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Home > Italy Travel Guide > Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra)

Blue Grotto

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Introduction
History
Location

ATTRACTIONS

Whats to see

INFORMATION

Useful information
Links

Introduction

The Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra) is a noted sea cave on the coast of the island of Capri. The grotto has a partially submerged opening into the sea, as do other grottoes into the island. Roman emperors with villas on Capri reportedly used the Blue Grotto as a private bath. In modern times, it has become a popular tourist attraction, with visitors touring it by boat.

History

It is said that two thousand years ago the emperor Tiberius made a sea ninphaeum here and was able to stay cool when it was particularly hot. To make the ambient more pleasing architects and artists of the court decortated the walls and added varcus statues depicting Tritons and the God Poseidon. In 1964 some statues were discovered on the seabed, they are thought to be Poseidon and Tritons. But the revelation of the “Blue Grotto” is to be credited to the romantic disposition of two German tourists who visited Capri in 1826: Augustus Kopisch, a writer, and Ernst Fries, a painter. The Grotta was, however, already known locally as “Grotta Gràdola”, the name being taken from the neighbouring ancient landing place of “Gràdola” and “Gradelle”, even though it was avoided as a weird and bewitched place not so much because of its narrow access, as because of the legends about monsters and witches that dwelt in it. The scientific exploration commenced to understand why the water was so azure blue, why were there objets in the sea and also why the shimmering silver colour on the water.

Location

To get to the Blue Grotto, there are motorboats that leave from the port of Marina Grande and that besides going round the island, stop off here. You can also get to the Grotto by bus (from Anacapri) or by taxi as, after reaching the entrance to the grotto, you have to get into little rowing boats, that take a maximum of two or three persons.

Whats to see

Depending upon the tide and the size of the swells pounding the entrance to the grotto, the guides will have passengers lie down while they pull the boat and sightseers into the grotto with a chain permanently attached to the cave entrance. Inside the grotto the sea seems to be lit from underwater. It is a magnificent fluorescent blue colour, hence its name. This is due to another opening to the grotto, completely submerged, and the limestone bottom. It allows in sunlight to truly light the water from below. The underground passages leading to the grotto are partially sealed and supposedly once were connected to catacombs of Roman tombs.

Useful information

Tips: Best time to visit is 11am to 1pm. There is an additional cost for transportation to the entrance. Price varies depending on the type of boat. The grotto cannot be visited during adverse weather conditions.

Links

Official Website of Campania Region

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