Ischia

Ischia is an island near Naples. Considered one of the most beautiful and biggest islands in the Gulf of Naples. It is one of the more famous seaside and thermal centres of Italy.

Cities

Other destinations

Understand

Ischia, historically called Pitecusae, is a popular travel destination due to it's mild climate and, thanks to the dormant valcano Epomeo, mineral thermal spas.

History

Ischia has been colonized by Greeks, Syrausansa, Romans, Saracens, Turks, and Aragonese-- just to name a few-- all interested in its excellent strategic position as well as its theraputic waters and attractive landscape. The result of all this back-and-forth can be seen in the ruins of outposts, towser, and tufa rock shelters hidden througout the island.

More recently Ischia has been desired as a backdrop for movies such as “Vacanze ad Ischia” (1957) and “Appuntamento ad Ischia” and often used as a stand in for the island of Capri.

Climate

Ischia's climate is most comfortable for the traveller from April to October. That said, the weather in Ischia is changeable and visitors should expect both sunshine and rain, whatever the season. Summer, the main season, combines long daylight hours with lengthy evenings. Winter can be bitterly cold, with short daylight hours.

Flora and fauna

Sometimes called the "Green Island", Ischia's hot and dry summer, and mild winters, along with the fertility of the volcanic ground allow mediterranean plants thrive all over as well as sub-tropical and tropical species.

On the Southern side, due to the continuous exposition to the sun, vegetation is mainly represented by cactus-like and agave plants with mediterranean woods hiding in the shade.

On the Northern side, sheltered by the Epomeo, you can find chestnut trees, as well as typical mediterranean trees like holm oak, cypress, cork trees as well as cultivated almond trees, vines, and olive trees.

Talk

While Italian is the native language on the island, most people working in the tourism industry speak at least one other language.

Get in

By plane

No airports on the island. From the airport of Naples Capodichino it is possible to reach by taxi one of the two harbours of Naples in 20-30 minutes; there is also a bus line, which connects directly with the harbour of Napoli Beverello.

Air Low Cost

low cost airlines for arrival in Ischia by Naples or Rome airports are:

By car

From Rome (A1) - From Bari (A16) - From Salerno (A30)

It is better to follow the road markings for the Tangenziale (bypass) (exit No. 12) and to go on towards Pozzuoli. Then please go out at the Via Campana (exit No. 12) and go on towards the Harbour of Pozzuoli (ferries only), which is about 4 km far away. You can also reach the harbour of Naples Beverello (both ferries and hydrofoils). You don't have to turn into the Tangenziale, but to follow the road markings for the Zona Portuale (Harbour area) and, after the exit, to go on for the harbour, which is about 5 km far from the highway.

By train

There are no direct trains to Ischia. There are four available railway stations to reach one of the harbours of Naples:

By boat

Boat and Hydrofoil

Alilauro Hidrofoil

08:00 (to Alilauro) (weekdays) 09:35 (to Alilauro) (except Saturdays - via Ischia) 10:30 (to Alilauro) (via Ischia) 14:35 (to Alilauro) 17:00 (To Alilauro)

19:00 (A ALILAURO) (weekdays - via Ischia)

Get around

By bus

The quite good public bus service connects the various urban centres of the island through frequent journeys, most of them having their terminus in the town of Ischia Porto close to the harbour. The fare for a single journey (valid 90 minutes) is € 1.20, but is also possible to purchase tickets with a longer validity at cheap prices. These tickets can be bought at very numerous shops (notably newsstands, bars, travel agencies and tobacconist's).

See

Villas, Parks and Museums

During Roman Age, the island was called Aenaria, and suffered from many eruptions of the volcano: so, Romans did not settle on the island, but in the inland area called Campi Flegrei. Findings dating back to this period come from Roman tombs, marble reliefs from the Nymphae sanctuary at Nitrodi spring, in Barano, lead and tin bars from the submerged fundry of Cartaromana, where metals imported from mines in Cartagena (Spain) were manufactured.

Thermal Gardens

Churches

There is a tiny white-washed church is located in a truly spectacular position: in the square on the Punta del Soccorso in Forio, that looks out onto the crystal clear sea - a typically Mediterranean site of astounding beauty.

Do

Beaches

Events

One of the many things that make Ischia such a fantastic place to visit is the variety of events on offer throughout the country every month of the year. Whether you like, from musical events and festivals, to the handicrafts markets in the historical center and sports events, you will always find the ideal events for your tastes.

In spring and summer, the various villages on Ischia organize several events: most of them are linked to religious festivals, which are an important part of the island’s tradition and cultural identity. If you are planning to spend a few days on the island in the period of one of the events below, we recommend

Here follow the events calendar of the Estate Ischitana 2005:

In spring and summer, the various villages on Ischia organize several events: most of them are linked to religious festivals that are an important part of the island’s tradition and cultural identity. If you are planning to spend a few days on the island in the period of one of the events below, we recommend

Drink

Many of Ischia best dance clubs are in Forio and Ischia Porto

Buy

In every built up area of the island there are streets where you can go exciting shopping for craftsman ships, agricultural local products. The Boutiques, that sell the Famous brand clothes, mark the shopping route:

In Ischia you can go to Via Roma, Corso Vittoria Colonna, or to Borgo di Ischia Ponte, a very nice place full of artisans, shops, restaurants and jewelers.

In Casamicciola, the main streets for shopping are the Seafront and the adjoining Marina Square

In Lacco Ameno the seafront has been very famous since the fifties, nowadays called Corso Rizzoli, that comes out at Piazza Santa Restituta, the place where the inhabitants meet each other.

In Forio, thanks to the expanse of the town territory, there are a lot of possibilities for shopping. Here we only mention the very long main street that crosses the whole city territory.

In Serrara Fontana, do not miss Sant’Angelo, the sea area of the town, for hopping and social life.

In Barano the center of commercial life is the square that faces the wonderful beach of Maronti.

Handicrafts

Handicrafts activities constitute part of the cultural heritage related to a particular place, handed on from father to son, by improving techniques and experimenting new forms and materials, but always keeping the added value of human skills. The results consist of highly original objects, conceivable not only as a souvenir but also as traditions and identy of a place. In addition to potteries and raffia, remarkable skills have been developed in manifacturing volcanic stone and wrought iron.

Potteries Ceramics making and decorating is a very ancient art; many archaeological findings dating back to the Neolithic and to Greek time (8th century b.C.) testify to the use of manifacturing ceramics on the island of Ischia since remote times. This tradition has been handed on during centuries, developing new techniques and producing objects of different use. The word “ceramics” comes from the Greek “keramikos” which means “clay”, while “keramiké tekhné” indicates the potter’s skilled work, including the hand made clay modelling and the baking in special ovens. Ceramics include objects dedicated to two main categories: objects for domestic use, such as dishes, pots, small decorative sculptures, and objects for the building industry such as tiles for paving, roofing tiles, pipes, bath tubs and so on. The big family of products derived from clay includes: terracotta, majolica, earthenware, porcelain, grés which differ in the features of the material such as: porosity and baking temperature. In fact, porous ceramics i.e. terracotta, majolica and terraglia has a baking temperature of less than 600°C and compact ceramics i.e. porcelain and grés has a baking temperature higher than 900°C. Terra-cotta is made of common clay and presents many iron impurities. Assyrians, Babylonians and Egyptians used to dry in the sun this kind of products. If it is baked in oven, it will become dark red, assuming the particular colour known as terra-cotta, varying in intensity as the consequence of its chemical composition. It is suitable to be covered by glassy glazes which make it bright, smooth and not porous. It is usually painted and decorated in different ways. It was used since the Prehistory to make small sculptures and ornaments, but its use became really widespread in Greece. Ceramics were also produced and used in the Middle Age and during the Renaissance (the most famous example dating to that time are the polychrome terrecotte made by the Della Robbia); ceramic objects are still nowadays the most common in different uses. Majolica indicates a sort of ceramic made of a soft paste and covered by an opaque glaze usually white. It is called also “faience” due to a French word coming from the town of Faenza, which was an important production centre during the Middle Age and the Renaissance. Majolica is a material well-known all around the Mediterranean sea; it has usually brightly coloured and very rich decorations. Features of products made of porcelain come from its composition (50% kaolin, 25% quartz, 25% feldspar which make it a very strong, white and bright. Biscuit means a kind of white opaque porcelain without glaze. Porcelain can be baked at a temperature above 1400 °C. The production process consists of diverse phases: kneading, modelling, drying, waterproofing, decoration, baking. The clay production process is the most important aspect for having high quality final products. Secrets and experimental techniques have been handed on during centuries and still nowadays they are the base of the production cycle. On the island the main example of ceramics production is represented by the old workshop Mennella in Casamicciola: the workshop as well as a large exhibition of products are accessible to visitors. All around there are small pottery workshops

Eat

It is not possible to talk about Campania’s gastronomy without mentioning the pizza. This palate’s delight was born in Naples, in honour of Queen Margaret. From simple baked product it became a fanciful, rich, surprising and always appreciated food.

It is not possible to know if it is because of that mountain that climbs towards the sky giving the idea of an island-not-island, or because of the misture of land and sea that Ischia has kept that primitive and wild feeling that now meets modernity . For all this reasons this island is a priceless place, especially for the taste. It is an land island. Staring from the rabbit, always cooked in terracotta baking-pan with a clove of garlic, wine, little tomatoes, lard and local spices: poor ingredients for an old and very savoury dish.

Indivisible from the ischitanian rabbit is this very savoury main course that is served with the very simple but very rich rabbit sauce. In latest years the pit rabbit became like a totem for the island. The rabbit is bred after the old manner. It lives its natural state: wild, in woods and mountains, and grows up (as for many centuries) in pits and only feeds with wild grass.

Snails are picked along the dry walls (parracine) and in woods. They are cooked in the traditional way with wild grass, especially in the internal par of the island.

An appetizer or main course (if served with mozzarella cheese), Ischitanian Caponata directly originates from the typical insalata cafona (peasant salad). The peasant used to eat it for lunch, in the countryside, during the working time. Nowadays there are many recipes, the oldest one combines little tomatoes, onion, stale bread or freselle, salad and wild grass.

Fish in Ischia does not betray. There are many ways to buy it fresh, directly in fish-shops or at the paranza(trawler) when fishermen come back from the sea after the beating. Typical of the island are macaroni with sea food, linguine with sea-urchins and different species of local fish served in many ways: marinated, cooked in the oven, with spaghetti. The paranza fry is very famous: a lot of fried little fish of different species depending on what fishermen found. Usually they bring basses white breams, giltheads, little tuna, crayfish, calamari, squids and langoustes that enrich the menu of restaurants and agritourisms. Some passionately fond, produce honey made from bees wax, citrus fruits or flowers. The local honey has a consistence and a taste very different from the others.

There is a town between Barano and Serrara Fontana called buonopane (good bread). Here they have been making bread for centuries. Cooked only in wood ovens it is kneaded with the crisc’to a natural yeast of acid mother paste. The bread is still kneaded by hand, and its smell in the morning is stirring. All over the island. All over the island there are ovens making bread.

Perhaps the Campania product most widely known is Mozzarella di Buffala, with DOP awarded by the European Union. Due to vast market demand and the scarce number of water buffalo, it is also however a product at risk of a ”bufala“ (also Italian for scam). To avoid this, each wrapper carries the symbol of the protection consortium to guarantee its authenticity and geographic origin. The origin of the mozzarella – so called from the verb ”mozzare“ to cut – probably goes back to the 12th century, while the buffalo was already part of the Campanian landscape in the 7th century. The true characteristic of this fresh cheese with a delicate taste is its consistency, which should be firm, slightly elastic and chewy. When cut, the centre of a true mozzarella di bufala 'weeps': an interior still be slightly serous, protected by a thin skin and it should be smooth, but not viscous. It should be preserved in its liquid for no more than 48 hours, preferably not in the refrigerator but in a cool and airy place. As well as the characteristic round form it is produced in braids, knots, nuts and cherries and there is also a smoked version.

The rural culture is confirmed by the cultivation of many kinds of vegetables, potatoes, eggplants, peppers, courgettes, artichokes and garden rockets.

The legume are very good: lentils, chicklings, beans (they have curious and unusual varieties called pipers –purple red colored- and fascists - with black nuances).

The volcanic soil favours the growth of tomatoes. They are picked up in clusters and twisted to create the typical pendolikept in dry and fresh place.

Drink

On the Island of Ischia, the viticulture has millenarian origins. The cultivation technique is like the Greek traditional one. In fact, it is different from that one used in the middle of Italy and in the rest of the Campania province. From the coasts to the steep mountain slopes is where the vine is cultivated on proper terraced fields. Here is a list of the most famous and diffused kinds of grapes, all cultivated in the island from about 300 years ago: White Grapes - Biancolella, Forastera, and Arilla S. Lunardo; Red Grapes – Guarnaccia and Pedirosso o Pere e Palummo.

Sleep

Get out

From Forio’s Port there are daily trips to Capri, Naples, Amalfi, Sorrento, Pompeii, Positano, Vesuvius, Procida, Royal Palace of Caserta.

Under 45 minutes away

The isle of the syrens, or mermaids, as it was known in Greek mythology, Capri, since time immemorial the desire of emperors and travellers alike, is set in the Gulf of Naples near Ischia, rising dramatically from a turquoise sea. It is reached in about 40 minutes minutes by hydrofoil from the port of Ischia or Forio, docking at Marina Grande, the harbour and beach of the island, where our visit begins. In this small town there are the remains of the Palazzo a Mare, probably the residence of Augustus, and the monumental Bagni di Tiberio, or Baths of Tiberius. Walking along Via Colombo we reach the start of the Phoenician Steps, a steep path built during the Greek era that remained the only communication link with Anacapri until the modern road was constructed. From Marina Grande, take the funicular railway to Capri, thus reaching the piazzetta, hub of daily life on the island, with a wide terrace offering an enchanting view over the sea, the famous bell tower, and bars with open-air tables. On one side you will notice the steps leading up to the Church of Santo Stefano, in Baroque style embellished with Moorish cupolas. Opposite is the Palazzo Cerio, where Giovanna I of Anjou stayed, now home to the Ignazio Cerio Centre, with an interesting collection of archaeological findings from the island. From Via Matteotti reach the Gardens of Augustus, a park overlooking the sea with a spendid view of the Faraglioni rocks. Continuing along Via Krupp enjoy a series of surprising panoramas from each of its hairpin bends before arriving at Marina Piccola. Another picturesque itinerary follows Via Madre Serafina, a path part covered and part open that offers extensive views across the town and ends at the Belvedere Cannone

About one hour away

Further afield

This text of this article is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0. It has been slightly modified to fit the general design of this website. The authors of this document are Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel, Evan Prodromou and the following WikiTravel users: Cjensen, Elgaard, Huttite, Jonboy, Maj, Mark, Mimmo46, Pz-engl, Simone. The original version of this article can be seen at http://wikitravel.org/en/Ischia.