Nearby: Ischia
Known as the island of the Sun god, Ischia is the largest of the Campania islands. It welcomes millions of tourists every year and is famous for the blue of the sea, the natural beauty but above all for the beneficial qualities of its thermal waters.
The island is administratively divided into 6 municipalities: Ischia, Barano d’Ischia, Casamicciola Terme, Lacco Ameno, Forio and Serrara Fontana. The main centre, Ischia, is in turn divided into two very distinct parts: Ischia Ponte, the picturesque village characterized by alleys and ancient shops that gathers around the majestic Aragonese Castle, an obligatory stop for those who wish to discover places full of legends, mythology and mystery; and Ischia Porto, the most recent nucleus, which extends around a quiet marina.
For those who love the sea, the island is full of beautiful beaches and bays, among which stand out: the Maronti beach in Barano d’Ischia, one of the most enchanting in Italy; the Citara beach in Forio, characterized by thick and beautiful Mediterranean scrub; the beach of San Montano in Lacco Ameno, surrounded by the rich vegetation of Monte Vico and Zaro; and the Cava Ruffano beach in Serrara Fontana, clinging to a picturesque rock ridge overlooking the sea.
For those who love nature, Ischia offers landscapes full of charm and rare beauty that are just waiting to be discovered.
In addition to the great seaside and landscape attractions, what makes the island an internationally renowned tourist destination are its countless springs, fumaroles and muds which rightly make it the “capital of European thermalism“. Known and used since ancient times, its thermal waters are mentioned in Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid, as well as by Pliny and Strabo. The area, of volcanic nature, offers numerous spa centers where you can indulge in a bit of relaxation with natural saunas, hydromassages, mud baths and beauty treatments.
The island is also full of things to see. In addition to the Aragonese castle, the following are undoubtedly worth a stop: Michelangelo’s Tower, immersed in an immense green lawn; the Church of Soccorso, built on a small promontory overlooking the sea, which has a very white façade with a staircase covered in majolica; the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, inside which numerous works of pictorial art are preserved; and the magnificent Lady Walton Garden Museum, known as La Mortella, which is home to more than 3,000 species of plants.
