Sorrento to Capri: Ferry or Private Boat?

From the helm

From Sorrento, Capri looks close enough to touch. It almost is: the island sits just across the water, and there are two ways to get there. You can take the ferry with everyone else, or have a boat of your own for the day. We run private boats, so we're not neutral — but here is an honest comparison, so you can choose what's right for you.

Option one: the ferry

Hydrofoils and ferries run from Sorrento's Marina Piccola to Capri's Marina Grande all year round, with more crossings from April to October. The trip takes roughly 20 to 40 minutes depending on the boat; you pay per person, and tickets are sold at the port and online. If you're travelling alone or as a couple on a budget and simply want a day walking the island, it's the quickest and cheapest way across.

The catch is what comes after. In summer the ferry lands you at Marina Grande with the day's crowds, and the day becomes a series of queues: the funicular up to the Piazzetta, the buses to Anacapri, the boats to the Blue Grotto. And from the ferry you only see Capri from one side, while its most famous sights — the Faraglioni and the sea grottoes — are out on the water, all around the coast.

Option two: a private boat

With a private boat, the crossing becomes part of the day instead of a transfer. You leave from Sorrento — usually Marina Piccola, the same harbour as the ferries — with your own skipper, and before stepping ashore anywhere you circle the island: the Faraglioni, the Green and White grottoes, the Natural Arch, the lighthouse of Punta Carena, and the Blue Grotto when the sea and the queues allow. You stop to swim wherever the water is clearest, then go ashore at Marina Grande for two to four hours of free time — the Piazzetta, lunch, a little shopping — before cruising home along the Sorrento coast.

A private boat is priced for the whole boat, not per person, so the larger your group, the more sense it makes. And it's the only way to set your own pace: more swimming and less shopping, or the other way round — it's your call.

A local tip: private boats pay a fee to land at Marina Grande, but if you book lunch at our partner seaside restaurant, its own boat taxi brings you ashore and the fee is skipped. Your skipper arranges everything.

From the ferry you only see Capri from one side.

Ferry or private boat: which is right for you?

• Choose the ferry if you're travelling alone or as a couple on a budget and want to spend the whole day on foot, exploring the island's lanes.
• Choose a private boat if you want to see Capri from the sea — the Faraglioni, the grottoes, swims in coves the ferries never reach — or if you're a family or a group of friends sharing the boat.
• Either way, watch the sea. Rough weather can change any plan, and the Blue Grotto closes whenever the swell is up: nobody can guarantee it in advance.

Planning your Capri day from Sorrento

Our private Capri boat tour from Sorrento is a full day of about seven hours, for your group only, with skipper, fuel, snorkelling gear, prosecco and drinks on board. For every detail, read our complete Capri guide and how the Blue Grotto works. Staying in Positano? See our boat tours from Positano. Want Capri and the coast in one day? The Amalfi Coast & Capri day combines both.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the ferry from Sorrento to Capri?

Roughly 20 to 40 minutes, depending on whether you take a hydrofoil or a slower ferry. Boats leave from Marina Piccola in Sorrento and arrive at Marina Grande on Capri.

Is a day trip to Capri from Sorrento worth it?

Yes: Capri is right across the water, and one day is enough to see the island from the sea and spend a few hours ashore. With a private boat you skip the ferry and see the whole coastline.

Can you visit the Blue Grotto on a private boat tour?

We take you there when the sea and the queues allow, but nobody can guarantee entry: it closes whenever the swell is up. You go in on the official rowboats, with a ticket paid on site.

Where do private boats to Capri leave from in Sorrento?

Usually from Marina Piccola, the same harbour as the ferries. We confirm the meeting point when you book.