Fozimage - Masthead - Zeller Zee boats

12th October 2011 - Grotta Azzurra.

The Grotto Azzura or Blue Grotto is a sea cave in the cliffs below Anacapri.

Motorboats leave from the port of Marina Grande and take tourists along the coast to the grotto entrance.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

We follow the sheer limestone cliffs to the West of the Island.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Suddenly in a small inlet there are a number of boats.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Together with a queue of people who have walked along the coast to the grotto steps.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

The entrance to the grotto is so small everyone has to transfer into the small rowing boats.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Each boat takes four people who have to sit on the floor.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Yoy pay your entrance fee and the small boat makes her way to a small opening.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Using a chain the boatman hauls the boat into the grotto.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Words cannot describe the vivid blue, I found it was virtually impossible to capture it on film.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

The vivid blue is a quirk of nature, the grotto floor is white sand, the shape of the opening at sea level is a 1.5m diameter hole, under this is larger underwater hole. It is this larger underwater hole that captures the suns rays and reflects them off the sandy floor.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

All to quickly we were back outside, returning to our motorboat for the journey back to Marina Grande.

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

Grotta Azzurra - © Ian Foster / fozimage

The weather conditions have to be right for the small rowing boats to get into the grotto. There are a number of similar grottos on Capri but this is the most popular.

All images © Ian Foster / fozimage