Punta Carena
Best for. Value minded travellers and couples who want a long, late, west facing afternoon swim and the one true sunset on the island, away from the Faraglioni crowds.
Best spot. The free public rocks for the swim, then a drink at the Lido del Faro or a bar above the lighthouse as the sun goes down over the open sea.
Know this. Also called the Faro beach, this is rocks and ladders rather than sand, so bring shoes for the rocks, and the bus from Anacapri is the cheap, simple way in.
Punta Carena, the beach below the Faro lighthouse on the wild southwest tip of the island, is the Capri swim the value savvy traveller saves for last and likes the most. While the Faraglioni clubs charge a fortune for the morning, this stretch of flat rocks and swimming platforms beneath the lighthouse stays quieter, more local and far cheaper, and it has the one thing no other beach on the island can offer. Because it faces west over open sea, it holds the sun the longest and is the only place on Capri where you can watch the sky burn and the sun drop straight into the water. That alone makes it worth the bus.
The honest value read is that you control the cost entirely here. There are free public rocks where you can swim in deep, glass clear water for nothing, and right beside them sits the Lido del Faro, a stylish club with a saltwater pool, loungers and a restaurant if you want shade and comfort. Above the rocks a couple of bars serve a drink with the view. So you can do this beach for the price of a bus ticket, swimming free and bringing your own water, or you can splurge on a lounger and a pool for the day, and both are valid. The smartest plan is to swim free through the afternoon, then take a single sunset spritz at the lido or a bar and let the light do the rest.
Who should skip it? Families needing a gentle sandy shore and toddlers, because this is rocks and ladders into deep water, and anyone who will not enjoy a beach without sand. It can also be breezy and a touch choppy on the exposed point when the wind is up, so check before you make the trip. But for couples, for swimmers and for anyone who wants the genuine Capri sunset without paying Faraglioni prices, Punta Carena is the most rewarding and best value beach on the island. Stay for the last light and you will understand why locals love it.
Clubs near this beach
One stylish lido shares the lighthouse point with free public rocks, so you only pay if you want the pool, the shade or a sunset table, never just to swim.
Photo: Vít Vála via GoogleLido del Faro
The stylish club on the rocks below the lighthouse, with loungers, a saltwater pool and a restaurant, and the rare gift of a west facing sunset. It is a more relaxed and slightly better value splurge than the Faraglioni names, lovely for a long afternoon, though still a Capri price. Rates to be confirmed.
The free public rocks
Beside the lido are free public rocks and platforms where you can swim and sunbathe in the same clear water for nothing. There is no service, so bring your towel, water and shade, but with a sunset bar a few steps above it is the best value seat for the island's only true sundown.
The southwest point, by bus from Anacapri
Punta Carena lies on the wild southwest tip of the island below Anacapri. The simple, cheap way in is the local bus from Anacapri to the Faro, the lighthouse, which drops you a short walk above the rocks. Coming from Capri town you change buses at Anacapri. There is no sandy beach and no road right to the water, so wear sensible shoes for the short path and the rocks.
Bring water, a hat and a mat for the rocks, and time your visit for the late afternoon to catch the island's only proper sunset. Swim free off the public rocks, then settle in at the lido or a bar above for a sundown drink. On a windy day the exposed point can be choppy, so check conditions before you make the trip out here.
Photo: Vinay Venkatnarayan via GoogleNot ready to book?
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Common questions about Punta Carena
Is Punta Carena the same as the Faro beach in Capri?
Yes. Punta Carena is the beach beneath the Faro, the Punta Carena lighthouse, on the wild southwest tip of the island near Anacapri, so the two names refer to the same place. You will see it called Punta Carena, the Faro beach, or simply il Faro, all describing the flat rocks and swimming platforms below the lighthouse.
Is Punta Carena free?
Partly. There are free public rocks and platforms where you can swim for nothing, and there is also the Lido del Faro, a paid club with loungers and a saltwater pool, plus a couple of bars. The value move is to swim from the free rocks and use the lido or the bars only if you want shade, a pool or a sunset drink.
Why is Punta Carena the best sunset spot in Capri?
Because it faces west. Almost all of Capri's beaches lose the sun by mid afternoon behind the high ground, but Punta Carena looks out over open sea to the west, so it holds the light the longest and is the one place on the island where you can watch the sun set into the water. That makes it perfect for a long, late, unhurried afternoon swim.
How do you get to Punta Carena?
Take the bus from Anacapri to the Faro, the lighthouse, which is the simple and cheap way, then walk down a short path to the rocks. There is no sandy beach and no road right to the water, so wear sensible shoes for the rocks. Coming from Capri town you change buses at Anacapri.
Is Punta Carena good for families?
It suits older children and confident swimmers rather than toddlers. Entry is off flat rocks and ladders into deep clear water with no shallow sandy shore, so it is more of a swimmer's beach than a paddling one. Families wanting gentle, shallow water will be happier at Bagni di Tiberio or the free section of Marina Grande, but for a relaxed late afternoon Punta Carena is hard to beat.
