When a place becomes a poem sung too often, its lines begin to blur and its rhythms grow crowded. Capri, the jewel-shaped island floating in the sparkling bosom of the Gulf of Naples, has long drawn dreamers and wanderers alike, its cliffs kissed by light and sea. Yet in recent years, the very allure that made Capri legendary has become a tide rising until it almost swallows the daily lives of those who call the island home. Like notes on a treasured melody played too loudly, the throngs of visitors can overwhelm the delicate harmony of town squares and quiet pathways.
In response to this tide, Capri’s local council has embraced new measures to balance its historic embrace of visitors with a measured care for space, community, and rhythm. Beginning this summer, organized tourist groups will be capped at 40 people per group, a figure that gently limits the rush without closing the doors entirely. Guides accompanying groups larger than 20 will also be required to use wireless headsets instead of loudspeakers, preserving quieter footfalls through narrow streets and at iconic landmarks.
These steps, adopted unanimously by municipal leaders under Mayor Paolo Falco’s guidance, echo a broader desire to rediscover Capri’s own pace, one that allows both guests and residents to breathe. Gone are the days when colorful flags and booming voices from tour groups seemed to chase through every piazza and pathway; instead, groups must remain compact, identifiable only by small, discreet badges rather than the towering umbrellas that once marked their presence.
This decision grows from a lived reality on the island. Capri, with barely 13,000 permanent residents, routinely welcomes tens of thousands of visitors in a single summer day — some reports suggest numbers near or above 50,000 — laden with ferry arrivals from Naples and Sorrento that swell the harbor and fill walkways to bursting. For decades, Caprese authorities have experimented with ordinances to temper mass tourism, from restrictions on loud entertainment and street vending to localized marine protections.
Yet the newest regulation is more than a cap; it is a quiet invitation to coexistence and respect. By asking guides to adopt more subtle ways of gathering attention and by keeping visitors in thoughtful formation, Capri’s leaders hope to carve out moments of connection that are less hurried, less crowded, and more reflective of the island’s timeless grace.
Locals and business owners have greeted the measure with cautious optimism, seeing it as a practical step toward reducing congestion in the most sensitive spaces, such as Marina Grande and the historical center. There is an understanding that tourism remains vital to Capri’s economy — it is the tide that lifts many boats — yet even the most treasured shores can be shored up by thoughtful care. Like a gardener pruning a beloved tree, Capri seems intent on shaping its growth so that it flourishes without losing its essential form.
As summer approaches, the island’s response to overtourism will unfold with the steady gait of an experiment grounded in community and history. In limiting numbers, Capri may find that smaller groups can sometimes bring fuller experiences — moments where a slowed pace reveals the true art of place and makes space once again for both arrival and return.
Capri’s municipal council has confirmed that from summer 2026, organized tourist groups will be limited to a maximum of 40 people per group. Additional measures require guides with larger groups to use wireless headsets instead of loudspeakers and to carry visible identification badges. The rules aim to address overtourism pressures while preserving local livability and visitor experience.
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Sources
1. ANSA 2. JUORNO.it / Il Giorno 3. BSS News (AFP syndicated) 4. Virgilio 5. La Jornada