Why go
Choose Capri town for the Piazzetta, the Certosa and walks towards the eastern Roman villas and coastal viewpoints. Anacapri groups Villa San Michele and the church of San Michele with access towards the western coast. These are separate centres connected around the mountain, so changing towns is a deliberate part of the day.
The full story
Capri town spreads across slopes above its two harbours. Marina Grande lies to the north and Marina Piccola to the south, with roads climbing through hairpin bends. Around the Piazzetta, shopping streets lead away from the central square; the large Certosa complex occupies part of the area to its south. Villa Jovis lies farther east, beyond the centre. The road to Anacapri curves around the northern side of the central mountain mass. Anacapri then serves as the reference point for two different coastal directions: the Blue Grotto in the north-west and Punta Carena, with its lighthouse, in the south-west. Within the settlement, Villa San Michele connects the island with Axel Munthe, while the church of San Michele is a separate landmark. Using the two town names precisely avoids a common confusion: an arrival on Capri island does not mean arrival in Capri town, and neither name includes Anacapri's centre.