anyone been to the blue grotto?

[zeenichka]

Our ship, Equinox, will be in Naples and some people from our group have been to Naples and would like to visit the Blue Grotto?

Anyone been there and done that?:)

If so, do they go to Capri and then make arrangements because Celebrity does not list the Blue Grotto as part of the shore excursions.

Thank you for your suggestions.

[euro cruiser]

It's very easy to do.

 

From the cruise port (Molo Angioino) you walk to the next pier over, Molo Beverello, and take a boat to Capri Marina Grande. As you approach Molo Beverello there is a large electronic board that shows you the next boats departing, so you know which company to purchase a ticket from.

 

When you arrive at Marina Grande on Capri you will see tour operators for the Blue Grotto. They charge about 11 Euros or so for a speed boat that takes you out to the grotto. Once there, you transfer into small boats and are rowed into the cave. You pay an additional fee for these boats, in cash only. I think it was 10 Euro per person a couple of years ago.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Yes I did it and it was over-rated. I wouldn't bother.

[dolittle]

It is also A very short time in the grotto I think like four mins. each

[caripoo]

Been to Capri 4 times, only twice did we get in. It is VERY hit and miss because of the tides. As wonderful as it is I would not spend my day trying to get in. Enjoy the other things the island and the area have. Happy cruising!!!

[4774Papa]

Yes I did it and it was over-rated. I wouldn't bother.

I disagree. Our boatman sang "O sola mia" and it was great.

[24butterfly]

Our ship, Equinox, will be in Naples and some people from our group have been to Naples and would like to visit the Blue Grotto?

Anyone been there and done that?:)

If so, do they go to Capri and then make arrangements because Celebrity does not list the Blue Grotto as part of the shore excursions.

Thank you for your suggestions.

 

We did this years ago b4 it became so popular. It takes (or at least it took) 2 boats to get there--one fm Marina Grande, then u transfer to a smaller boat where you really have to duck down FLAT to get into the cave otherwise you will lose your head. (go ahead, laugh....) Then, if you're lucky, and the sun is shining, the boatmen (there are lotsa boats in there at a given time) will point you to look at the water where it is blue. Big whoop. No big deal, and not a loss at all if you don't do it. Overrated. ANd probably more xpensive then when we did it. Have to pay to get to the boatmen, then pay the boatmen additional.

[4774Papa]

When we saw the Blue Grotto it was awesome. I don't think that I have seen anything like it before or after. Each to his own.

[Billiam]

Count me in the over rated group. Took about 2 hours total as we had to que to get the smaller boats and we did that for an hour. That was not fun in a small rocking boat, bonine was the word then. Then afterward they are looking for tips. In hindsight I would have loved 2 more hours on Capri. Happy cruising

[24butterfly]

Count me in the over rated group. Took about 2 hours total as we had to que to get the smaller boats and we did that for an hour. That was not fun in a small rocking boat, bonine was the word then. Then afterward they are looking for tips. In hindsight I would have loved 2 more hours on Capri. Happy cruising

 

Oh yes, I forgot the tips, too.

[wantocruisemore]

Been to Capri 4 times, only twice did we get in. It is VERY hit and miss because of the tides. As wonderful as it is I would not spend my day trying to get in. Enjoy the other things the island and the area have. Happy cruising!!!

 

 

I absolutely agree with this. I did it years ago as part of a student tour for the summer. I had about 2 weeks in Rome. It was part of one of our day trips. It was beautiful and magical, but I would not do it again if I only had one or two days in the area. There are too many other fabulous things to see and only limited time with a cruise stop.

[MVPinBoynton]

I absolutely agree with this. I did it years ago as part of a student tour for the summer. I had about 2 weeks in Rome. It was part of one of our day trips. It was beautiful and magical, but I would not do it again if I only had one or two days in the area. There are too many other fabulous things to see and only limited time with a cruise stop.

 

We will be going to Capri next year and had planned on going to the Blue Grotto. Based on the comments, I think I will pass. What fabulous things would you recommend seeing in Capri?

[shemp2000]

We did it as part of our 1/2 day on Capri.

 

We hired a taxi to take us around the Island as as part of it we spent 20 minutes at the BG location. We enjoyed it and have a great picture from it.

 

I would not go to Capri only to do the BG, but if you are there to see other things, I would not miss it.

 

If you are in Taormina there is a similar Grotto, which has no one visiting it. Not as nice as Capri's but an option

[soontobemrsI]

It is also A very short time in the grotto I think like four mins. each

I have had one of the best days of my life there. It was October, and the sea was a little choppy, so our boatman told us it was too dangerous to row in, but we could SWIM in.... absolutely fabulous! We swam in, saw nothing special, turned around, and the light caught the water, and the magical blue took our breath away! The day could not have been improved, unless my beloved proposed later that night...WHICH HE DID!

[TMLAalum]

If you are in Taormina there is a similar Grotto, which has no one visiting it. Not as nice as Capri's but an option

 

Any details on the Taormina grotto? We'll be visiting there when we dock in Catania.

[cruisemom42]

I have had one of the best days of my life there. It was October, and the sea was a little choppy, so our boatman told us it was too dangerous to row in, but we could SWIM in.... absolutely fabulous! We swam in, saw nothing special, turned around, and the light caught the water, and the magical blue took our breath away! The day could not have been improved, unless my beloved proposed later that night...WHICH HE DID!

 

 

Now THERE is a story!! :D

 

As for the Blue Grotto -- IMO it's like so many other choices you make when deciding what to see in your limited time ashore in any port.

 

In other words: Read about and look at photos, and get a good idea of what to expect when you visit (i.e., length of trip, cost). After doing that, if you think you would enjoy it, then the chances are that you will.

[2theship]

The Blue Grotto is someplace my husband had always wanted to visit but on our first visit to Naples, I talked him into an Amalfi Coast tour instead of Capri. Fortunately, we were back a couple of years later and the Blue Grotto was a priority. We took a very early hydrofoil from Naples to Capri along with a large group from our roll call. Once we arrived in Capri, we went immediately to dock for the Blue Grotto and were on one of the first boats headed out there. It took very little time to arrange for the smaller boat into the Grotto. I think a lot depends on the weather conditions on the day of your visit but for ours it was perfect - it's just stunning inside. But, it is all over quickly. After a few minutes inside, we were back on the bigger boat and on our way back to Capri. Then we took the inclined train up the mountain and (I think) a bus to Anacapri, a beautiful little town where we wandered and ate the best pizza ever! Then, it was back down the mountain in time to catch the hydrofoil back to Naples.

 

We thought the whole experience was wonderful and are very glad we did it.

[rlse9]

I agree with most that the Blue Grotto was overrated and not as impressive as I was hoping. We took the boat ride around the island, which took about 2 hours and was around 14 euros. The boat ride itself was great, it's a beautiful island with several other caves and interesting features. I'd recommend a boat ride around the island for people with time but not really the Blue Grotto. The small church in Anacapri with the painted floor is really nice. The walk from Capri over to the Natural Arch is also quite nice with a great view when you get there, and the view of the coast from the gardens just outside Capri is really nice.

[Toledo Cruiser]

Have any CCers visited the Blue Grotto off the Croatian coast, near Hvar? What was that like?

[TLCOhio]

We did the Blue Grotto in Capri and found it to be interesting and different. Touristy? Yes, sure, but it is not your run-of-the-mill church or shopping area that you find every place else. The amazing thing is the light inside this cave. Not sure how and why it works that way. But, it does. Below are some pictures. Overall, we loved Capri. Fortunately, we had four days during a land trip to do ALL of the many and great things in and around this area. Will be back June 11 in Naples on our cruise and going to do scenic Ravello overlooking the Mediterranean, seeing certain portion of Amalfi Coast drive, in or around Sorrento for lunch, stopping at either the historic area of Herculaneum, then back to Naples, with, time permitting, a brief sampling at the famed National Archaeological Museum there.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our last July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now at 42,641 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

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On Capri, we are departing on a smaller boat to visit the famed Blue Grotto. It is a very charming island with much to see and do. The second picture shows the larger boats having people transferred to smaller ones to go inside the grotto.:

 

 

 

 

 

As we approached Capri, here is one of the large rock formations with a boat shown circling the island:

 

[jac1976]

The PP was correct with their instructions on how to get a ferry to Capri. It is simple to do. Just be sure to check which kind of ferry/hydrofoil you are on as not all are the fast ones. When you get to Capri, there will be plenty of people offering trips to the Blue Grotto. You do take a motor boat out until you get close, and then you transfer to a row boat. We had to sit on the bottom of the row boat and still then we had to duck to get into the grotto (difficult to do with me being 8.5 months pregnant, but still doable). It was a sunny day and the view inside the grotto was beautiful- it glowed the prettiest shade of blue. On the way back to the motor boat, our row boat guide stopped the boat halfway to collect his tips. He refused to continue on unless everyone gave him a tip, so be prepared for that.

 

After the grotto, we walked through Capri and onto the Giardini di Agosto which were beautiful gardens that gave us a great view out over the water. ETA: In my opinion, it is worth it to do the grotto once. Yes it is over priced and extremely touristy, but it was beautiful. I would not however pay to do it twice.

 

Here are some pictures to explain some more:

 

Entrance to the grotto is that little hole in the rock.

 

The view from inside out. It does no justice to the beauty of the water, but gives you another glimpse of the entrance.

 

The gardens (please excuse big ole me, but its one of the only pics I have of the gardens on this computer.)

[bababa]

we will be trying to spend the morning in capri and walk thru the town and also do the blue grotto so it would be very helpful to know how to pick the faster hydrofoils....i saw the schedule from another post of the naples to capri hydrofoils but could not determine which one to choose...

 

 

 

 

 

The PP was correct with their instructions on how to get a ferry to Capri. It is simple to do. Just be sure to check which kind of ferry/hydrofoil you are on as not all are the fast ones. When you get to Capri, there will be plenty of people offering trips to the Blue Grotto. You do take a motor boat out until you get close, and then you transfer to a row boat. We had to sit on the bottom of the row boat and still then we had to duck to get into the grotto (difficult to do with me being 8.5 months pregnant, but still doable). It was a sunny day and the view inside the grotto was beautiful- it glowed the prettiest shade of blue. On the way back to the motor boat, our row boat guide stopped the boat halfway to collect his tips. He refused to continue on unless everyone gave him a tip, so be prepared for that.

 

After the grotto, we walked through Capri and onto the Giardini di Agosto which were beautiful gardens that gave us a great view out over the water. ETA: In my opinion, it is worth it to do the grotto once. Yes it is over priced and extremely touristy, but it was beautiful. I would not however pay to do it twice.

 

Here are some pictures to explain some more:

 

Entrance to the grotto is that little hole in the rock.

 

The view from inside out. It does no justice to the beauty of the water, but gives you another glimpse of the entrance.

 

The gardens (please excuse big ole me, but its one of the only pics I have of the gardens on this computer.)