The 7 Best Beaches in Capri Italy: Free Stretches, Beach Clubs and Rock Ladders
The short answer
Capri has only two beaches in the usual sense, Marina Piccola and Marina Grande, both pebble. Everything else is rock: Bagni di Tiberio, the Faraglioni clubs, Gradola by the Blue Grotto, the Punta Carena lighthouse (the one spot with sun until sunset) and the coves only a boat reaches. Most have a free stretch; at the foot of the Faraglioni there are two private clubs.
Two pebble beaches, then rock platforms with ladders into deep water. So when you choose, the sun and the way down matter as much as the sea.
The 7 Capri beaches compared
| Beach | What it is | Free stretch? | How you get there | Afternoon sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marina Piccola | Pebble bay facing the Faraglioni | Yes, two small beaches, plus clubs | Via Mulo on foot, or bus about 10 minutes | Leaves early afternoon |
| Marina Grande | Pebble beach beside the ferry harbour | Yes, near the ferry ticket offices | You land there | Leaves mid-afternoon |
| Bagni di Tiberio | Cove among the ruins of a Roman villa | A small public beach beside the club | Club boat from Marina Grande (a charge), or about 20 minutes on foot | – |
| The Faraglioni clubs | Rock platforms at the foot of the stacks | No, two private clubs | Path from Punta Tragara; afternoon shuttle boat back | – |
| Gradola | Rocks by the sea beside the Blue Grotto | Yes, plus the Il Riccio club | Bus from Anacapri, about 20 minutes | Until late afternoon |
| Punta Carena lighthouse | Rock platforms with ladders | Yes, plus a lido and two bars | Bus from Anacapri, about 20 minutes | Until sunset |
| The boat-only coves | Swim stops from a boat | Free from the boat | By boat or kayak only | Depends on the boat |
1. Marina Piccola: the one most people mean
The bay on the south coast, looking straight at the Faraglioni. Two small free beaches sit on either side of the Scoglio delle Sirene, the Siren’s Rock, with beach clubs filling the rest of the shore. The walk down is Via Mulo, which starts at Due Golfi at the end of Via Roma; the bus from Capri town takes about 10 minutes and a single ticket costs €2.40.
Come in the morning. The sun leaves the bay early in the afternoon, and by then the shade has crossed the pebbles. Boats anchor off it too: the full-day charter from Sorrento stops off Marina Piccola to swim.
The kayak launches here too, and paddles you into coves no motorboat fits.
Kayak Tour in Capri Between Caves and Beaches
Ninety minutes from Marina Piccola into the south-shore caves, with an instructor-guide and GoPro photos. Bring your own towel.
From $51 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
2. Marina Grande: the beach by the ferry
The largest beach on the island, right next to the harbour where the ferries dock. The free stretch is near the ferry ticket offices, and the water is clean despite the port. The pebble shelves gently, so it is an easy walk in.
It gets crowded in high season, and the sun leaves mid-afternoon. Use it for the hour before your boat back: you swim minutes from the pier, with no climb between you and the ticket office.
3. Bagni di Tiberio: swimming in a Roman ruin
A cove on the north shore, among the remains of the seaside villa of the emperor Tiberius, the area called Palazzo a Mare. A private club takes most of it, and a small public beach sits alongside.
You arrive on the club's gozzo from Marina Grande, for a charge, or walk about 20 minutes from the Church of San Costanzo. The cove is small and closed in by cliffs, and the calm water suits families with children.
4. The Faraglioni clubs: La Fontelina and Da Luigi
At the foot of the Faraglioni, reached by the path down from the Belvedere di Punta Tragara, are two private beach clubs: La Fontelina and Da Luigi ai Faraglioni. Both have restaurants, so your swim turns into lunch without moving. The stacks above are 109 m, 82 m and 106 m high.
There is no free stretch here. Both clubs run an afternoon shuttle boat to Marina Piccola, which spares you the climb back up.
5. Gradola: free rock beside the Blue Grotto
Next to the Blue Grotto, Gradola is a free public area of rocks by the sea rather than a beach, with the Il Riccio beach club beside it. The sun stays until late afternoon; the bus from Anacapri takes about 20 minutes.
You can swim before or after the rowboat, in the same water. The Blue Grotto tours set out the ways inside.
6. Punta Carena lighthouse: the sunset swim
Rock cliffs under the lighthouse at the island’s south-west tip, with ladders fixed to the rock to climb out after a swim. There is a free area, a private lido and two bars that rent loungers. It is the only spot on the island where you can catch the sunset from the water’s edge.
The bus from Anacapri takes about 20 minutes, or a taxi gets you there. Plan your ride back before you go in.
7. The coves only a boat reaches
Grotta Verde, the White Grotto and the water beside the Faraglioni are swim stops, not beaches. No path leads down; the boat puts a ladder over the side for you.
- The two-hour small-group boat ride with a Faraglioni swim stop: From $105 per person from Marina Grande. Snorkel gear is not included.
- The caves tour with a swim: two hours for up to ten, snorkelling equipment and towels included.
- A private charter: you pick the coves, and the gear and towels come aboard.
Capri Italy Small-Group Island Boat Ride with Swimming and Limoncello
Two hours round the island, twelve at most, with a swim stop at the Faraglioni.
From $105 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Capri: Boat Tour of the Caves with Swim and Limoncello Tasting
Two hours in and out of the sea caves for up to ten, with snorkel gear and towels aboard.
From $65 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
The Capri Italy private boat tours give you the say over the stops, and the best boat tours in Capri are compared side by side.
How to choose, by what you want
- Walk straight in, or with children: Marina Grande or Marina Piccola, the only two with a pebble shore. Everywhere else means ladders or steps into deep water. More on that in Capri with kids.
- A sunset swim: Punta Carena.
- History with the swim: Bagni di Tiberio.
- Lunch with the view: the Faraglioni clubs, booked ahead.
- Paired with the grotto: Gradola.
- Nobody else on the rocks: a boat or the kayak. The timetable matters more than the beach here; see how to avoid the crowds in Capri.
Every trip named here is compared on price, hours and what the fare covers at Capri Italy Tours.
Frequently asked questions
Does Capri have sandy beaches?
Are there free beaches in Capri?
Where can you swim at sunset on Capri?
Which Capri beach is best for children?
Do you need to book the Faraglioni beach clubs?
Do Capri boat tours stop to swim?
Ways into the water from a boat or a kayak
Kayak Tour in Capri Between Caves and Beaches
Ninety minutes paddling from Marina Piccola into the coves, with GoPro photos included.
From $51 per person
Check AvailabilityCapri Italy Small-Group Island Boat Ride with Swimming and Limoncello
Two hours round the island, with a swim stop beside the Faraglioni.
From $105 per person
Check Availability
Exclusive Capri Secret Corners: Private Classic Boat Experience
A classic wooden boat for up to five for three hours, with snorkel gear, towels and a ladder aboard.
From $348 per group, up to 5
Check Availability
Half Day Private Boat Tour of Capri
Four private hours for up to seven, with snorkel gear, towels and a fresh-water shower.
From $639 per group, up to 7
Check AvailabilityPick the beach by the hour you will be on it, and let the sun decide the side of the island.