Capri Towers and Forts

The Sentiero dei Fortini pathway links the zone of the Lighthouse of Punta Carena with that of the Grotta Azzurra. The route, scattered with rocky masses, sculpted promontories, and bays as deep as fiords filled with turquoise blue waters, has been recently repaired, as have the three blockhouses Orrico, Pino and Mesola which are united by the path.

Built so as to protect the area to the west of the island from invaders, the forts were subsequently abandoned for many years and have only lately been brought back to there original state. The Sentiero dei Fortini is of a rare beauty, characterized by the pungent perfumes and intense colors of the Mediterranean shrub land; hues and scents which become more and more powerful as the temperature rises.

Sentiero dei Fortini: how to arrive

• Bus Anacapri - Grotta Azzurra: Orrico bus-stop
• Bus Anacapri - Faro di Punta Carena: Pino bus-stop

Pino Fort

The Pino Fort is the closest to Faro di Punta Carena. The circular building is positioned 40 meters above sea level. The structure has an external diameter of 60 meters, whilst the interior is rectangular. The fort was used to control Cala di Mezzo to the North and Cala di Limmo to the South.

Mesola Fort

Mesola fort rests on the promontory of Campetiello, named after the De Campetiello family who owned it. Mesola fort is a circular structure with thick walls in which two cannons were positioned so as to defend the coast. Traces of primitive man have been found in the area, namely small utensils made of bone; in the Greek and Roman eras there would have been a landing stage here, indeed, the remains of an ancient flight of steps can still be seen in the rock face.

Orrico Fort

The Orrico fort is situated roughly 30 meters above sea level on the Punta del Miglio, and has a semicircular structure with a diameter of approximately 20 meters. The fort is circa three hundred meters away from the Grotta Azzurra. Within its two meter thick walls there were once two canons directed to the south west and north west positioned so that the fire would cross with that of the Campetiello and Pino forts, creating a barrier against any vessel attempting to approach the island. The name Orrico derives from the Greek word meaning "flowered meadow". Orrico fort was protagonist, in the past, of a battle which passed in to the history books as "la Presa di Capri".