Local Knowledge

Taxis

Stretch candy-striped open-top Fiats used to negotiate the island's hairpin bends but most have been put out of service. You'll see a few restored Classics touring around, but new seven-seater versions are now made specially for the island: a great way to look glam even when you're in a traffic jam. Pay around €10 from Capri Town to Anacapri.

Tipping culture

The more expensive an establishment, the more a tip is expected – even if a service charge is included with the bill. Don't feel you have to leave more than 12 per cent though. Leaving the change – a few coins in a bar or café is commonplace, as is rounding up a taxi fare.

Packing tips

Walking boots or designer trainers. Cashmere sweater to drape over the shoulders for the men (you can spot an Italian by how he carries this off). Real jewellery for the girls. Seasickness tablets for everyone.

Recommended reads

The Apprentice Lover by Jay Parini; Greene on Capri: A Memoir by Shirley Hazard; The Story of San Michele by Axel Munthe. And for the children's bedtime reading, The King of Capri by Jeanette Winterson.

Cuisine

Tourist-geared fare can be pile-it-high-and-quick. Seafood is a good bet (ask for that day's local catch), as are pizzas. Local specialities include insalata caprese (tomatoes, mozzarella and island-grown peppery basil), ravioli caprese (ricotta and marjoram pasta and sun-ripened-tomato sauce). Torta caprese is a moreish cake of ground almonds and bitter chocolate. The island's famous limoncello, the eerily bright liqueur made from lemon zest, is often given free as a digestivo.

Currency

Euro.

Dialling codes

The country code for Italy: 39; Naples: 081; Capri 837.

Do go/don't go

Most hotels and restaurants shut from November until mid-March. May and October offer warm weather and few crowds. Prices shoot sky high in July and August.