Blue Grotto, Capri: How to Visit by Boat

From the helm

The Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra) is the most famous sea cave in the world — a dark chamber where sunlight enters underwater and turns the whole cave an electric, glowing blue. It's also the sight guests ask us about more than any other. Here is exactly how a visit works, what it costs, and the honest advice we give everyone who steps aboard.

How the visit actually works

You cannot drive a boat into the Blue Grotto. The entrance is barely a metre high, so the only way in is aboard the small official rowboats, run by licensed local oarsmen who wait at the cave mouth. Your boat brings you to the entrance, you step down into the rowboat (four passengers at a time), lie back as the oarsman pulls you through the tiny gap on a chain — and then you're inside, floating on water that glows from below.

The visit inside lasts around five minutes. It's short, and we always say so honestly — but for most guests those five minutes are the single most magical moment of the day.

Tickets: how much does it cost?

In 2026 the visit costs about €18–19 per person, paid on the spot at the grotto (cash is best): that's the €6 state entrance ticket plus the fare for the official rowboat, which is charged separately. It is not included in any boat tour price — ours or anyone else's — because it's paid directly at the grotto. Reserving online in advance (free, on the official CoopCulture site) is optional. A small tip for the oarsman (a few euro) is customary if he sings to you inside, and many do.

It's short, and we always say so honestly — but for most guests those five minutes are the single most magical moment of the day.

Opening hours: is it always open?

No — and be wary of anyone who guarantees it. On paper the grotto opens every day: roughly 9 am to 6 pm from April to September, with shorter hours in October and about 9 am to 2 pm from November to March. The last entry is about half an hour before closing, and official listings differ slightly. In practice, the sea decides. The entrance is so low that even a modest swell or high tide closes it. Conditions are checked each morning, and the grotto can close (or reopen) during the day; in winter it is often closed. On average it's open more often than not from late spring to early autumn, but there are no promises. That's why our Capri tour is built around the whole island: if the grotto is closed, you still have the Faraglioni, the Green and White grottoes, the Natural Arch and swim stops in coves most visitors never see.

When to go

Whenever the sea says yes. The blue glow is spectacular at any hour the grotto is open, and every day on the water has its own rhythm. That is the advantage of a private tour: your skipper reads the sea and the queue in real time and chooses the perfect moment of your day — you just enjoy the ride.

Can you swim in the Blue Grotto?

No. Swimming is not allowed during opening hours — the official visiting rules forbid getting into the water, inside or outside the cave — and swimming in after the rowboats stop is not a loophole. You may have seen videos of people swimming in at dusk: it's forbidden, dangerous and taken seriously by the coast guard, whose ordinance bans swimming in the grotto; swimmers have been fined more than €1,000 each. The swell can throw a swimmer against the rock shelf at the entrance. Go in the proper way, on the rowboats; the experience is better anyway, because from water level the blue is all around you.

Visiting the Blue Grotto from Sorrento

The grotto sits on Capri's north-west corner — conveniently, the side facing Sorrento. On our private Capri tour (full day) we cross from Sorrento, and your skipper will suggest the smartest moment to visit the grotto within your circle of the island. If it's open, you go; if it isn't, you'll know why, and the day is full regardless. You can read how the whole day works in our complete Capri boat tour guide.

From Amalfi or Positano

From the Amalfi Coast the grotto is on the far side of Capri, so plan a full day at sea. The easiest way is a private boat: you leave from the coast, see Capri from the water and stop near the grotto entrance, where you switch to the official rowboat. In high season, allow for a queue at the entrance; the skipper waits for you nearby.

Blue Amalfi Charter does not depart from Amalfi, but from the Spiaggia Grande pier in Positano, a short trip from Amalfi: on our Capri tour from Positano your skipper can fit in the Blue Grotto when the sea and the queues allow, with the ticket paid on site. If you're staying on Capri, our Capri island tour from Marina Grande stops near the grotto entrance in the same way.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Blue Grotto cost?

About €18–19 per person in 2026, paid on site (cash is best): the €6 state entrance ticket plus the fare for the official rowboat that takes you inside. It is not included in boat tour prices, ours or anyone else's.

Can you swim in the Blue Grotto?

No. Swimming is not allowed during opening hours, and swimming in after the rowboats stop is banned too: a Coast Guard ordinance forbids it and swimmers have been fined. Entry is only on the official rowboats with licensed oarsmen.

Is the Blue Grotto always open?

No. It closes whenever the sea or tide makes the low entrance unsafe, decided each morning. Nobody can guarantee entry in advance.

What are the Blue Grotto opening hours?

Roughly 9 am to 6 pm from April to September, with shorter hours in October and about 9 am to 2 pm from November to March; the last entry is about 30 minutes before closing. It only opens when the sea allows, so it can stay closed or close early on any day.

Can you visit the Blue Grotto from Amalfi?

Yes, by private boat, but our tours do not leave from Amalfi: they depart from the Spiaggia Grande pier in Positano, a short trip from Amalfi, from Marina Piccola in Sorrento and from Marina Grande on Capri. The skipper stops near the entrance when the sea allows, and you go in on the official rowboats, with the ticket paid on site.

Is there a best moment to visit?

Every moment is beautiful inside the grotto — your skipper reads the sea and the queues and picks the perfect one for you.