villy Jovis
Artist, Weichardt, made a "reconstrution" of Villa Jovis - Source: Archäologisches Institut Heidelberg
The first high society roller was Tiberius, he himself was caught by the spirit of Capri and errected his villa - Villa Jovis. From Villa Jovis he ruled the Empire. The villa was completed in 27 AD. And here 37 AD Tiberius died. Villa Jovis is situated in the very northeast of the island atop now called Monte Tiberio; its 334 m elevation makes it the second-highest peak of Capri, after Monte Solaro (589 m elevation) in Anacapri.
Map of the island of Capri, with the location of Cpari and Anacapri - Source: Wikipedia
Villa Jovis is the largest of the twelve Tiberian villas on Capri mentioned by Tacitus. The entire complex, spanning several terraces and a difference in elevation of about 40 m, covers some 7,000 m² 6879.7 m² (1.7 acres).
While the remaining eight levels of walls and staircases only hint at
the grandeur the building must have had in its time, recent
reconstructions have shown the villa to be a remarkable testament to
1st-century Roman architecture.
Leaving the stone piles and ruins of the once emperial residence of Tiberius and successors, we made our way to Villa San Michele. Here Axel Munte, born in Sweden lived, and here his living on Capri and this villa, he was inspired writing his famous novel `The Story of San Michele´.
Axel Martin Fredrik „Puck“ Munthe, a Swedish-born physician and psychiatrist, best known as the author of `The Story of San Michele´, an autobiographical account of his life and work.
Overlooking Capri, Marina Grande, the harbour, from the rotunda in Villa San Michele, Anacapri - Source: Wikipedia
Villa San Michele on Capri in Italy is a magical place quite out
of the ordinary. Some people call the villa with its garden a paradise
on earth, others regard it as the pearl of the island, a place where for
a moment you can step out of this world.
Axel Munthe’s former home is undoubtedly unique and a living example of a dream that came true. Today it is a museum and an international cultural meeting place. Here often Victoria von Baden, Queen consort, of King Gustaf V of Sweden and Princess Maria visited Munte, as well befriended writers, artists and VIPs.
The Capreses show their island from the most beautiful side of all its tourist attractions.
Everyone can find something personal here. Everyone finds his place here: the dreamy, the famous, the legendary, the romantic, the rapturous.
The Capreses are happy, they love their island and life.
Statue of Augustus, the first Roman Emporer, at Monte Solaro - Source: capritourism.com
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Helpful Article!!Well Written!
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