This tour includes an English-speaking guide (only for you) - Jet-foil (or similar make) for Capri and back - Tickets for the cable car
This private guided tour of Capri island with the visit of Villa Jovis is very enjoyable but tiring too, because You have to walk for long.
The meeting with the guide is at the port of Sorrento (or Naples). You take the jetfoil either the hydrofoil or the catamaran, that arrives to the island 20-25 minutes later (from Sorrento) or 45-50 minutes from Naples. Once there, You’ll take the cable car for reaching Capri town. Up there You’ll walk with Your guide as far as the ruins of Villa Jovis (steep slope) where Tiberius lived from 27 to 37 a.D.
The majestic remains of a magnificent Roman villa dating back to the Imperial Age stand above the plateau which culminates in the so-called Mount Tiberius (350 m). The villa which bears the name of the most important of the Olympian divinities is the most representative of a consistent number of villas built on Capri during the Augustan-Tiberian eras.
According to the tradition, Tiberius had twelve imperial residences built on the isalnd of Capri, each one dedicated to the different Olympus' Gods (Jupiter, Apollo, Neptune, Mars, Vulcan, Mercury, Juno, Minerva, Venus, Vesta, Ceres and Diana).
The excavations of the villa started with Maiuri in the 30s of the twentieth century and the
great archaeologist tried to repair the damage caused by the Bourbon diggers - a
beautiful inlaid marble floor of the villa is now before the high altar of the church of
Santo Stefano in Capri. The villa was equipped with large cisterns that , among other
things, were also useful for providing the spa of the palace with water. On the west side
there were the lodgings of the servants. Then, there were the private rooms of Emperor. Nearby
a chapel was built in the Middle Ages and today it is dedicated to Santa Maria del Soccorso.
Near the imperial rooms there is also a loggia of about 91 m long, which served as a
belvedere and ambulatio, such as a place for strolling. A little isolated to the west,
there are the ruins of a small building: Maiuri has identified as the specularium, the
Tiberius' astronomical observatory - this emperor loved astrology and his faithful advisor was soothsayer and astrologer. That building was used also for sending light signals between the coast of Sorrento and Capri to communicate with the Capital.
You’ll explore the ruins with Your archaeological guide and then back to the main square of Capri town.
Free time for a snack, then You’ll walk to the Gardens of Augustus and then other free time for strolling around.
You’ll take the cable-car and the guide will take You back to Sorrento (or Naples) by jetfoil (or catamaran).
The guide will leave You at the harbour.
