How to Book the Blue Grotto in Capri (2026)

The truth: you cannot book in advance

The Blue Grotto has no online reservation system. Entry depends entirely on sea conditions — if waves are too high (which happens 30-40% of days), the grotto is closed. You find out on the morning of your visit. This is the single biggest frustration for tourists planning Capri.

How to visit

Option 1 — By boat from Marina Grande: Take a motorboat from Capri's main port to the grotto entrance (~15 min, €15 round trip). Transfer to a small rowing boat at the entrance (€18 entrance + €4 rowing boat fee). The rower takes you inside for ~5 minutes. Total cost: ~€37 per person. Total time: ~1 hour including transport.

Option 2 — By bus + stairs: Take the bus from Anacapri to Grotta Azzurra stop. Walk down ~300 steps to the water. Join the rowing boat queue from there. Same entrance fee (€18 + €4). Cheaper total, but those stairs coming back up are brutal.

What to expect

You lie flat in a small wooden rowing boat as the rower pulls you through a 1.3-meter opening in the cliff. Inside: a cave lit by an otherworldly electric blue light from the underwater entrance. The rower sings (tradition). You have about 5 minutes. It's genuinely magical if the conditions are right — the blue is unlike anything else in nature.

When to go

Best months: May through September. Best time of day: 12-2pm when the sun angle creates the most intense blue. Go on a calm day after checking Capri.net for morning status updates.