Blue Grotto (Capri)

About this place

The Blue Grotto is a sea cave on the coast of the island of Capri in southern Italy, about 2 km northwest of the island's centre in a straight line. It is famous for the glowing blue light that fills it: sunlight enters through an underwater opening and is reflected up through the sea, lighting the cave in brilliant blue. The cave is 60 metres long and 25 metres wide, extends about 50 metres into the cliff at the surface and is around 150 metres deep with a sandy bottom. Its entrance is very narrow, 2 metres wide and about 1 metre high at low tide, so it can only be entered safely when the tide is low and the sea is calm. Inside, the water glows electric blue as if lit from below, its colour reflecting on the dark rock walls, and oars and little boats seem to float in the light. The silence and darkness around the glowing water make the scene magical. Visitors board small four-person rowing boats to enter. Passengers lie flat in the bottom of the boat while the oarsman pulls it through the entrance using a metal chain fixed to the wall. Swimming in the grotto is forbidden, and it closes when the sea is rough, so check before you go.