Few attractions in Italy inspire more divided opinions than the Blue Grotto in Capri. Scroll through Instagram and you’ll see neon-blue water so otherworldly it looks digitally enhanced. Read the reviews and you’ll find people who called it the highlight of their trip — and others who left feeling furious about the wait, the cost, and the aggressive tipping culture.
So what’s the truth?
In this short guide, I’ll tell you all you need to know, before deciding if visiting is worth it to you.
What is the Blue Grotto in Capri?
The Blue Grotto 8or Grotta Azzurra in italian) is a sea cave on the northwestern shore of the Capri island. Sunlight filters through a submerged opening in the rock and bounces off the white sandy floor, flooding the entire cavern in a luminous, electric blue that photographs have not exaggerated.
(The picture below is the one I took with my Iphone X at the time, with no photography experience whatsoever).
Today it is Capri’s single most-visited attraction, drawing thousands of visitors every year. And it has the queues to prove it.
Quick Facts
- Entry fee: €18 per person (+ tip) CASH ONLY
- Time inside: 5-10 minutes
- Best arrival time: Before 9am
- Entry not permitted when: Rough seas or high winds
Can You Swim in the Blue Grotto in Capri?
The short answer: officially, no. Swimming inside the Blue Grotto is not permitted. The cave entrance sits barely a metre above the waterline, and tidal surges can make the opening extremely dangerous.
That said, some visitors choose to return after the rowboats stop operating in the evening, typically after 6:30pm, and swim in at their own risk.
So technically you can, but it’s illegal and not advised.
How to get to the Blue Grotto in Capri
It’s only possible to enter the cave by row boat. There’s two ways to get into one of the row boats:
By land
A short downhill trek from Anacapri is the land queue point to the Blue Grotto in Capri. Here people start lining up early in the morning. I don’t know if the entry/exit system has changed since I visited in 2023, but it’s not very practical. Just get in the line and make sure to hold your space (also when large groups arrive and start to spread out around you to get ahead…).
By boat
Full day boat tours depart from Capri, Sorrento, Positano, and Naples every day during the season. These trips include a circuit around the island with a stop at the Blue Grotto en route.
The upside is a far longer day on the water.
The downside: if the Blue Grotto queue is too long, some tour operators will skip it entirely.
If seeing the grotto is your primary goal, look specifically for tours that offer a dedicated transfer to the cave, not just a “stop” as part of an island circuit.
Be aware that the entry fee to the Grotto is usually NOT included in the boat tour price.
How much is the Blue Grotto in Capri?
The entry fee to the Blue Grotto is €18 per person.
No matter if you arrive by land or boat, an oarsman will pick you up and queue up at a floating ticket kiosk right at the cave entrance.
REMEMBER: you can only pay with cash!
Many oarsman expect a tip after your visit to the cave, but I want you to know that you DON’T have to tip. Sadly, many visitors say that oarsmen are being assertive about receiving a tip, and occasionally pressuring passengers before they’ve even entered the cave. I’m not saying you should tip as a good oarsman who sings, circles the cave properly, and takes your photo does genuinely add to the experience. But don’t give your money away for free.
A couple of euros per person is reasonable as a genuine thank-you; don’t feel obligated to give more!
When is the best time to go?
Remember that the grotto is open seasonally:
- 9am–2pm from November to March
- 9am–4pm in April, May and October
- 9am–6pm from June to September
The cave is closed on December 25th and January 1st.
Every morning at 9am, the oarsmen assess the sea conditions and determine whether or not tours can operate that day. There is no way to confirm the night before whether it will be open.
Now, I would still recommend to go as early as possible, and try your luck. For reference: I got there at 8.30am expecting to wait at least 30 min. but the oarsmen had already arrived, so I was rushed into a boat and went into the cave at 8.40am. I was back on land at 8.50am and by then at least 15 boats had arrived.
Is the Blue Grotto worth it?
There’s many pros and cons, but to put it simply: The cave itself is undeniably special – everything around it is hit or miss.
If you get lucky with timing – arriving early, short queue, cave open, sunny day – you’ll almost certainly come away glad you went. If you wait two hours, get pushed around on tipping, and only get three minutes inside, you may not.
Personally I would say the Blue Grotto in Capri is NOT worth it. Overall the atmosphere feels rushed, commercial, and stressful. I was extremely lucky to be in the first row boat of the day – meaning that the first 3 minutes inside the cave, ours was the only boat. If everyone could have that experience, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it! But that’s unlikely to be you, and even then, I think €18 + tip is too much.
I’d recommend you to spend the money on renting a kayak and going to the many other caves of Capri yourself – for free ;))
If you still really want to go, remember:
Visit early, go by land if you can, carry cash, manage your expectations for the time inside, and have a backup plan for the rest of your day. The blue glow is real and it’s extraordinary. The experience surrounding it is chaotic. Know that going in, and you’ll likely leave with a photo you’ll never forget.
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