Capri welcomed us with sparkling sea views, dramatic cliffs, and the promise of a relaxing island escape. We arrived just in time for a peaceful check-in and a night of blissful ignorance before Day 2 turned into a full-blown scooter saga. The plan was simple: take a scenic boat tour around the island in the morning, then explore by funicular in the afternoon. What wasn’t on the itinerary? Crashing a scooter five minutes into the ride, being separated by a rogue scooter rental company, and learning firsthand that Capri’s version of medical care is a water IV and a “good luck.” Spoiler: we do not recommend renting scooters here – unless you enjoy dramatic plot twists and being your partner’s human crutch for 48 hours.

Itinerary

This itinerary is based on the Capri portion of our 2016 Italy trip from September 5-6.

🚆 Day 1 – Ferry to Capri

• 🛥️ 7:10 PM – 8:30 PM: Ferry to Capri (Caremar, €12.80)
• 🏨💡By 9:30 PM: Check-in at Albergo Pensione Italia

🛵 Day 2 – Capri

• 🛥️ AM: Boat tour around the island
• 🍽️ Lunch at Lo Smeraldo (great views and seafood)
• Alternative Activities:
  • 🌊 Blue Grotto boat trip
  • 🚶‍♂️Walks of Italy
  • 🌺 Villa San Michele (gardens offer panoramic views over Capri town and its marina and the Sorrentine peninsula.)
• 🚌 PM: Ride funicular or bus to explore island (🎟️ Pre-purchase and lining up early recommended to avoid long queues)
• 💡🛵 NOT recommended to rent a scooter. There are steep, serpentine roads and only very experienced drivers should attempt it. See our Scooter Wreck story.

🛵 Scooter Wrecks & Suspicious IVs: Our Capri Crash Course in Italian Healthcare

We’d ridden scooters before – we were basically pros, in the same way that anyone who’s made it around a parking lot without crashing is a “pro.” So when we saw the ridiculous lines for the Capri funicular, we thought, “Let’s brave it on scooters instead!” What could go wrong?

Turns out, Capri is basically a mountain disguised as an island. There wasn’t a single straight road to ease into it – just serpentine death spirals up the cliffs. We barely made it five minutes before we lost balance on a turn, slid out, and nearly got flattened by a van barreling around the corner. Welcome to Capri!

There’s no ambulance service on the island, so a very casual local Good Samaritan shoved Scott into his car and drove him to the “hospital” – a word I now use loosely. Meanwhile, the scooter company hunted me down like Liam Neeson in Taken, dragged me off to their shop, and politely demanded I pay for the damage. I had no idea where Scott was, but don’t worry – he was being “treated.”

And by “treated,” I mean they – like a Looney Tunes sketch – slammed his wheelchair into every wall on the island, hooked him up to an IV full of water, and told him “good luck.” When he, in agonizing pain, asked if they could increase the IV medication, they looked at him and said, “It’s just water.” Hydration is key, I guess?

They took X-rays, said “no break,” and then just… released him. No pain meds. No crutches. Just vibes.

There were literally zero crutches for sale anywhere on Capri, so for the next 36 hours, Sarah became his human crutch. We skipped sightseeing, ordered a heroic amount of pizza, and holed up in our hotel room watching his leg grow increasingly black and massive like a balloon animal gone wrong.

Once we got home, surprise! He had a fibular avulsion fracture and major blood clots. He was rushed into surgery and put on blood thinners because – shocking no one – water IVs don’t fix bones.

💡 Moral of the story? Don’t rent scooters in Capri. And maybe don’t get injured in Italy unless you’re cool with being told “no break” and getting hydrated into oblivion.