The best swimming pool in Capri - La Canzone del Mare
So here’s the thing about Capri. It is actually pretty difficult to go to the beach. Most of the island action happens in the Piazzetta which doesn’t even have a sea view. Despite what many travel writers claim, there are no sand beaches in Capri. There are pebbly coves and slabs of rocks where umbrellas and sunbeds are perched above a blue and emerald sea. Most of the best spots to swim can only be reached by boat. There is another option that rarely gets talked about though. I have a favorite swimming pool in Capri that I can't wait to share with you.
Before I get to that another important thing to know about Capri is to be prepared to walk. Even if you have booked a five-star hotel or villa. Capri is a pedestrian town. To get to the beach, the boat you booked for an island cruise, and that fancy sunset cocktail overlooking the Faraglioni, you will be getting your steps in. Things are a little bit different over on the other side of the island Anacapri, but that’s for another time.
On my last trip to the island, I wanted to try something different so I asked my resident Caprese for some advice.
Because I love the sea so much one thing I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about is finding a swimming pool in Capri. I have visited almost all of the private beach clubs in Capri. I am a big fan of the Italian system of renting a lounge chair and umbrella and having a long lunch in my bikini. The water in Capri is legendary. In some places, it is a deep dark sapphire and in others the palest shimmery green. It is cold and clear and there is little better than diving into it on a hot summer afternoon.
Most of the pools on the island are in hotels. The only pool I have swum in was at the Il Faro Beach Club in Anacapri where we have celebrated a few wedding anniversaries.
A place I had never been to was La Canzone del Mare.
A place I had never been to was La Canzone del Mare.
This sprawling club was one of Capri's most elegant spots in the island's Dolce Vita heydey in the 1950s and 1960s. It still retains a feeling of that particular style of glamour with old fashioned changing rooms and surprisingly formal service.
There is something for everyone here. A large saltwater pool ringed by chairs. Sunny spots, shady spots, a small kids pool at the furthest reaches. Places where you can dive into deep water and shallow natural paddling pools. If you are coming from your yacht there is a launch for your tender.
On an island that can feel overrun by day tripper tourists, I spent an entire day in a semi-shaded spot sandwiched between older couples who had seasonal assigned places.
There is a restaurant and a simple pool bar menu. The food is not the star here.
Via Marina Piccola, 93
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