Meet Holly Star, an Australian Transplant Who Runs Cooking Classes and Food Experiences in Capri
Issue #139
Lots of people who visit Italy on vacation fantasize about tearing up their return ticket and never leaving, but few actually go through with it. Holly Star is one of those few, metaphorically speaking. On a fateful visit to Capri, she fell in love with restaurant owner Gianluca Esposito—despite the fact that they didn’t speak the same language—and gave up a career as a lawyer in Sydney to marry him and create a new life on the island.
That was more than ten years ago. They now have two beautiful children and a thriving business teaching cooking classes and organizing food experiences through their cooking school, Giardino di Capri.
I was introduced to Holly by my dear friend Maria Pasquale and visited her and Gianluca in their kitchen garden in Anacapri, so I can tell you from firsthand experience that they radiate warmth and friendliness. And though as Holly tells it, she was very ill prepared on her first visit to Capri, she now has a wealth of knowledge about the island. She graciously shared her expertise with me for an article I was writing for Travel + Leisure. I’m thrilled to share our conversation as part of my series of interviews with creatives and entrepreneurs in Italy.
So what did you fall in love with first: Gianluca or the island?
I fell in love with Gianluca, to be honest. In fact, I was recommended to his restaurant because I was saying how I didn’t have a feel for the local side of the island, and it was Luigi who said to me, “Well, you know what, I’ve got a restaurant that you might like. It’s very local,” and that’s how I ended up at Michelangelo.
I think I was taken aback at my first impressions of the island, mainly because I hadn’t done any research. So that was also my fault. I didn’t have any expectations. And when I arrived on the island, I also had no idea that it was such a notable place. I didn’t realize that it was the playground of the rich and famous, that it had all these amazing shopping stores and nightlife and was sort of glamorous. I wasn’t prepared for the history of the island. I wasn’t prepared for anything. But I guess in some ways, it was also a good thing. But I would say these days that you definitely need to research much more than I did.
That was 12 years ago, and when I went on that holiday, I had not booked a hotel. I was just waking up and going with the flow. And I don’t think you can travel like that so much anymore, especially in the high season, depending on where you're going in Italy. You definitely can’t just wing a holiday in the Amalfi Coast and Capri in summer. That would be very challenging these days. I don’t even know how I managed.
Actually I was under the misconception that I was on my way to Ischia, because I typed Ischia into Google and then saw this beautiful hotel website pop up. And I called them, and they just had a cancellation. They said, “Well, actually, if you arrive tomorrow, we’ve got three nights.” I went, “Okay, I’m in. Wow.”
Now that you’ve lived there a while, what do you think is the biggest misconception about Capri?
One of the things that I think is such a big misconception is that Capri is a day trip—that it’s like a little add-on on your southern Italian adventure. There are just too many things to see here. And the thing is, it’s an island. So when you travel to an island, you want to understand the island’s rhythm, and that certainly isn’t rushing around and seeing everything in a very short time frame.
And the statistics are along the lines of 85% of the people who visit Capri in the summer season do so on a day trip. So you have to imagine that you’re doing it with thousands of others, all coming at the same time with a similar itinerary, and all departing the island at the same time. So it’s difficult to get a grasp of any island rhythm.
And whilst the island is relatively small, logistically, it’s difficult to navigate in a short timeframe, especially when there are many other people doing the same thing in that short timeframe. So my recommendation as a local is to really understand the island, you really need to invest time in it, and that means staying overnight—preferably three or four nights, if not longer, because when you're going on an adventure to Capri, a majority of it should be relaxing. To get that feel of it, to stop and pause and take in the beauty, the aromas of all the beautiful flowers in each season, to explore the winding, pebbled back streets and the neighborhoods, you need to do that with the mentality of piano, piano.
When I was last in Capri, I got the sense that the best way to experience Capri in the summer is to basically get off the island during the daytime. So during the day, you're either on a beach or on a boat or something, and then everyone comes back to the island in the evening for an aperitivo on the Piazzetta and dinner. Would you agree with that?
A hundred percent I would agree. Look, obviously, that’s a result of the fact that there is a huge number of travelers coming for a day trip, which then clogs the main piazza. It also creates a different atmosphere. So I would say, stay in your hotel, poolside, relaxing. If you’re lucky enough to rent a beautiful villa, you’re reading your books and lounging by the pool or watching the sea view. If you have the chance, go out on a boat for sure, or to a beach club. Because during the day, it’s so busy. And if you can imagine everybody departing at the same time, how different it is.
It becomes a different air in Capri when the last boat leaves at sunset and the sky is turning shades of pink. And then everyone is getting dressed up very elegantly for their aperitivo in the square. And that is just the start of things to come. So then you go for your dinner, then you might go for an after dinner digestivo or a gelato, walking the pebbled streets, or you might go to Taverna and dance all night, or sit in the piazza until all hours, just watching the world go by. But I think people who come over and over again know where to go in the times when Capri is the busiest.
There are quite a number of things to do, right? When I was there last, I visited the gardens of Augustus and the Villa San Michele, which was beautiful. What are your favorite things to do on the island?
It depends on the season and what you love doing. I’m an all year rounder. I love everything from history, hiking, architecture, shopping, going to different restaurants. I’m not much of a beach person. My family are, but I’m not so much, but everything else—I love doing everything. So in terms of sights to see on the island, there’s so many that I get confused when people say they can just come and tick off Capri as a bucket list item, because there’s too many things to do in that time frame to appreciate the history and the beauty of the island.
And also, I’ll say, before I get to my favorite things: Capri and Anacapri are two very separate, different qualities. So we have many guests that actually separate their holiday stay on the island, and they will spend, for example, maybe a week down in Capri and then come up here and stay a week up in Anacapri. And that’s because they're two completely different vibes.
And so I’d say in Anacapri, things to do: Ride the chairlift to Monte Solaro and if you have time, walk down and enjoy the beautiful views of the church up there. It’s a beautiful, special place. Then, of course, Villa San Michele is absolutely stunning. You’ve got Casa Rossa in Anacapri. You’ve got the church of San Michele, where you can look at the beautiful mosaic of Adam and Eve. And we’ve got the Blue Grotto, the lighthouse.
And then in Capri, the Augustus Gardens are visited by so many people every day. If you don't have the opportunity to stay a night, I always say it’s a postcard picture, and it's iconic that you have been in Capri if you get the photo with the Faraglioni behind you from the gardens. So that is beautiful. When you were here, was Via Krupp open?
I think it was not. I think I read that it just opened in 2023 right? Or 2024?
Yes, I can’t remember. But anyway, now it’s open in the summer season, so it’s a beautiful thing to do to visit the gardens and then walk down Via Krupp and to Marina Piccola and see all the beautiful beach clubs down there. And obviously there’s the beach clubs that you pay to go in, but there’s also the free beaches where you’ll see all the locals relaxing on their summer holidays too. So it’s nice to see that side of the island.
And then also in Capri you’ve got Villa Jovis, the Roman ruins up at the very top of the island, and up that way is Villa Lysis. And you’ve got the opportunity to walk through neighborhoods up in the mountains, where you see beautiful lemon groves, orange groves, and vineyards. And you see another side to the island that’s very difficult to see on a day trip.
There’s so many hikes on the island. There’s everything from the blue Grotto to the lighthouse on the Sentiero Fortini. Or you can walk up to the Piazzetta delle Noci up near the Arco Naturale and then down along the east coast of the island. Pizzolungo walk is absolutely magnificent. So in terms of hiking, there’s many things to do that depend on the weather.
There’s lots of beautiful museums to visit, architecture to admire. I would definitely say that you can fill a holiday here just by staying in Capri alone. You can also use it as a base to travel elsewhere, although I would say on that note, you have to be mindful, obviously, that everywhere you’ll be traveling will be dependent on the seas. So that is the only problematic thing, if you’re using Capri as the base.
I know you said you’re not much of a beach person yourself, but for people who do want beach time, they should know that Capri doesn’t have sandy beaches, right? Aren’t they all pebble beaches?
Yes, very important thing to note, there are pebble beaches, but then up in Anacapari and also in Marina Piccola under the Faraglioni, there are rock platforms so you’re diving directly into the sea. There are pebble beaches down at Marina Grande and Marina Piccola, but there are also many rock platform style beaches. It’s definitely a different way of beaching, compared to the sandy beaches of Australia and California, etc.
But also, that’s also the beauty of the island: those dramatic limestone cliffs going to the crystal clear blue water that reflects off the pebbles that are underneath. It’s so clear and magical, but definitely different for a lot of people. A lot of people are shocked about that when they come. It’s not what they expect.
Yeah, if they want sandy beaches, it’s better to stick to Positano, the Amalfi Coast, or even Ischia, right?
Yes, yes. And again, Ischia was something I didn’t expect. It’s more like a volcanic type of sand. But, yeah, they’re all very different. In a very small area like the Amalfi Coast, there’s a lot of differences that make each place so unique.
So a lot of people compare Positano and Capri. Yes, they’re both resorts in terms of operating for a summer period, which, again, don’t get me started on that, because I believe that Capri is an all year round destination. So it shouldn’t be just visited in the summer. Besides the weather being absolutely beautiful, we have so many things to do here, and the island is so magical in all seasons that I just find it hard to believe that it’s just attractive to people in the summer season.
Aren’t there limited ferry connections during the winter?
There are less frequent ferries. And again, it all depends on the seas. But obviously, there is still a timetable, there are residents that live here year round that have to get places. There's supplies arriving on the island every day. It’s very rare that there will be absolutely no boats. Naples to Capri and Capri to Sorrento are the two routes that will run regularly, daily, albeit less frequently than in summer.
I think now for the first time in a very long time, there was a low season boat connection between the Amalfi Coast and Capri right up until the 31st of December or the first of January. And it was great to see that there are more people visiting here in the low season. So it was great to see that there was a connector of the Amalfi coast and Capri.
You said that the feel of Capri and Anacapri is different. How would you differentiate them?
If you were staying on the island for a short time frame, it might be that Capri is the place for you because it’s pedestrian. You can walk out of your hotel and go to the restaurants or bars or the Piazzetta. Anacapri is actually above Capri in the mountains, and it’s a lot more spread out. You can still walk places and there is the pedestrian shopping center of Anacapri. However, there are lots of little piazzettas around there, and not one centralized piazza in the same way that Capri has. So it’s a bit more relaxed.
They have two different main beach clubs in Anacapri. Down at the Blue Grotto, there’s Il Riccio, the Michelin-starred club, and you've got the more local Gradola Beach Club. And now a few more things are popping up down there. And then the Faro is the lighthouse and they’ve got the free beach there, as well as the Lido di Faro Beach Club, and there are a couple of little sunset bars, etc, there. So it’s a very different vibe, because they’re further away from each other. They’re connected by a bus, not like in Marina Piccola, where you can walk to six or seven different beach clubs all in one area. So it depends logistically on what you’re looking for.
They’re just very different vibes, and it’s because of how they're laid out. So on a first trip, I would say Capri might be a good place to be if you want to be part of the action and you want to walk everywhere. If you are looking for a different sort of relaxation, you might stay in a hotel or a villa in Anacapri and have a more relaxing stay. You can go into Capri in the evenings and spend your days relaxing in Anacapri, either walking the streets, at a beach club or visiting the Blue Grotto or whatever it might be.
There’s many things to do. They’re just very different because of the way they’re laid out. Also the road between Capri and Anacapri wasn’t built until something like the 1870s and so they were logistically two different parts of the island and it’s a different feel.
What about the cost?
In my view, in Capri, there is accommodation for all sorts of affordability. I think it depends, again, on what you’re looking for. Because I think it’s a misconception that Capri is this luxury, very expensive Island. Obviously, things need to be transported here. We do have to rely on a lot of things from the mainland, which does come at an extra cost. However, that doesn't mean that there aren’t places that are affordable.
If you are traveling as a group or a family, it might be that a villa is better for you. There are luxury hotels, there are affordable hotels, and there’s everything in between. There might be many places that are more affordable but they might be only accessible by walking. And so you just have to understand if that’s for you or not.
Speaking of hotels and accommodations, do you have any favorite hotels in Capri?
Definitely, I have a few favorites. There are so many beautiful, charming hotels. There are family-run ones. There are ones in Anacapri I’d recommend. And in Capri, I’d recommend some for sentimental reasons. We know that people’s expectations are very different, and it depends on what you’re looking for. So I always ask people, “Well, what are you exactly looking for before I can recommend?”
If you're going to recommend one at the very top end, like super luxurious, money is no object. And then one that’s more affordable on the budget end, but has a really nice soul. What are the two that you would recommend on either end of the scale?
Caesar Augustus in Anacapri is one of those very special places on the island, given its location. It is sort of the place where you’re in between the sky and the sea. The views are just so spectacular. It’s more than charming. Sometimes when I've been there, it’s been like a dream, like when I’m looking at that view and I just can’t believe how fortunate I am to be here. That’s from my perspective.
Yes, it’s five-star. It has an infinity pool. It has beautiful gardens. It has a restaurant where you can get your table on the terrace overlooking the whole of the Bay of Naples from the Sorrento Peninsula, a part of Marina Grande and Capri and then the whole way along till Ischia and Procida. It’s just spectacular. So I think that hands down for a high-end hotel it’s beautiful because of its position and also its history and its charm.
There’s obviously so many five star hotels in Capri that are very noteworthy. You have La Palma and you've got the Quisisana. The family-run Gatto Bianco is lovely. Then obviously, Hotel Luna, from a sentimental perspective. Without my stay at Hotel Luna, I would never have met my husband.
And for this reason, I’ve spent many beautiful memories there since. We spent a bit of our wedding there, around the pool, and then also my 40th birthday celebration. Whenever we have a memorable occasion—our 10 year wedding anniversary was just last year and of course, we went to hotel Luna. It’s cliffside. And the difference between Hotel Luna and Caesar Augustus is the view. Because Hotel Luna is based in Capri, it has a spectacular view of the Faraglioni, and you still get the perfect, beautiful pink skies after the sunset, with the bay as your backdrop. Since my first stay, 12 years ago, they have built a rooftop bar. Capri rooftop. So Hotel Luna is still very much in my heart as a beautiful place to stay. I owe my life to them.
Do you have an update on your cooking school and your garden project? What's happening?
Oh, yes, we’re working very, very hard right now. At the moment, w’'re working in two beautiful gardens. I can’t say much, but we do have a new location this year, and we’re very excited to announce it all very shortly.
Is that the location that you had told me about when I last visited, that you guys were working on and had run into some snags?
Yes, all the obstacles are now gone. It’s going to take a lot longer to prepare that garden. So we actually invested in another garden not too far away, but it has a beautiful sea view. So it has both the garden and the sea view, and so we’re excited to announce it.
Have you got anything else in the works?
I’m managing this beautiful six bedroom villa, which is what I was doing for a bit of the Christmas season. So I’m doing a lot more promotion of staying on the island for longer, so you can actually experience it more. I would say villa stays are the perfect way to enjoy the island car free. You can either come with a group of people, or if you’re traveling with your family, a bigger family, it becomes very expensive when you’ve got hotel rooms in Capri, but a villa can be a more affordable option, but still have beauty and value.
And you’ve got some news about the cooking school?
So you came and visited our kitchen. We wanted to make something more, let’s just say, adaptable for all year round, all seasons, something more permanent.
So is there an indoor element?
Yes, with the outdoors encompassing the garden, there will always be a garden element, trust me. We will always be growing our own food, but we’re going to make it more comfortable, more adaptable. The unfortunate thing is that everybody would love to do cooking classes when it's bad weather, and you’ve got to make sure you can accommodate for that. So that’s what we’re doing.
So are you going to be moving the cooking classes over to the new location this year?
Yes, we’ll be in another location in Anacapri and I can’t wait to tell you more.
We haven’t announced anything to anybody yet, but we definitely have a new location, and in the villa that we’re managing, we’re also doing culinary things there for all guests that stay. We’re doing all sorts of culinary events and food experiences, from cheese and wine tastings to cooking classes to private chef and dining experiences.
Further Reading
You can learn more about Holly’s cooking school and food experiences on the official website of her company, Giardino di Capri and about the villa, Dimora Maiuri L’Olivella, on its official website.
This interview was conducted in conjunction with an article for Travel + Leisure about how to decide between Positano and Capri.
I also included a quote from Holly in this article about villa rentals for Italy Magazine.
Toni DeBella, my colleague at Italy Magazine, also interviewed Holly for a recent article about what Capri is like in the off season.
Thinking of going to Capri? Check out my guide to 72 hours on the island.
You can see all the interviews in this series here.
If I hadn't spent the night on the island I probably would have never would have met Holly and Gianluca! Their ravioli Caprese is one of my favorite meals in the world.