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Bar Tiberio Capri HangingOut

 

Bar Tiberio

Piazza Umberto

CAPRI

Author Daniel Bellino

BAR TIBERIO

CAPRI

I first started going to Bar Tiberio in the Summer of 1986, my second trip to Italy. The year before I went to Europe for the 1st time, visiting : Rome, Florence, San Gigmanano, Barcelon, The Costa Brava, Venice, and Naples, and Positano, but not Capri, which I'd go to the next year, along with Rome and Positano.

So my first trip to Capri. It was quite something. The Summer of 86. I stayed at Villa Tosca, at the time a nice , modest pensione that I found in my Frommer's Guide, Europe on $40 a Day. I took the train from Rome down to Napoli Centrale Train Station. From there I took a bus to the port to catch a ferry to Capri. Back then they had cool old steamer boats that ferried you across to Capri. The boats were slower than the ones now, but better looking than the much faster ugly boats they have these days. The boats make it from Naples to Capri in about 35 minutes, while the old boats took an hour and 15 minutes. That first time, I sat outside on the upper deck of the boat and the ride was absolutely wonderful. I soaked in the Sun, and all that lay before me.

I arrive in Marina Grande Capri a little over an hour after we left the dock in Napoli. Again, it was a most beautiful boat ride. I made my way to a phone and called up Tosca. Yes they had a room. They told me to take the Funicular up to Capritown. When I got off the Funicular I was to walk straight through the Piazza and down to the Quisisana Hotel, where I would straddle the right hand side of the hotel in the alleyway next to it, that led down to the Via Augustus, were I would see a sign going into a pathway that would bring me to Villa Tosca.

Villa Tosca, is still owned by the same family, but the son has turned it from a modest pensione, to a cool little boutique hotel that is now called La Tosca. The vantage point of the hotel is primo, sitting in-between the Carthusian Monastary, The Qusisisana Hotel, and The Piazza Umberto, a 5 minute walk away. Very convenient, and in one of the most beautiful spots in the whole Isle of Capri, with a gorgeous view of The Monastary and The Farglioni Rocks in the near distance, "Absolutely Gorgeous. I made a great find." Back then it cost me $40 a day to stay, which was about double the price of the pensione's I was staying in at the time, in: Rome, but both Venice and Positano were more expensive as well. I was happy. I knew Capri was a bit more expensive than other places, but I was happy. Speaking of expensive, my last to times on this gorgeous island, the place has gotten insanely expensive. More on that later.

That first time, I was mystified at the beauty of the Faraglioni off in the distance. I had a great view from my little private terrazzo. Looking at them, as they sprouted from the sea, they seemed to be beckoning me, and they were. I had to go there. I took a show, put on my shorts and I was on my way. I asked directions, and walked over. I didn't know at the time, but I was walking the length of the Via Tragara, where that pedestrian street ended, and then I would take the pathway down to the Rock, Da Luigi Beach Club, and La Fontelina.

Wow, talk about gorgeous? The views on my way down were spectacular. I let me not forget. There's a cute little old Lemonade Stand there at the end of Via Tragara. I stopped and got my second Lemonade of the day. My 1st being at the piazzetta after I got off the Funicular.  Both lemonade (Granita) stands are still there, as well as the one on Via Augustus by La Tosca.  Anyway, I walked down, taking pictures along the way. I reached the bottom and walked over to the free beach near by. I did my first swimming on Capri. I would come back and swim around Capri many times. I Love it. I'm not a beach person, but when I go to Capri, and Positano, I do love swimming there.

I couldn't beleive how many people from New York taht I met in Capri on that my first trip. I was swimming at Marina Piccolo and this girl started talking to me, and was excited when I told her I was from New York. She was there with her mother and grandma who lived in Naples. Her mother went to visit her mom, and they'd go to Capri every year. The girl Maria wanted me to meet them. She took me over to them and introduced us. It so happened that her mother and father owned 

Benito II Restaurant on Mulberry Street in Little Italy, New York. We became friends and I'd often go down to eat at Benito. I'm glad I went into the Hotel Palma this one night. They have a beautiful garden in front of the hotel, and there are large French Doors at the beautiful lobby hotel. The doors stay open, and I could here live music from the bar inside. I went in. A girl was playing piano and singing lovely music. I sat down at the bar. I got my Negroni, and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this guy Tony, who owned a little clothing store in New York where I had bought a couple things from him. We were both happy to see each other, we chit chatted and hung out. A girl came up to the bar that Tony knew. Her name was Alessandra, and she had a villa on Capri. She was from Naples origianally but now lived in New York, and she was a customer at the restaurant Caio Bella that I worked at, but I'd never seen her, as I was a cook there, and though I saw some of the customers, I didn't see all of them as I was busy cooking in the kitchen. We became friends, and I hung out with her for the rest of the trip, going to her villa with others later in the night. 

It was Alessandra who got me to go to Bar Tiberio the first time. The first two times I went to Capri, I had a routine, wereby I'd go down to the beach somewhere around 10 or 10:30 in the morning. Hand-out, swim, and then around lunch time have lunch at a bar or trattoria down at Marina Piccolo. Go back to the beach, and then around 3;30, hop on a bus by the little chapel that would bring me up to Capritown, just a 200 foot walk to the Piazza where I went with Alessandra and a few others to Bar Tiberio for afternoon cocktails (Aperitivo). I usually had a Campari & Orange Jucie or a Negroni, and the waiter would bring us Potato Chips and Olives to nibble on with are cocktails. I did I love that, hanging out there at the bar in the Piazza, sipping Italian Cocktails, hanging with the beautiful people (as they say, and they were), relaxing, taking it all in, and loving every minute of it. "I felt like a King." And I was.

The Famed FARAGLIONI I Was Talking About

Having an APEROL SPRITZ

BAR TIBERIO

CAPRI

Yes, I do Love the Bar Tiberio. It's a great place to hang and have a good time. You're in Capri, you have to feel good. I must say for those who might be on a limited budget, yes it's not cheap. Not cheap, but well worth a splurge. To some, money is no object, so that don't even think about it. Though I remember the price of my hotel (Tosca was $40 a day), I can't remember the price of the drinks, probably about $4 or $5 for a Negroni or Campari back then. My APerol Spritz in 2022 cost 

14 Euros, but it does come with a good amount of snacks which Cosantino my favorite waiter brought me. Cosantino took great care of me, the 6 times I went to Bar Tiberio on this particular trip. I was also drinking glasses of Falanghina (11 Euro), and I met a couple who were staying at the same hotel that I was, we wnt out for dinner at Risitorante Isadoro, then went to Tiberio afterwards and we got a bottle of Falanghina Fenicia that cost $45 a bottle. I had a Lasagan Bolognese (14 E) there one night. It was quite tasty.

So, if you're into people watching and hanging out, sitting outside at a wonderful caffe on the beautiful Isle of Capri, Bar Tiberio is the way to go. Normally you go there just for drinks, anytime in the afternoon or evening. You can get breakfast in the morning, a Cappuccino and Italian Pastries if you like, and time of day. You can have Gelato, a Panino (Sandwich) Pizza, or Pasta or whatever you lie, they've got it all, but most of all it's the physicality and ambiance, the cocktails, people watching, and waiters (who take great care of you) who matter the most.

On my last night there in 2022, after I had gone to the bathroom, I saw a guy sitting at a table inside. I wanted to get a picture at the Bar. I asked if he wouldn't mind. He took a great picture of me (above). We were chatting, and I found out that his name was Francesco and his family owned the bar. I told him that I had started going to Bar Tiberio in the Smmmer of 1986, "probably before you were born," I told Francesco. He told be that his parents bought the Bar in 1982, the year Francesco was born. "Oh" I said, "you were 4 years old when I started coming here" Francesco chuckled. We had a nice little chat. It was great meeting and talking with Francesco. I hope to see him again.

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

May 22, 2022

NYC

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

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FIND a ROOM on CAPRI

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CAPRI

The SUMMIT of Mt SOLARO

Looking down to The Faraglioni and Sorrento in the Distance

A CAPRI TAXI

MARINA PICCOLO 2022

The ONLY OLD TAXI LEFT

Another Aperol Spritz

BAR TIBERIO

CAPRITOWN

CAPRI, ITALY

PIAZZA UMERTO

CAPRI

VINO & SNACKS

BAR TIBERIO

DELICIOUS in CAPRI

SALUMERIA / GROCERIA

MARINA GRANDE

RAVIOLI CAPRESE

A GLASS of BIANCOLELLA

RISTORANTE ISADORO

RECIPES of CAPRI

Hanging at BAR TIBERIO

CAPRI

2022

ANOTHER APEROL SPRITZ  

CHURCH of San MICHELE ARCANGELO

ANACAPRI

CAPRI

At My Hotel

CASA RAIOLO

LOOKING DOWN to MARINA GRANDE

From ANACAPRI

EDUARDO

BARBER at CARTHUSIAN BARBER SHOP

CAPRI

PINO with MY PANINO

DELICIOUS in CAPRI SALUMERIA

BOOKING.com

Best Seafood Amalfi Coast Italy

 

Fritto Misti

Al La SPAGNOLA

 

I stayed at Villa Maria (Lemon Farm, Minori) for a couple days once again, and was next going to meet my cousin Tony in Salerno. Tony arrived in Salerno two days before and was hanging out with our cousins Marta and Mimmo who live in Salerno. I told Tony that the ferry boat I was catching was due to arrive in Salerno at 12:30 pm, after quick stops in Maiori and the fishing village of Cetara. It was a nice day, so I quite enjoyed the lovely boat ride along the beautiful Amalfi Coast from Minori to Salerno. The boat arrived and I hopped off and walked down the long path towards the exit of Salerno's Marine Terminal. I was surprised when, as I was walking, I spotted Tony's good friend Alan about 100 feet ahead. Then I saw Tony. Alan had a some time off, and flew over to hang out with Tony and I for a few days. It was warm greetings, as its always great to see my cousin Tony, and Alan was a long as well. We threw my bags in the car, and it was off to lunch. When I spoke to Tony on the phone the night before, he told me not to eat before I got there, that he was taking me to some place for lunch. He had told me that Mimmo and Marta brought him there, and that it was a really nice restaurant.

We pulled up to La Spagnola, parked the car, and hopped out. The lady that turned out to be our waitress, greeted us at the door, then brought us to our table. The table had our name on it (Bellino name tag) and we all sat down. The place looked great, and I was excited for a lunch to come.

 

Antipasto Misti di Mare

Tony handed me the wine-list and said, "pick out a nice Champagne Dan." OK. I looked the wine list over, browsed the Champagne, as well as other sparkling wines, but it wasn't Champagne that I chose. I saw the Giulio Ferrari Brut 2004 and thought that would be good, so I said to Tony, "they have some nice Italian Sparkler. What do you think?" Tony said yes, so when the waitress came over I ordered a bottle. A few minutes later, the waitress came back with the wine, I tasted it and so we began our lunch a t La Spagnola. Tony loved the wine, and so did I as well as Alan, and I didn't know that a created a monster, so-to-speak, as after this, Tony fell in love with the Ferrari, and we'd drink about 6 more bottles before our trip was over.

 

Giulio Ferrari 2004

"Some Tasty Wine"

 

The waitress started chatting with us about what they had that day, and dishes that she suggested. She asked us if we liked Razor Clams, and also if we wanted a little antipasto plate each of Polpo and the Polpette di Alici (Anchovy Meatballs) that Tony was raving about. We all agreed on that, so the waitress went to get that started for us. So we were chit-chatting, sipping our tasty Ferrari (not Champagne) , and just enjoying our time when the waitress brought us each a lovely plate of Polpo e Pelpette di Alici. Wow, just the sight of the dish got us all going, it so very good, and when I bit into the Sardine Meatball (Polpette d' Alici) I realized what Tony had been talking about, and why raved so about the dish he had a couple nights before. Well, needless to say, we all loved the dish, the Octopus and Alici were as tasty as can be.

After the antipasti misti, our waitress brought us a 2nd antipasto course, and gave us each a gorgeous looking plate of sauteed Razor Clams each. Dam, they were tasty! And so we enjoyed once again.

And now it was time to ordered our main-course. Alan and I each ordered Spaghetti Vongole and Tony ordered some Orata. When those dishes came, of course they were all superb, and we totally enjoyed them.

 

Our Antipasto al la Spagnola

Polpette di Alici e Polpo

"Absolutely Awesome!"

 

Yes, our lunch was a big hit. We had a wonderful waitress, whose service was par excel-lance. The food was as it would turn out, the best I had on our 12 day trip to the Amalfi Coast, in the Summer of 2018 ... Yes, we ate in a lot of wonderful restaurants all over the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento Italy. We ate at Buco di Bacco and Da Vincenzo in Positano, we had a few nice meals in Sorrento as well as an awesome lunch at Lo lo Smeraldino in Amalfi which maybe was as good as La Spagnola. Yes, we had the most wonderful lunch out on the deck at Lo Smeraldino. We had an incredible view of Amalfi, we drank Ferrari again, we had a couple awesome waiters taking care of us, and we ate Langostines, Calamari, Cozze, and Grancio (local Crab).

 

Our Razor Clams at la Spagnola

Yes, I'd have to say that our meal at :a Spagnola in Salerno, Italy was a most memorable one. I will never forget that wonderful lunch I had that day with cousin Tony and our friend Alan. La Spagnola is a gem of a restaurant, and along with Da Marino in Naples, L'Archetto, also in Salerno, Buco di Bacco in Positano, these are my top 4 favorite restaurants in the entire area in Campania that comprises: Napoli, Capri, Ischia, Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Minori, and all of the AMalfi Coast of Italy, yes La Spagnola is a very special gem of a restaurant, and so I'd urge anyone staying in Salerno, you must eat here, and the restaurant is certainly worth a pecial trip from anywhere at all on the Amalfi Coast. Wherever you may be on the coast, you can take a nice boat ride to get to Salerno, And you can make a whole day of it, hit a Gelateria, and get a Pizza or Calzone from my buddy Gerardo at his wonderful little Pizzeria / Trattoria L'Archetto, also in Salerno. Just do it !

 

Outside La SPAGNOLA

SALERNO , ITALY 2018

Alan, Myself, and Cousin Tony

 

READ MORE

My Trip Amalfi Coast 2019

 

Our View of AMALFI

From Our Table at Lo SMERALDINO

AMALFI, ITALY 2018

READ ABOUT IT !

 

My Buddy GERARDO

Making My PIZZA

L'ARCHETTO PIZZERIA / RISTORANTE

BEST PIZZA in SALERNO

READ about GERARDO and his PIZZA

 

Pizza by GERARDO

L'ARCHETTO PIZZERIA

SALERNO , ITALY

 

A Fisherman on his Fishing Boat

CETARA

2018

Maybe this fisherman caught some of the Fish that we ate at La Spagnola or our awesome lunch at Lo Smeraldino in Amalfi.

Cetara is the only true fishing village left on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. It's a cute little town, and one of the best places to get an awesome Seafood Meal on the Amalfi Coast. There are several wonderful little trattoria's in town that we highly recommend taking a trip to Cetara. You'll have a lovely car or boat ride, and one of the best seafood lunches or dinners of your life. Garaunteed! 

Note : The fishermen catch all different kinds of fish, but the town is most famous for the Alici (anchovies) caught by the fishing fleet of this town. Besides the wonderful seafood trattoria's, there are several shops where you can buy the famous Anchovies in bottles as well as the Secret Anchovy Sauce (Colatura) of Cetara.

 

Polpo al Guasetto at La Spagnola

Salerno

 

An Awesome Mixed Seafood Plate at La Spagnola

SALERNO

Just look at that plate. Doesn't it make your mouth water? This is the type of wonderful food they prepare at La Spagnola, easily one of The Best Restaurants in all of Campania.

"Yes, it's that Good!"

 

POSITANO is COMING SOON

A New Book From Best Selling Italian Cookbook Author

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

On Amazon.com

Back to ITALY 2018

.

.  

At The TWIN CHURCHES of SANTA MARIA

PIAZZA di POPOLO

ROME

.

Nunns walking in TRASTEVERE

ROME

ITALY

This Cool Old Truck is owned by Trattoria Carlo Menta

and is Parked in Front of the Restaurant

Old FIAT

TRATTORIA CARLO MENTA

ROMA

.

BACK in ROME

The COLOSSEUM

May 2018

.

Me & My Buddy AUGUSTO

Owner of ALLORO RISTORANT , ROME

Near The TREVI FOUNTAIN

Fotana di Trevi

Roma

.

POSITANO

ITALY

. .

COUSINS MIMO and MARTA

PREPARING OUR ANTIPASTI

SORRENTO

.

POSITANO

Shot From Le SIRENUSE HOTEL

Positano on The AMALFI COAST

ITALY

View From My Balcony

At VILLA MARIA AgRITURISMO

MINORI

ITALY

.

Me & VINCENZO MANZO

Owner of Villa Maria Agriturismo

MINORI

ITALY

.

Pasta al Forno alla Maria

VILLA MARIA

MINORI

ITALY

The AMALFI COAST

PANSA

PASTICCERIA

AMALFI

.

PASTICCERIA ANDREA PANSA

AMALFI

ITALY

.

Cousin TONY and I Enjoying Aperitivo Time

at CASA SORRENTO

SORENTO , ITALY

.

.

My CAMPARI SPRITZ

At Our House on VIA CAPO in SORRENTO

ITALY

.

Cousins MIMO & MARTA (Front)

ME , COUSIN TONY and ALAN

SORRENTO

ITALY

View from our Apartment on Via Capo

SORRENTO

May 2018

.

Cugina Marta

Sorrento

.

RAVIOLI con TARTUFO

Made by MARTA & MIMO

For our Dinner in SORRENTO

.

PAESTUM

Ancient Greek Ruins

.

Cousin Marta , Mimo, Tony and Me

SORRENTO

ITALY

.

Cutting The PORCHETTA

For My PANINO

At Er BUCHETTO

ROMA

.

Another APEROL SPRITZ

At a Caffe at MARINA GRANDE

SORRENTO

.

The COOK

at O'PULEDRONE

A Family Seafood Ristorante

Where they CATCH THEIR OWN FISH

THIS PLACE was AWESOME

.

Michael The Fisherman

of O'PULEDRONE

KISSES a BABY

"For GOOD LUCK"

SORRENTO

.

O'Puledrone

MARINA GRANDE

SORRENTO

.

Spaghetti Vongole

O'PULEDRONE

MARINA GRANDE

FRITO MISTO

PULEDRONE

MENU

O'PULEDRONE

Marina Grande

SORRENTO

.

Atop The SPANISH STEPS

PIAZZA De SPAGNA

ROME

ITALY

.

 A Church in SORRENTO

"DON'T ASK ME THE NAME"

MY SFOGLIATELLE

and ESPRESSO

PANSA

AMALFI

May 2018

.

.

Drinking FRASCATI

in FRASCATI

ITALY

.

The Bar at Bar Fauno

SORRENTO

ITALY

PIAZZA TASSO

.

Insalata di Polpo

OCTOPUS SALAD

BAR FAUNO

SORRENTO

.

Per Palummo

CASA AMBRA

ISCHIA

We had this wine, along with a Bottle of the same house's Biancolella

and Casa Ambra Aglianico with our dinner we made at Cassa Sorrento, the beautifuk apartment with a lovely garden we rented on Via Capo, Sorrento, Italy.

The dinner was with my Cousin Antony Bellino, and cousins Marta and Mimo from Salerno and our friend Alan from Lodi. Marta and Mimo served their Mozzarella di Bufala (from their Mozzarella Fattoria in Salerno), they also made tasty Ricotta Ravioli with Black Truffles shaved on top. We also ate Salami and Pecorino, and I made Lamb Chops with roast potatoes for the main. For dessert, Mimo and Marta made fresh Strawberries with Limoncello and walnuts. It was an amazing dinner, and one I'll always cherish.

The Amalfi Coast

Approaching MAIORI

.

This POST is DEDICATED to UNCLE FRANK

Who Sponsored this Trip to Italy

for My Cousin Anthony Bellino and I

FRANK BELLINO

1918 - 2017

Vetetan Of WW II

Serving in The UNITED STATES MARINE CORP

Beloved Uncle and Leader of Our Family

The BELLINO'S of LODI , NEW JERSEY

.

View of MOUNT VESUVIUS ad MARINA PICOLO

SORRENTO

ITALY

.

View From Our Balcony at The Cuomo Suite

Piazza Tasso

And BAR FAUNO

SORRENTO

ITALY

.

Cousin Tony and I

At BAR FAUNO

Our HDQts in SORRENTO

PIAZZA TASSO

.

DINO

BAR FAUNO

SORRENTO

.

It's Always Jumping at Bar Fauno

Piazza Tasso

Sorrento

 

Breakfast at BAR FUANO

CAPPUCCINO CORNETTO & OJ

Looking Towards our Room at CUOMO SUITES

.

Legalize MARINARA

MARINARA RECIPE

SEGRETO ITALIANO

SECRET SAUCE

 

FIAT 500

Cinquecento

 

Just another Cinquecento

Sorrento , Italy

FIAT 500

  .

Lemons & Oranges

At a Fruit & Vegetable Stand

Sorrento

Italy