Villa Lysis

Enchantment of the senses

Nestled in the most genuine natural frame of Capri, after a pleasant walk uphill towards Mount Tiberio, Villa Lysis opens up to the visitor’s eyes as one of the best hidden jewels of the island.
There is something magical about Villa Lysis. It was built in 1904 by will of Jacques d’Adelswärd Fersen, a nobleman from Paris who chose the island as his voluntary exile destination, after his life had been shattered by a number of scandals that led him to leave his native country and to create what we would call a lifelong link with his new home place.
Elegant, eccentric, luxurious, secluded, monumental, the Villa was, above all, an intimate shelter where Fersen enjoyed his carefree flirts with Nino Cesarini, a young man from Rome, until the latter’s premature death.
Over time, Villa Lysis turned into a meeting place for artists, intellectuals, poets and writers, who stayed in Capri at the beginning of last century and skillfully described and praised its myth.

Visiting Villa Lysis means discovering its secrets and wonders. Entrance halls, stuccos, decorations, furnishing, precious marbles, you won’t find one single detail lacking peculiar inspirations: from Louis XVI-style to Neoclassical theatricality, from the grandeur of ancient Greece to the sinuous forms of art nouveau, from the gilding of Vienna Secession to the contaminations of Oriental art.
The result is an extraordinary Villa on a spur overlooking the sea with breathtaking views of Marina Grande and the Gulf of Naples.
The symbol of Villa Lysis is its majestic staircase culminating in the peristyle with Ionic columns, where the inscription “Amori et Dolori Sacrum”, commissioned by Fersen himself, embodies the real essence of his life.

Events

In the summer, Villa Lysis becomes the stage for concerts, exhibitions, theatrical performances, poetry readings, dance shows, but it can also host private events such as weddings, banquets and gala dinners.

For any information you can consult the Institutional Website www.cittadicapri.it or contact the Culture and Tourism Office directly at Email: culturaturismo@cittadicapri.it.

Useful information

How to get to Villa

Starting from the Piazzetta you can reach the site either walking along Via Longano and Via Sopramonte or opting for Via Le Botteghe, Via Fuorlovado and Via Croce. In both cases you will get to “La Croce”.

Once there, keep going along Via Tiberio as far as the intersection with Via Lo Capo and, at the end of this last street, you will reach your destination.

Estimated time

It takes 45 minutes to get to the Villa and the walk is uphill, so comfortable shoes are recommended!

Opening

From April to October

10:00am – 7:00pm

November to March

Closed

(Last admission allowed 45 minutes before closing time)