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GUIDO LEMBO, A VERY SPECIAL TOUR GUIDE pri Palace Jumeirah, above the legendary blue grotto, with a view
If you want to become truly acquainted with this multifaceted of Ischia, Naples, and the entire Amalfi Coast.” But if the call of the
island, you need a very special tour guide. We were shown around sea is irresistible, “go down to the shore and stop at La Canzone del
by Guido Lembo; he was born here, and no one better embodies Mare, if you want to be two steps from the sea.”
the figure of a modern-day Cicero, an expert willing to reveal even
the secrets and anecdotes hidden among its narrow streets and AN EVENING OF SONG AND DANCE AT ANEMA E CORE
rugged cliffs. Following an afternoon spent discovering the sea that laps
Lembo spent many years traveling around the world; he re- the island, preferably “by boat, because it’s the best way to vis-
turned to his island and, in the early Nineties, opened the tavern it coves like Cala del Rio and Cala Ventroso, and grottoes like
Anema e Core. Over the years, this nightspot has become a hub Grotta Bianca and La Meravigliosa, which cannot be reached on
and magnet of an international jet set that wants to have fun in foot,” the time has come for a bit of socializing.
a genuine and lively way. Pop stars, politicians, intellectuals, fa- You can’t spend an evening in Capri without stopping at
mous athletes, models, and even members of Europe’s reigning Anema e Core: for 26 years, it has been the place where the in-
families have sung and danced here. There is no distinction of any ternational jet set mixes with regular people, sometimes with
kind in Lembo’s club: it’s a place where everyone can feel at home. explosive results. Lembo has seen many celebrities visit his club,
as he tells us. “Many years ago, Naomi Campbell and Joaquin
HIGH SOCIETY AND AUTHENTICITY Cortés happened to come here on the same night. They hadn’t
You reach Capri by sea from Naples or Sorrento (but during seen each other in five years, since their breakup,” he says. “Af-
the summer months, also from Positano, Amalfi, and Salerno, ter I left the club, with my guitar still in hand, I came across the
which merit a visit as well); the crossing takes just over half an two of them at a bar in the Piazza and I dedicated them a sere-
hour. There is also a helicopter service that takes you to the island nade. It came out later that they spent that last night here togeth-
in twenty minutes and also gives you a breathtaking view. er, after a very stormy relationship.” Could it have been Lembo’s
After landing on the island, the first thing you have to do is music that brought them together again for just one night? We
take a deep breath: the fragrance of salt and the sea combine with don’t know, but what is certain is that there is something magi-
the pungent odors that are typical of Mediterranean vegetation: cal about the atmosphere of the club and the conviviality of our
agaves, prickly pears, and yellow broom, a harmonious and relax- troubadour. “One evening, Katy Perry grabbed the microphone
ing mixture of contrasts to be deeply inhaled. Right away, Lem- and began to sing onstage, and everybody started to dance. And
bo recommends we go “around the famous, crowded Piazzetta,” Jennifer Lopez: when the band started playing Let’s get loud, she
even just to drink a coffee, because it can satisfy those who love couldn’t resist; she improvised a free mini-concert for everyone
high society (they can do their VIP-watching as they sit at the there. And then, there was Leonardo DiCaprio: two years ago,
small tables of the many cafés) and those who want to discover the he spent a very hot evening wearing a hoodie so no one would
true essence of the island. “Alleys twist and turn all around what recognize him; in the meantime, his girlfriend Camila Morrone
is called ‘the world’s parlor,’ creating small labyrinths, mazes with was onstage singing Neapolitan songs with my son Gianluigi…
an almost Arabian atmosphere, where it’s very hard to find tour- Nobody knew who she was, we only figured it out later!”
ists,” the artist tells me. “There are narrow streets, shortcuts that
only the locals know, and where the Capri of long ago still exists.” LUXURY AND RELAXATION
A coffee, a lunch, or a frosty cocktail, depending on when you ar- AT THE CAPRI PALACE JUMEIRAH
rive, and it’s already time to leave. After an evening of song and dance, it’s time to relax. And no
place can guarantee sweeter dreams than the Capri Palace Jumei-
AN ENDLESS VIEW rah, a five-star luxury hotel masterfully run by its general manager
But those who come to the island don’t only want to nourish Ermanno Zanini. Located in Anacapri on the highest point of the
themselves on its inebriating fragrances: walking up and down island, from here you will be able to admire the Gulf of Naples in
its narrow streets can be tiring and lunchtime makes us look for- all its incomparable beauty. Contemplating nature has never been
ward to dishes made with local ingredients, many of which are so pleasurable, and also so regenerating: the Capri Beauty Farm is
famous worldwide. a must with its exclusive treatments directed by Professor Franc-
But before we dig in, it’s worth stopping to admire the view. esco Canonaco. Two Michelin Star restaurant L’Olivo and the
“The best, 360-degree view is the one from the highest point of above-mentioned One Michelin Star Il Riccio are sure to satisfy
the island, Monte Solaro,” the singer says. He recommends that even the most discriminating palates.
we “take the chairlift at Anacapri (one of the island’s two munici- The next day, we start off on another tour to discover the count-
palities) and enjoy the panorama from a small restaurant that has less, beautiful attractions of the island. Which, as our guide Lembo
recently reopened, La Canzone del Cielo, from which you can see tells us, “must be preserved and protected, so it can offer its magic
all of Capri. Or Il Riccio, the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Ca- to all those who are lucky enough to set foot here.”

Pages 68-69, the sea stacks and an aerial view Page 70, view of the sea from the island and arriving
of the Capri marina. by sea at the Capri Palace’s restaurant Il Riccio.

Protagonist Lifestyle 71