Capri has become synonymous with packed ferries, a Piazzetta taken by storm and dizzying prices: the glamorous island of the Bay of Naples is suffocating under overtourism. The alternatives we suggest offer the same Mediterranean magic — crystal-clear sea, fishing villages and rocks plunging into the water — but with silence, authenticity and a slow pace.
Capri in high season: → the alternatives below are far quieter.
Below Castel dell'Ovo, the fishermen's borgo and the vertical alleys of the Pallonetto di Santa Lucia: the Naples you explore on foot, a step from the seafront.
Very quiet Jun 21, 2026
Filicudi and Alicudi are the two smallest and most remote islands of the Aeolian archipelago, almost without cars or roads, where mules and mule tracks have replaced the mass tourism that crowds Lipari and Vulcano. A slow journey for those seeking silence and walking.
Almost deserted Jun 30, 2026
Camogli and Boccadasse: two fishing harbours near Genoa, with pastel houses and beached boats, to experience authentic Liguria without the crush.
Not very crowded Jun 21, 2026
In a Ligurian bay reachable only on foot or by sea, the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, protected by the FAI, looks out over crystal-clear waters.
Not very crowded Jun 23, 2026
A Byzantine fortress on an islet off the Peloponnese: Monemvasia stays invisible until you round the final bend, into a maze of stone alleys.
Very quiet Jun 21, 2026| Destination | Crowding | Recommended months | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borgo Marinari and Pallonetto: the Naples You Reach on Foot | Very quiet | March, April, October, November, January and February | Naples |
| Slow Trekking on Filicudi and Alicudi, the Lesser Aeolians | Almost deserted | May, June and September | Aeolian Islands |
| Camogli and Boccadasse: two fishing harbours where Genoa slows down | Not very crowded | March, April, May, October and November | Genoa |
| San Fruttuoso, the abbey with no roads | Not very crowded | May, June, September and October | Camogli |
| Monemvasia, the Stone Town That Hides in the Sea | Very quiet | April, May, June, September and October | Monemvasia (Laconia |
Crowding goes from "almost empty" to "very crowded" on our index. Overtourism index