Visiting the Blue Grotto: Hours, Tickets & Practical Tips

Everything you need to plan a visit to the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra) on Capri — when it opens, what it costs, how the rowboat entry works, and who it does and does not suit.

The Blue Grotto is a sea cave on the north-west coast of Capri, below Anacapri. Inside, sunlight passing through a submerged opening turns the water an intense luminous blue. You enter lying flat in a small wooden rowboat that is guided through a mouth barely a metre high above the water, spend about five minutes inside, and come back out. Most visitors reach it as one stop on a boat tour of the island, though you can also arrive by land from Anacapri.

Opening hours

The grotto is open roughly 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, weather permitting. Because the entrance is so low, access depends entirely on the sea: in high winds, rough water or high tide the mouth is impassable and the site closes with little notice. It is largely closed through winter and is always closed on 25 December and 1 January. Entry is never guaranteed on any given day, so build flexibility into your plans and treat a calm, sunny morning as the best chance.

Tickets and cost

Check each tour listing for whether Blue Grotto entrance is included or optional before you book, so the on-the-day cost is not a surprise. Skippers who row you in typically expect a small tip.

How the visit works

At the cave you transfer from your boat into a small rowboat that holds about four passengers. The boatman times the swell, and you lie back along the bottom of the boat to clear the low entrance. Inside, the boats drift for a few minutes in the blue light before returning. In peak summer the queue of boats waiting to enter can run from under an hour to as long as two hours, so an early start helps. Swimming inside is not allowed during opening hours.

Best time to go

The blue is strongest with the sun high, so late morning to early afternoon on a clear day gives the most vivid light. Calm seas matter more than anything else; if a forecast shows northerly winds, the grotto may not open at all. Early in the day also means shorter boat queues.

Accessibility and who it suits

This is not a step-free or wheelchair-accessible attraction. Reaching the water by land involves stairs, the transfer into a low rowboat is unsteady, and you must be able to lie flat and sit up again quickly. It is poorly suited to anyone with limited mobility, and the open transfer and waiting swell can be difficult for those prone to severe seasickness. Families visit, but the boat transfer is not ideal for very young children or babies. If in doubt, a wider island boat tour that views the coast still rewards the trip even on days the cave is closed.

What to bring

Bring cash for the entry and tip, sun protection and a hat for the open boat, and a light layer for the breeze on the water. Keep phones and cameras secured; the rowboat is cramped and moves. If seasickness is a concern, take something before you sail.