In the scorching summer heat, I hurry to get off the Naples-Capri ferry. From the hazy, salt-infused windows, I could see the vague outline of the island. A single rock in the middle of the sea gracefully protruded from the water, with sprinkled tiny buildings on the shores and in the distance. 

I set my feet on the dock, marveling at the sight before me. Capri was very much a postcard: perfect, neat little structures on the shores complimented the abundance of greenery that stretched as far as your eye could see around the outline of the island.

Around me, there was a swarming crowd of moving tourists that were blending into one big herd. Tourists from all over the world flock here for a taste of Dolce Vita. In September of 2017, I was one of them. 

This little gem of an island, only an hour away from Naples, welcomed me and corrupted my soul to stay. I just didn’t know for how long. 

***

Photo by Davide Esposito

I remember making my way to the beach of Marina Grande, being conscious that I only had so much time before going back to Naples. As I sat on the beach and looked out into the sea, an incredible sense of peace came over me. The kind of peace where you lose track of time. 

Everybody talked about time. “The ferry leaves at 9 PM sharp!”. “Dinner is served at 8 PM!”. “The funicular leaves in 10 minutes!”. And more and more chatter that blended into the background noise of the buzzing crowds around me.

I took off my watch and made my way into the sea. The warmth of the sun on my skin, the refreshing water, the sound of the seagulls, and the chattering of tourists – I ignored it all. 

I walked further and further into the water, closed my eyes, and flopped on my back, far far away from the people by the shore. I opened my eyes and saw bright blue skies. A single bird hovered high in the sky above me.

I stayed floating in the warm waters for an inexplicable amount of time. Time is a funny thing. The fact that it doesn’t exist in Capri was once confirmed by someone I know who had a similar experience. I wondered what it really meant.

This is the island where time does not exist. I wasn’t conscious of having to go back to Naples. I had forgotten that I had to eat. Because only in Capri do you feel a thirst for landscapes and the sights you see. 

Photo by Davide Esposito

I made it back to the ferry in time but without seeing much of the place. I had a swim and a pizza at Lo Zodiaco near the port. The food did not stick out in my memory, which surely is some kind of taboo when you are in Italy. I left Capri only with the feeling that I must come back.

Photo by Davide Esposito

By a coincidence of life-changing events, I did come back. Years later I was standing alone on the empty pier of the harbor with my winter jacket. Christmas lights adorned the buildings in front of me in contrast to the howling wind that warned me of my trip.

I was determined to see more of Capri. The idle nature of the island in the winter didn’t scare me off, neither the dark skies nor the raging sea that made me seasick on the way. 

It took me exactly 5 minutes to get to Piazzetta. I was dumbstruck, feeling like I had shown up late long past the party was over. 

There were no tourists. No people. A faint melody of a Christmas song I knew softly trailed me down the streets from the tiny speakers positioned at the foot of all first-floor buildings. The air was cold and the wind was persistent. 

Photo by Davide Esposito

I walked on. 

Storefront windows of high-end stores were shut, with peculiar drawings and designs as placeholders that said “See you in April 2020!”

Every store was closed. Every restaurant. Every souvenir vendor. A lone tobacco shop glowed in the dark. 

I stopped in front of a metal poster wall. A single poster was smacked in the middle of the cold metal finish that stretched for meters – the poster said “Capri Blu” as if someone had accidentally placed it there without thinking. 

Capri was ‘closed’ and the legend of Dolce Vita had died. 

I thought about the nature of this place. An island of sunlight, summer vacations, luxury escapes – what has come of it? Later I learned that this was the true color of Capri. In the midst of winter, you discover the secrets that have drawn so many artists to this island throughout history. 

Photo by Davide Esposito

Only in the winter can you experience the raw, towering nature that is inherent to this place. Only in the winter do you get to single out locals that live here and actually get to talk to them. Only in the winter will you experience the true nature of the island and the “time-less” spirit of the place.

It was that one winter that I found myself truly falling in love with Capri. Discovered forgotten artworks, the glorious cuisine that is particular only in a traditional Caprese home, been to secret villas, mountains, parks, grottos, and many other magical places that have inspired the artist in me. 

Once I stood in front of a masterpiece of a painting at Certosa, I realized that the island looks within you, much like those paintings. Piercing you down to the bone with a gaze, to remind you about your pure human spirit. It was that winter that I discovered the hidden gem on the island – Diefenbach’s larger-than-life paintings. 

And it was that one winter that I had come back here to stay. Capri was to become my home. As for the time, I no longer remember how long I’ve stayed here but I can tell you that I never want to leave.

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Photo by Davide Esposito