Marina Grande, Capri
AA-2026-763F3D
On the image
The harbour at Capri in the 1970s offered a very specific kind of package tourism, where the main goal was to move as many visitors as possible through an experience marketed as unique. White-hulled motorboats line the pier, each waiting to ferry small groups of eager travellers to whatever pre-ordained natural wonder was on the day's itinerary.
A prominent sign advertises "Servizio Motoscafi" for the Grotta Azzurra, priced at 400, a small sum in the local currency of the era, implying a popular, accessible excursion rather than a grand adventure. People gather in queues, ready to be efficiently processed into their designated watercraft, demonstrating the universal human desire to see exactly what other people have already seen.
One boat operator in a white shirt and shorts prepares his craft, perhaps mentally rehearsing the standard spiel he will deliver to yet another boatload of tourists. He understands the simple economic exchange: a few minutes of his time and a brief peek into a blue cave, all for the small cost of 400 lira and the satisfaction of having ticked off another item from the international travel checklist.
The historian's note
This photograph captures Marina Grande, the main port of the island of Capri, Italy, during the 1970s. The scene illustrates the organised tourist infrastructure in place to manage the significant number of visitors to the island.
Prominently featured are the motorboats providing 'Servizio Motoscafi' to the Grotta Azzurra, or Blue Grotto, a famous sea cave known for its luminous blue water. The pricing listed on the sign, 400 Italian Lira, is consistent with economic conditions and typical excursion costs for the period.
Capri has been a renowned tourist destination since Roman times, gaining widespread popularity in the 19th and 20th centuries. The image documents the operational aspects of visitor transportation to its most iconic natural landmark, a crucial part of the island's tourism economy.
Subjects & keywords — each links to a search
Visually related — by likeness
Capri Marina Grande, Grotta Azzurra Tours, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-763F3D. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/capri-marina-grande-grotta-azzurra-tours-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026763F3D,
title = {Capri Marina Grande, Grotta Azzurra Tours, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-763F3D},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/capri-marina-grande-grotta-azzurra-tours-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Capri Marina Grande, Grotta Azzurra Tours, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-763F3D UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/capri-marina-grande-grotta-azzurra-tours-1970s ER -
From the community
Identifications, corrections, and discussion from readers — reviewed by a librarian before appearing here.
Sign in to add an identification, correction, or comment.
No notes yet — be the first to add what you know about this image.