How to Spend a Rainy Day in Capri

If you visit Capri in the winter or early spring you are very likely to have at least a few hours of gray skies or drizzle. Downpours are rare, but somehow feel more epic on this island that is more well known for hot summer lazing in the sun.

As much as I love a day spent under an umbrella at a beach club or on a boat anchored in a private cove there is a special charm to a cold rainy day in Capri.

Some practical information. The sea can be rough in the winter and spring months. It is very rare that all boats are canceled but there can be only one or two that sail between Naples and Capri on really bad weather days. Look for the slow ferry, that takes about 25 minutes longer but is a much smoother ride and is the least likely to be canceled.

Shake up Your Instagram Feed

Everyone has the picture of the striking Faraglioni rocks in a bright blue sea, Marina Piccola below dotted with boats and yachts. On a gray day, the flinty colored clouds and inky water make for a dramatic and different take on this famous site. The Mediterranean scrub that clings to the cliffs somehow seems more saturated with greens and yellows when the sun is hiding.

The cooler temperatures make long walks scouting for great shots along the Pizzalungo or down to the Marina Piccola much more pleasant.

Go Shopping

Capri has the (deserved) reputation of being a luxurious shopping destination. You can stroll the via Camerelle and find Bucallati jewelry, Eres bikinis, Dolce and Gabbana and Fendi, but the true heart of Capri is in its small artisan shops on the smaller streets that wind off the Piazzetta.

Wonderland Capri

Find the hidden door on the via Camerelle where Alessandro and his family have the islands only collection of vintage designer clothes, bags, and shoes. The last time I visited I spied a vintage Pucci cape, Valentino ball gowns from the 1980s and a pair of Marc Jacobs flats.

The via Botteghe and the via Fuorlovado are two of my favorite streets in Capri. Look for the storefront with handprinted designs of the island's distinctive plant life for Prorate. Gianluca Federico's shop is filled with silvery ceramic anchovies, handblown glass jellyfish suspended from the ceiling, candles that look like sfogliatelle.

Sea Gull Ceramiche

I have walked past this ceramic shop on the via Roma probably a dozen times and dismissed it as an overpriced tourist shop. What a mistake. The store has been in the Staiano family for three generations and they source ceramics from small artisans all over Italy. There are Solimene dishes from Vieri, intricate lemon sculptures from Capidamonte in Naples, Moorish statues from Sicily and colorful tableware from the Veneto.

Take a Cooking Class

Nothing is more comforting on a rainy day than a plate of delicious food. At my pal Holly's restaurant Michel'Angelo, you can spend a few hours with her Caprese husband, Gianluca learning his mother's secrets to the best ravioli Caprese and Torte Caprese and then enjoy the results of your work in the newly renovated dining room.

Have a Cocktail (or cake)

Escape the raindrops at the friendly Il Piccolo Bar or Bar Alberto taking in the very local action in the Piazzetta.