A friend who recently returned from Sorrento said that there was a very long line and waiting time for the small boats to enter the Blue Grotto. They decided instead to take a boat cruise around the Capri island and loved it. Any thoughts or info on the lines? I have always wanted to see the Grotto, but I don’t know about spending half of the day to get in.
Posted by
San Diego, California
5649 posts
IMHO, the Blue Grotto falls under the definition of Tourist Trap.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7229 posts
Ditto
Take a boat ride around the island, lots more fun
Posted by
1 posts
Can your trip there be preplanned so you have specific times you're expected? I went into the Blue Grotto years ago as part of a planned tour, so my group didn't have to wait. It is a unique experience. You have to lean back in the boat to get into the cave, which is accessible only during certain hours because of tides. Once inside, you are in an area with phenomenal blue light, which is very beautiful. Time inside the cave was very brief but memorable, and I'm glad I visited it. But I wouldn't want to wait hours to see it.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16618 posts
Deborah, we skipped it when we stayed on the island so it's not fair for me to say "Don't" but a scan of some reviews from other travelers might help you make up your mind? Some of the comments are why we skipped it years back when we visited Capri.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7939 posts
One factor to consider is whether you want to walk (up to five miles) on the highly pedestrianized island to see it. Capri is (to me) more interesting and attractive than Positano. BTW, Capri has a public beach, too, very crowded, but nicer than the one microscopic beach in Sorrento. Time taken for the Blue Grotto is time lost on the island itself. I personally don't understand the desire to ride a boat in a circle around the island. Sure, it's pretty. But so are the cliffs of Sorrento and the towns on the AC, both of which can be seen from ferries, without losing valuable tourist time. And the views down from the (many) high points of Capri are mighty nice, too.
My opinon is colored by the fact that we saw a similar grotto in Croatia, so we didn't need to waste any time on the Capri grotto. Note also that higher waves can result in complete cancellation of transfers to the only tiny sculling boats that can get into the grotto.
Posted by
Living in a suburb of Los Angeles
111 posts
I had a pleasant experience at the Blue Grotto in June of 2022. I had not experienced a sea cave formation before, so it was special to me. I read that you need to take a tour that starts early in the morning to avoid the long waits at the ship to row boat transfer and reduce the chance of rough seas. My tour started at about 8:30 AM and we waited about 20 to 30 minutes at the row boat transfer area. The selection of which boat got transferred next was unorganized and possibly based on who you knew? Once inside, it was very beautiful & unique and the row boat captain's signing of O Sole Mio was cheezy, but appropriate. I enjoyed it. But, be prepared for aggressive row boat captain's tip request. Our tour included the island visit and a cruise around the island. So, we got a full day experience. Plan ahead and be rewarded?