Sentiero dei Fortini

Capri's empty coast

The western side of Capri belongs to Anacapri, and it is a different island from the one on the postcards: low cliffs of pale rock, deep inlets of turquoise water, pine and Mediterranean scrub, and almost no buildings at all.

In 1806 the British took Capri from the French and built small coastal forts along this shore to cover the coves where a landing force might come ashore. In 1808 Murat's French troops landed here anyway, took the island back and enlarged the forts. They fell into ruin, and until the 1990s the paths between them were used mainly by hunters and fishermen. From 1998 the forts and connecting paths were restored with European funds, and the route was waymarked as the Sentiero dei Fortini.

Today it is one of the finest coastal walks in southern Italy: about five kilometres and three hours from Punta dell'Arcera near the Blue Grotto to the Punta Carena lighthouse, with majolica tiles by the artist Sergio Rubino explaining the history, plants and geology along the way. You can walk it in either direction; we prefer north to south, to finish with a swim and the sunset at the lighthouse.

A word on effort

The distance is short, but the path rises and falls constantly between the coves on stone steps and rocky track, with almost no shade and no water or refreshments anywhere along it. It is more tiring than it looks, and in high summer it should be walked early or late.