Arriving by ferry in Ischia, the first thing we always see is the outline of the Aragonese Castle, planted on a rock in front of the island. Ischia is large, varied and full of contrasts: fishing villages, hot springs, gardens, a mountain to climb. Here we tell you what to see and what to do, from ancient history to the beaches.
An ancient island, rediscovered in the 20th century
Ischia is the largest island in the Gulf of Naples and is divided into six municipalities: Ischia, Casamicciola Terme, Lacco Ameno, Forio, Serrara Fontana and Barano d'Ischia. Its history is very ancient: here Greeks from Euboea founded Pithekoussai, considered the first Greek settlement in the western Mediterranean, in the 8th century BC.
In Lacco Ameno, in the archaeological museum of Villa Arbusto, you will find Nestor's Cup, a small vessel from around 725 BC bearing one of the oldest poetic inscriptions in Greek to have come down to us. Seeing it in person moved us more than we expected.
Modern tourist fame came instead in the 1950s, thanks to the publisher and producer Angelo Rizzoli, who invested in Lacco Ameno, promoted the island through cinema as well, and made it known to an international audience.
The Aragonese Castle
The Aragonese Castle stands on a volcanic islet 113 metres high, linked to the island by a masonry bridge about 220 metres long built at the behest of Alfonso V of Aragon in the mid-15th century. The first fortification dates back as far as 474 BC, the work of Hiero I of Syracuse.
Climbing along its paths you come across the remains of the Cathedral of the Assumption with its frescoed crypt, where the poet Vittoria Colonna was married in 1509, the Convent of the Poor Clares with its striking cemetery, and the Church of the Immaculate Conception. From the terraces the view stretches as far as Procida and the gulf. The castle is privately owned and open to visitors.
The island of thermal baths
Ischia is famous for its thermal waters, linked to the island's volcanic origin. You will find many equipped thermal parks, but our favourite experience is free: the Bay of Sorgeto, in the hamlet of Panza, in Forio. You go down about 200 steps to a small bay where the hot water from the springs mixes with seawater in natural pools among the rocks. Bathing here at sunset, or on the cool evenings at the end of the season, is a unique experience.
Go early in the morning or in the low season: in summer the bay is very busy.
Sant'Angelo, the Maronti and Monte Epomeo
Sant'Angelo, in the municipality of Serrara Fontana, is a fishing village joined to a headland by a thin isthmus of sand. Its colourful houses and car-free lanes won us over. Not far away opens the long Maronti beach, in the municipality of Barano, where in some places you will find fumaroles and hot sand.
For trekking lovers there is Monte Epomeo, the island's summit at 788 metres. Despite its appearance, it is not a volcano but a block of crust uplifted by the pressure of the magma below. From the top the view takes in the whole gulf.
La Mortella Gardens
In Forio don't miss the La Mortella Gardens, created from 1956 onwards by the English composer William Walton and his wife Susana, to a design by the landscape architect Russell Page. On an old volcanic stone quarry, terraces, fountains and exotic plants from all over the world have taken root. It is a place of great peace, perfect for a morning away from the beaches.
How to get there and when to go
Ischia can be reached by ferry or hydrofoil from Napoli and Pozzuoli; in summer there are also connections from other places around the gulf. The main ports are Ischia Porto, Casamicciola and Forio. On the island it is easy to get around by the regular buses that run all the way round. For the castle, the museum and the gardens, check opening hours and tickets on the official website before you set off.
Spring and autumn are the ideal seasons for thermal baths and walks; in summer the island is lively but crowded.
Nearby
We have devoted the Aragonese Castle and the Ischia Sea Museum to the castle, and thermal tourism in Campania: Ischia and other spas to the island's thermal baths. For the island's wine, read Ischia DOC wine and Epomeo IGT wine. Just a few minutes away by ferry, the island of Procida: what to do and what to see awaits you. To plan the rest of your trip, start from our guide Naples and its surroundings.
Top photo: falco, via Pixabay.
