Capri tourist information
Enjoying the privilege of a very mild climate, of marvellous beauties of nature and of excellent tourist facilities, Capri boasts a very active tourist industry, along with agriculture, fishery and handicraft. The island has large vineyards, olive-groves and orchards; vegetables and citrus fruits, as well as fresh fish, have always characterized the Capri cuisine. The 1905-1906 geological excavations discovered amygdaloid flintstone arms and fossil remains of Palaeolithic fauna that demonstrated that the island was inhabited since the Palaeolithic age, chellean epoch.
Enjoying the privilege of a very mild climate, of marvellous beauties of nature and of excellent tourist facilities, Capri boasts a very active tourist industry, along with agriculture, fishery and handicraft. The island has large vineyards, olive-groves and orchards; vegetables and citrus fruits, as well as fresh fish, have always characterized the Capri cuisine. There are also many artisan shops selling nice and original handmade moccasins, precious cameos and coral necklaces, many-coloured pottery exported all over the world and sweaters made at the wooden loom; also renowned are the trousers made to measure by the clever local taylors who admirably cut them in less than two hours. Also very characteristic are the local perfumeries selling essences distilled from the sweet-smelling flowers and fruits of the island.
The 1905-1906 geological excavations discovered amygdaloid flintstone arms and fossil remains of Palaeolithic fauna that demonstrated that the island was inhabited since the Palaeolithic age, chellean epoch. This is confirmed by documents of the late Neolithic age relating to weapons and tools found out in the Fern Grotto by Mount Solaro. Geological studies has also confirmed the Greek colonisation of the island which took place about in the 4th century B.C. as demonstrated by pots and vessels found in ancient tombs explorated so far. The highest part of Capri was instead fortified by Phoenicians and Teleboi who established the kingdom of Anacapri.
In 326 B.C., when Naples became a Roman ally, Capri fell under the Roman influence; in 29 B.C. Augustus visited the island, and, enchanted whit its beauty, had it from the Neapolitans in exchange for the island of Ischia. His successor, Tiberius, settled in Capri in 26 or 27 A.D., spending there the last ten years of his life. Both emperors encouraged building works in the island: according to the historians twelwe villas were built during the Augustan-Tiberian age, perhaps dedicated to the twelwe higher divinities. Villa Jovis and the ruins of a villa on the Damecuta plain and of another one by Tiberius' baths can be seen. In 530 the island was transferred under the ecclesiastic jurisdiction of Badia di Montecassino that received it as a present from Tertullo; in 886 it was given by the Emperor Ludovico II, together with the islets "Li Galli", to Marino, Amalfi's Duke, on account of his services. The island was then conquered by the Longobard King Guaimario IV and some years later passed under Roberto il Guiscardo; it was conquered again by Bernardo da Sariano in 1133 by order of King Ruggiero II, against whom Roberto il Guiscardo had revolted. The Swabians ruled over the island in 1191. Eliseo Arcucci, in 1230, was the first great feudatory.
An Aragonese fleet vainly tried to conquer the island, because of the town walls built by order of the prince of Salerno in 1284. The Aragonese admiral, Bernardo di Serricano, succeeded in 1286. During the following years, Capri enjoyed many privileges: in 1300 Giacomo Arcucci, assistant of Giovanna I of Anjou, established the Charterhouse and the same Queen granted immunity from taxation to the inhabitants. The same privileges were granted by the Durazzeschi. In 1496 the dispute between Capri and Anacapri ended under Frederick II of Aragon. The 1656 plague dealt a heavy blow to the population that had already been decimated by privateering raids in the 16th century.
Capri flourished again only when Naples became again the capital of the Kingdom under Charles I of Bourbon. In the second half of the 18th century, Ferdinand IV established civilian armed forces to face the pirates. The French took possession of the island in 1806, but in the same year -May 11th- an English fleet overwhelmed them. During the reign of Giuseppe Bonaparte two attempts to conquer again the island were unsuccessful, but when Gioacchino Murat became King of Naples -in 1808, October 4th - the French landed at Capri and on 18th September they forced the British to surrender. Since 1809 the island of Capri has been associated to Naples and has followed its vicissitudes.
Capri aerial map
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