Among the most evocative places on Capri, not far from the constant bustle of the famous Piazzetta, there is a monumental complex where history, art and landscape merge. It is the Certosa di San Giacomo, the island’s most important testimony of Angevin architecture, built between 1371 and 1374 at the behest of Giacomo Arcucci, Grand Chamberlain to Queen Joanna I of Anjou. Since 1371 this complex has served as a convent, a prison, and later a high school on Capri.
Its location helps make it truly special: immersed in silence, with an incredible view of the Faraglioni rocks and the sea, the Certosa offers a perspective on Capri that is different from the more familiar one, composed of cloisters, historic architectures and luminous horizons.
What to See Between Art and Archaeology
The Certosa di San Giacomo complex, which features a multiplicity of vaults, is divided into three main sections:
- the so-called “upper house”, intended for religious life and cloistered life, with a church, refectory, monks’ cells and cloisters;
- the “lower house”, dedicated to the daily and productive activities of the monks;
- a third part that once housed the pharmacy and a church for women.
Today this historic heritage houses important Museum and Cultural Spaces. The Great Cloister and the oldest Little Cloister stand out as must-sees, intimate spaces that convey the atmosphere of the ancient monastery.
Inside you will also find the Diefenbach Museum, dedicated to the German symbolist painter Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach, and the National Archaeological Museum of Capri, opened in 2024 and devoted mainly to the island’s Roman-era history.
On the occasion of the bicentennial of the rediscovery of the Blue Grotto, until October 18, 2026 it is also possible to visit at the Certosa di San Giacomo the exhibition “The Myth of Capri. Two hundred years since the discovery of the Blue Grotto (1826-2026)”, which tells the fortune of the Capri myth across two centuries.
For detailed information on opening days and prices, consult the official website.
Events at the Certosa
Tonight, Tuesday, August 25, the Certosa di San Giacomo opens exceptionally in the evening, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., on the occasion of the conference “The Representation of the Blue Grotto Between Painting and Photography in the Twentieth Century” and of the screening of the documentary “Capri. The Island as Refuge”, scheduled for 7:30 p.m.. The Archaeological Museum, the Diefenbach Museum and the current exhibitions will be open. From 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. there will be guided tours of the first two exhibitions, in Italian, English and French, with mandatory reservations and free admission.
The schedule then continues in the following days with the XVI edition of Jazz in Capri: on August 26 and 27 at 9:00 p.m. the Certosa will host two evening concerts, namely “Enrico Pieranunzi Trio Plays Morricone” and “Denise King & Elio Coppola Trio.”
Another highly anticipated event is the appearance of Sal Da Vinci, scheduled for Thursday September 10. The artist will bring to the island his 2026 summer tour, with a show that interweaves the most loved songs from his repertoire with tracks from the new album “Per sempre sì”. Among them is “Poesia,” a new single with bachata-inspired sounds.
Location and How to Get There
The Certosa di San Giacomo is located at 10 Certosa Street, in the heart of Capri, the Campanian island in the Gulf of Naples reachable by sea via ferries or hydrofoils. The two main departure ports are Naples and Sorrento, which in the summer are complemented by ports in Salerno and along the Amalfi Coast (Positano and Amalfi).
From the famous Piazzetta (Piazza Umberto I), the Certosa di San Giacomo is easily reached on foot in about 10 minutes, following signs toward the monumental complex.
