|
Gardens of Augustus
One of the ten things to do when in Capri: enjoy the Gardens of Augustus and admire one of the most exciting sights ever.
Whether your visit to Capri is for one day or you are planning a longer stay (looking for a boat tour from Sorrento to Capri?), the Gardens of Augustus are a must.
You can reach this delightful landmark from the center of Capri. It’s considered the best place to watch the landscape of the island, in front of the Faraglioni. But these gardens are not a simple botanical garden, their story is a little different and starts with Friedrich Alfred Krupp.
Once upon a time (this is the way every tale begins), the German industrialist used to spend his summer holidays in Capri. Someone wrote he was ill and he found in Capri the perfect place for rehabilitation. What we know for sure is that he was passionate about marine biology and that he made his scientific researches about plancton here. The other thing we know is that he docked with his yacht in Marina Piccola, but it wasn’t easy to reach his suite at the Grand Hotel Quisisana. So he managed to build a road (from the port to the hotel) and then a villa, which he didn’t realize.
That’s why he commissioned the engineer Emilio Mayer to build a road that climbs from Marina Piccola to the area of the Certosa di San Giacomo and the Gardens of Augustus. The engineer cut the rock sharply and built one of the most spectacular roads in the world: a series of hairpin bends so narrow that they seemed to overlap.
This road has the name of the protagonist, is called Via Krupp.
From the Gardens of Augustus you can get an enthralling panoramic view of the island of Capri, with glimpses of Mount Solaro, the bay of Marina Piccola, via Krupp and the famous stacks.
The gardens of Augustus host various specimens of flowers and plants typical of the area, such as dahlias, geraniums, junipers, palms, holm oaks, pines and many others. You can identify each plant with the help of some tags.
In the gardens there is also a monument in honor of Lenin, who lived in Capri in 1908 as a guest of the Russian writer Maxim Gorky. The monument is made up of several superimposed marble blocks, which reach a height of 5 meters; the face of Lenin is carved on the largest of them. The monument was created in 1968 by the sculptor Giacomo Manzù, to whom the work was commissioned by the Soviet embassy in Rome after being approved by the city council.
Important: This switchback pathway is currently closed due to a danger of falling rocks.
Admission: 1 euro, free for children up to 12 years
Hours: opening: 10.00 - 20.00
DISCOVER ALSO...
What Clients Say
