Blue Grotto and More

The blue grotto is arguably the most famous point on the Isle of Capri, located off of Naples in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The only way to get there is by boat. I took a short, small boat cruise that circumnavigated the island to get there.
Once there, it's a transfer to small rowboats as that's all that will fit into the grotto. The 1st picture shows why it got its name. Light reflecting off the white bottom is refracted, rendering the water blue. This grotto was also known as emperor Vespasian's private swimming pool as he had a villa atop the island with a tunnel directly to the grotto.
The 2nd picture is a long distance picture of the Punta Carena lighthouse. This is the 2nd oldest lighthouse in Italy, built in the 1860s. In ancient times, a fire was lighted here for the same purpose.
The 3rd picture is of the faraglioni rocks of Capri. I understand that these formations are known as stacks, coastal geologic formations eroded by wave action. The arch is large enough for local tour boats to pass through, which we did.
The 4th and 5th pictures are 2 more named grottos of Capri: the green grotto and the white grotto respectively. Much like the blue grotto, light is refracted in the former causing the water to appear emerald green. The white grotto is named for the white limestone rather than refracted light. The white light plus stalactites and stalagmites, though not clearly visible here, are said to make an intriguing sight. The sea was too rough on this side of the island to get a good picture.
The last picture looks straight up at the limestone cliffs on the south side of the island. Capri is an extraordinarily beautiful place.Read more