Canzone del Mare Beach Club
Canzone del Mare Beach Club is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Capri audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~120 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type historic
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- Capri Capri guide
About Canzone del Mare Beach Club
Capri's most legendary beach club, opened in 1950 by the English entertainer Gracie Fields, Marina Piccola's famous swimming platform with a storied history as the gathering place of the 20th century's most celebrated artists, writers, and entertainers.
The Canzone del Mare beach club at Marina Piccola is one of the most storied establishments in the history of Mediterranean resort culture, a combination of restaurant, bar, and swimming platform cut into the rock at the base of the cliff below Capri town, opened in 1950 by the English entertainer Gracie Fields (1898-1979), who bought the property (the former fort Il Fortino) in 1933 and lived on Capri until her death. The name (Song of the Sea) reflects the spirit of the place: a seaside establishment that was as much about music, performance, and sociability as about swimming. In its heyday (1940s-1970s), the Canzone del Mare was the social centre of Capri's remarkable international community, the place where the artists, writers, film directors, musicians, and various members of the international elite who had chosen Capri as their home gathered by the sea. Guests included everyone from Noël Coward and Winston Churchill to Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot. The establishment has been refurbished several times since and continues to operate, though its current incarnation lacks the specific glamour of its golden age. The Marina Piccola setting, at the base of the cliff below Via Krupp, with the Faraglioni visible to the east, remains extraordinary.
Did you know? Gracie Fields is one of the most significant popular entertainers of the early 20th century who is now almost forgotten outside Britain. At her peak in the 1930s, she was earning £40,000 per year, more than any other performer in the world, and her recordings sold millions of copies. She was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1938 and became Dame Gracie Fields in 1979.
How long should you spend at Canzone del Mare Beach Club?
Plan about ~120 min at Canzone del Mare Beach Club. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Canzone del Mare Beach Club worth visiting?
Canzone del Mare Beach Club is one of the 15 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Capri, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Capri
Hear the story of Canzone del Mare Beach Club
Preview the Capri tour free in the Gingerguide app.