Capri on a budget: 5 things you can't afford to miss

With its razor-sharp coastline and fascinating Roman villas earning it international fame, beautiful Capri is a small island with a big reputation. But its lavish hotels and exclusive beach clubs have become a magnet for the rich and famous, making its prices as steep as its cliffs.

Not a millionaire? Fear not – the isle still has plenty to offer. This extraordinary place has been capturing hearts since Roman times, when it lured emperor Augustus to its rocky shores. It was love at first sight and he promptly traded neighbouring Ischia for the vertiginous island and set to work turning it into his own utopia. 

Capri went on to inspire acclaimed artists, writers and poets. But it isn’t upscale boutiques and pricey bars that lured the likes of D. H. Lawrence and George Bernard Shaw – no, despite popular opinion, the best of Capri is free. From gliding up mountains to floating in magical grottoes, here are five experiences that won’t break the bank.   

Roman Babakin/Shutterstock

Discover the ruins of Villa Jovis 

Another Roman emperor Tiberius really made himself at home on Capri, building not one, but twelve extravagant villas around the island. Today, you can wander around three of the ruins – but if you only have time for one, make it Villa Jovis (entrance fee is €6/£4.97). 

Tiberius ran the Roman Empire from here for a decade. It’s set on Mount Tiberio and he chose the vertigo-inspiring site, which overlooks the Sorrentine Peninsula, for three reasons: privacy, security and so he could hurl unruly staff off the 1,000-foot (305m) drop into the Tyrrhenian Sea, a fateful spot now known as 'Tiberius’ Leap'.

If that leaves you wanting more, take the path to nearby Villa Lysis (entrance fee €2/£1.66). Built by French Count Jacques d'Adelswärd Fersen in 1905, this intact Art Nouveau villa is set within stunning gardens and features grand arches, glinting gilt and an opium den for good measure (the count was addicted to the substance).

READ MORE: These are Italy's most beautiful towns and villages

WitR/Shutterstock

Frolic on the free beaches

In Capri, the term ‘beach’ is thrown around a little loosely, often referring to hard-to-reach craggy coves and concrete diving platforms – and most of these are private, with loungers costing upwards of €25 (£20) a day. However, there are a few free beaches dotted around – and luckily, they’re some of the best.

Among them is accessible Marina Grande. It’s the first beach most tourists see when docking in Capri and it’s also the largest, boasting family-friendly crystal-clear waters. Alternatively, the calm seas and mid-afternoon shade of Marina Piccola make its beaches another hit with families. They also stare out to the dreamy Faraglioni, a series of dramatic rock forms.

Want a child-free dip? Head to the rocky ledges beneath romantic Punta Carena Lighthouse. Perfect for sun-worshipers, this popular free-swimming spot is an all-day sun-trap and boasts the island’s best sunset. Don’t be surprised if you see a proposal or two as the sea turns pink.

George Stoyanov/Shutterstock

Hike through history

Don’t want to share Capri’s beauty? Then don your hiking boots, hit the island’s ancient trails and swap the hubbub of La Piazzetta for wildflowers, birdsong and breathtaking views. 

Path of the Forts, which hugs the cliffs from Grotta Azzurra to Punta Carena Lighthouse, takes in ancient forts and plentiful sea views along the way.

Alternatively, jump aboard Capri’s famous chairlift and glide up Monte Solaro to Capri’s highest viewpoint, taking in Faraglioni, Mount Vesuvius and the Gulf of Naples. It’ll set you back €9 (£7.45) and under 7s go free. Hike back via the orchid-strewn valley of Cetrella – the Hermitage of Santa Maria of Cetrella dates back centuries and was once an important pilgrimage site for sailors. 

BAHDANOVICH ALENA/Shutterstock

Celeb spot in the world’s most fashionable town square: La Piazzetta

In summer, ferries from places including Naples, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast head to Capri, crammed with thousands of tourists. They’re here for the island’s glamorous beaches, its boutique-lined streets and for the world’s most fashionable town square: La Piazzetta. 

By early evening, the ferries have hit the high sea and La Piazzetta, dubbed ‘the drawing room of the world’, enjoys a brief moment of calm before the rich and famous saunter off their superyachts and into the tiny square. 

READ MORE: Which Amalfi Coast resort suits you?

Arrive just before 7pm to bag a good seat, have a dapper cream-jacketed waiter serve you a chilled aperitivo and wait for the glitterati to descend. Not fussed about boozing with bejewelled billionaires? Save the ‘Chiazza’ for an early morning coffee and watch local life unfold as the sun hits the pretty majolica-clad belltower.

Fabio Michele Capelli/Shutterstock

Float around the Blue Grotto

Lay back on your gondola and glide through a wincingly tiny hole in the rocks to discover Capri’s Blue Grotto (or Grotta Azzurra). It’s worth the tight squeeze: you’ll enter a magical cavern, alive with glistening iridescent blue light, brighter than even Capri’s cerulean sky. The grotto has one tiny underwater aperture near its entrance to thank for this dazzling display.

In Roman times, the natural sea cave was used as a maritime temple. Years on, it was abandoned, due to wild stories of demons and evil spirits, until 1826, when a local fisherman revealed it to two well-known German creatives: writer August Kopisch and painter Ernst Fries. Blown away by its otherworldly lightshow, they introduced it to the world – and the rest is history. It’s typically around €15 (about £13) to enter the grotto. 

READ MORE: Rock star – what to see in Matera, Italy

Takashi Images/Shutterstock

Lead image: Dragomir Nikolov/Alamy Stock Photo