Attenzione! Did you miss out on a Euro summer holiday this year? Never fear, because a little slice of the Italian coastline is coming to the Yarra River in early September.
Now in its ninth year (yep, we officially feel old now), Melbourne’s beloved on-water venue will transform into Afloat Capri – a sun-soaked homage to the epic beach clubs of the famous Italian isle. With an entirely refreshed design, menu and entertainment line-up, you can expect lemon trees galore, hand-painted ceramic planters, pastel-hued walls with custom illustrations and striped umbrellas.
“Capri draws you in with its natural beauty, glamour and style,” says Emily Jamieson, the interior designer at the helm of the project. “It’s a postcard-perfect playground for colourful holiday frolicking and this season’s iteration of Afloat will be no different.”
![Pastel-coloured umbrellas and palm trees at Arbory Afloat.](https://media.timeout.com/images/106168294/image.jpg)
The extensive new cocktail list will reflect the lush theme with a focus on citrus flavours and aperitifs. There will be a dedicated Spritz section, more than 30 Negroni options and a selection of frozen bevvies concocted using Pidapipo gelato. Oh, and you know the Limoncello will be flowing.
You won’t go hungry, either: classic Italian crowd-pleasers dominate the menu, including pizza, pasta, antipasti, panini and seafood platters to share.
“Inspired by Italian coastal dining, it will lean into the beach club destinations of Capri, Ischia and Procida, as well as the neighbourhood trattorias of seaside villages on the Amalfi Coast and the Gulf of Naples,” explains executive chef James Gibson.
So if you’re looking for us this summer, we’ll be parked under a giant umbrella with a Spritz in hand – bellissimo! Afloat Capri will open to the public in early September, with the exact date still to be announced. You can find out more via the website.
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