Amalfi Coast · Hard · There and back

Monte Solaro from Anacapri by Cetrella

From Anacapri up to the hermitage of Cetrella and the top of Monte Solaro, Capri's highest point, with the Faraglioni far below.

Distance
5.2 km (3.2 mi)
Ascent
416 m
Time
About 3 h
High point
580 m
Grade
Hard

Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.

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Move along the height chart to see each point on the map.
Monte Solaro from Anacapri by Cetrella
Mister No · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The walk

From Piazza Vittoria in Anacapri, beside the chairlift station, lanes and then a path climb south through gardens and woods to the hermitage of Santa Maria a Cetrella, 476 m, on a terrace above the sea. From the hermitage a steep, rocky path climbs west to the top of Monte Solaro, 589 m, the highest point on Capri, with the whole island, the Faraglioni and the sea spread out below. Return the same way, or take the chairlift down.

It is 5.2 km there and back with 416 m of ascent; allow about 3 hours. The grade is Hard: short, but the path from Cetrella to the summit is steep and rocky and is mapped as demanding mountain walking.

Do not go on from the summit along the ridge towards Punta Carena: the CAI grades that path for experienced hikers, above sheer drops of hundreds of metres. The church at Cetrella opens only on some days. The chairlift from Piazza Vittoria takes about 12 minutes, so you can walk one way; capri.com gives €11 single and €14 return, and hours of about 9:30 to 17:00 in September and October.

Buses run to Piazza Vittoria in Anacapri from Capri and Marina Grande.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.

Good to know

  • Monte Solaro, 589 m, is the highest point on Capri
  • The little hermitage of Santa Maria a Cetrella stands on a terrace above the sea
  • A chairlift runs from Piazza Vittoria to the summit in about 12 minutes, so you can walk one way
  • Do not go on along the ridge towards Punta Carena: that path is exposed above sheer drops

Summits on the way

  • Monte Solaro 589 m · passed close by

Getting there

Start: Piazza Vittoria, Anacapri. 40.55634, 14.22133

Directions to the start

Places to stay nearby

Rooms in and around Piazza Vittoria: Booking.com → Expedia →

Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.

Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.