As dawn breaks, the sun a broken yolk above the waters, a ring of fog gathers to encircle the tip of an uneven peak. Acchiappanuvole they call it, a giant with a height of 589m when slumped forward at the edge of Capri.

Meet the cloud catcher, the lesser known protector of Capri Island.

At any one point in time, you can see several dozens of eager hikers crawling over the skin of Monte Solaro, as the peak is also known, in order to reach its tip. From rocky ledges backed by blossoming wildflowers and vines, Solaro affords views of the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast. The waters and sky are layers of blue stacked like the deconstructed shades of a lapis lazuli in the horizon. Green satin dressing Solaro, Capri Island spreads out from the peak with the settlements adding dots of life and color to the image. The walk itself reveals the gems tucked into Solaro’s dress. Old sites of worship such as the Church of Saint Maria a Cetrella, medieval structures of grandeur like the Barbarossa Castle and locations of bloodshed as in the Fort Fortina di Bruto all account the human history of Solaro. At the pinnacle of Capri, picturesque doesn’t quite do justice to the unexpected wonders across its slopes.