Ischia: Italy's island with the best beaches
We’re sorry to disappoint, but the secret’s finally out. For years the beauteous little volcanic island of Ischia managed to evade the spotlight thanks to its close, glitzy neighbour Capri. With anti-trend hotspots firmly on the travel agenda, that’s changing. What sets this isolated rock apart from the competition? It’s a question of substance and that ghastly overused word, “authenticity.” Capri will always be the pretty one – the view from the Via Krupp and the Faraglioni as seen from La Fontalina are starlet gold – and the island of Procida took recent fame as Europe’s 2022 culture capital, but when it comes to a rugged, fuss-free throwback, Ischia wins hands down.
Here, fancy hotels are juxtaposed with scenes of Italian nonnas hanging out laundry, religious street parades and zooming Vespas. It’s wondrously idyllic. Unlike all the other islands in these parts, you don’t have to dig deep to find a dose of the real Italy. And now, finally, Ischia is finally having its moment. Ischia folk are notoriously proud of their homeland, so much in fact they’ve set up a conglomerate Ischia Is More to scream and shout about how great their island is and draw travellers in. With countless wellness spas, natural thermal pools, smart hotels, lush vineyards and surreal gardens, Ischia is near the perfect chill antidote to the glitzy pull of Amalfitana. Here are the best things to do, from eats to hikes and all the bubbling hot springs in between.
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@giada_marianiWhere to stay
Mezzatorre Hotel
Say ciao to the hotel that put Ischia on the map. From the moment it re-opened under the uber-tasteful eye of Marie-Louise Sciò, it became a magnet to the Italian glitterati. Like its sister hotels Il Pellicano in coastal Tuscany and La Posta Vecchia in Ladispoli, The Mezzatorre is a throwback to la dolce vita at its finest. “I was blown away by the beauty of Ischia. It took my breath away. It is a magical island, a happy island, a true and fascinating island. Like Ischia there are few in Italy,” Schio tells us. Almost an ode to Slim Aarons, the hotel has everything you’d expect from an Italian escape: glittering waters, a thermal spa, craggy coast, chic restaurants, and beach umbrellas to die for. The celebrities – from J Lo to Angela and Margherita Missoni and influencer Sophia Roe – are all major fans, too. Perched on a cliff, the 16th-century Moorish-style former watchtower enjoys a quirky Wes Anderson-esque mise-en-scene with stunning panoramas of the Bay of Naples and the most sought-after suites the island has to offer. Restaurant La Baia, overlooking Mezzatorre’s private bay, guarantees the finest slice of Campania cuisine.
Address: Mezzatorre Hotel, via Mezzatorre, 23/d, 80075 Forio NA, Italy
Albergo il Monastero
The concept of staying in a hotel inside a castle is pretty cool, right? Ridiculously atmospheric and impeccably stylish, boutique chic gets a medieval schooling courtesy of Albergo il Monastero. Atop a craggy outcrop, vaulted ceilings and storied walls give the monastic digs that extra tinge of wow factor. Former owner Gabriele Mattera’s modern art pieces sprawl the walls and slick contemporary décor numbers help bring things into the 21st century. Rooms – once the cells of monks – are small and modest, and dare we say it, a little too on the Game of Thrones side, but they are refreshingly simple nonetheless. Its biggest asset comes courtesy of its restaurant, the dazzlingly romantic Cucina del Monastero. The views are heartstring-tugging and the food is light and tasty. Think Caprese salad, fresh bread baked straight from the oven and whatever the hot dish of the day is. Oh, and because you’re staying here, you basically have full reign and access to the castle once all the day tourists are kicked out.
Address: Albergo il Monastero, Ponte Aragonese, 80077 Ischia NA, Italy
L'Albergo della Regina Isabella
Storied hotels don’t really come much better than this. Opened in 1956 by prolific Italian movie producer and publisher Angelo Rizzoli – a man who became transfixed by the island’s thermal baths and paradisal position overlooking the bay – L'Albergo della Regina Isabella once drew in cult Hollywood royalty for decades. Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Clark Gable, and opera diva Maria Callas have all checked in over the years. Its tucked-away location, discretion, and stylish character, especially in the bedrooms, are to thank. Large rooms have majolica ceramic tile floors, all sorts of china nick-nacks and elegant furniture numbers against a backdrop of moody blue walls with curtains and cushions trimmed in shades of magenta velvet. Spa? Of course. The water here is dubbed “hyperthermal” because it flows out from the abyss up to a whopping 77 Celsius. Post dip, all sorts of treatments are on offer from mud baths to massages and dermo cures that will make you feel 20 years younger. There’s also an excellent Michelin-starred restaurant that serves gourmet food and local wines.
Address: L'Albergo della Regina Isabella, Piazza Santa Restituta, 1, 80076 Lacco Ameno NA, Italy
Getty ImagesWhat to do
Castello Aragonese
You might recognise this one from the blockbuster flick Cleopatra. While it remains a firm tourist hotspot thanks to its starring Hollywood role, don’t make that put you off. More than just a castle, this fortress was first built all the way back in 474BC by Syracusan tyrant Gerone I. Much of what you see today survives from the 1400s, raised from the ground by King Alfonso of Aragon who had a thing for bastions, causeways and ramps. Beyond its fortress lies an entire borgo filled with cutesy terrace cafes (the highest with views of Capri) and bars and the odd shop. Elsewhere on the grounds, there’s the rather ghastly and grisly Museo delle Torture home to a collection of medieval torture instruments and the Cattedrale dell’Assunta where Giotto-inspired frescoes run riot in the 11th-century crypt.
Getty ImagesBoat around the island
You are on an island, so naturally, the best way to see it is by boat. Several charters offer all sorts of experiences around the coast that pack in all the sights. If you want to support local, give Joseph and Marco of Giosymar Ischia Charter a call. A family business, they’ll whizz you around all the hotspots pointing out landmarks, restaurants the locals love, hidden coves, genuinely secret beaches, thermal pools and cutesy fishing villages.
Take a dip in the thermal pools
Ischia is Italy’s natural spa island. For centuries people have been flocking to its 103 bubbling volcanic springs to help all kinds of nasty ailments from rheumatism to gout. In fact, the waters here are so seriously good for you that even the Italian public health service directs patients to the island’s therapeutic springs. For remote and raw, spiral on down to Via Sorgeto Natural Hot Spring. It’s rustic, and seculded cove is the star of the show and wades in all sorts to splash headfirst in its healing rock pools, heated from all the nearby bubbling volcanic activity. For something bigger, Spiaggia di Citara Beach packs in the crowds thanks to the Poseidon Thermal Gardens. It’s lido-chic meets wellness with a bit of boutique shopping in between. Others worth checking out are Negombo Hydrothermal Park (12 pools and lush gardens) and Sorgeto, Ischia’s most famous self-care spot where the pools bubble up to 37 degrees year-round. Not far from Serrara Fontana in the shadow of the island’s volcanic cliffs, you’ll stumble on the Cavascura baths, a lovely spot where the thermals are hewn out of the rock. They are so good, in fact, that they have been in continuous use since the days of ancient Rome.
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AlamyGiardini La Mortella
Because plants = wellness. A downright odyssey of greenery festoons every single nook, crack, crevice and bolt imaginable in this stonker of a beautiful giardino, once the former home of British composer William Walton and his Argentine wife, Susan. Inspired by all the fragrant, grandiose Moorish gardens of southern Spain’s Alhambra Palace, it is to many, the finest botanical spectacle in all of Italy thanks to its designer, the once famed Russell Page. Mammoth in size, you can easily spend an entire afternoon traipsing about the place. Tropical spruces and perennials make up much of the lower gardens, while Mediterranean plants and ponds wow in the uppers. Walton's wife is commemorated in a small museum on the way up, and it’s well worth joining the line for a peek of his mightily impressive monument perched at the tippy-top of the garden (his ashes are here, and the views of Forio and the coast are as expected, astounding). La Mortella often hosts chamber-music recitals and concerts, too. Tip: book well in advance.
Hike Mount Epomeo
You don’t have to be a fitness nut to hike it to the top of Ischia’s main attraction, the mighty Monte Epomeo. An ascent of the island’s towering volcanic peak is practically non-negotiable, not just because it’s one to get check marked, but mostly because the views from its summit are downright mind-blowing – the entire stretch of the Amalfi Coast and the bay of Naples. The quickest way to climb it is from the village of Fontana. The path is roughly 2.5km in length and weaves up paved roads, tracks and a steep path. If you don’t fancy going it alone, hit up a private tour. Local guide Marianna Polverino of Ischia Hiking Tours is one of the island’s best and will show you everything from vineyards to cool volcanic vents and all the pretty towns en route.
Getty ImagesTake a day trip to Procida
Until it became last year’s European culture capital, Procida remained a well-kept secret for locals and film stars (Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor…) for yonks. The island is small and as a result, is refreshingly quiet. Pilgrimages generally start with a walk up to the ancient citadel. Here you’ll get one of the best views of the Marina di Corricella (sea of colourful houses included) and have the chance to explore the pretty medieval village of Terra Murata. Palazzo d'Avalos and the crumbling 16th-century Abbey of San Michele are well worth a visit. Come August, the town square is alive with traditional markets, cutesy Fiat cinquecentos and buzzing festivals. Insta-walks along the waterfront are a must to see bobbing fishing boats, patio restaurants, narrow Vespa-choked roads, and come dusk, colour-mad picture-perfect sunsets over the bay. Da Mariano is the hot ticket eat. The laidback seafood restaurant is hugely popular with locals who flock here to gorge on stuffed calamari and spaghetti alle vongole. The fish, including swordfish, is jumping fresh, and you eat looking out over the sea.
Go wild in the vineyards
Ischia isn’t really known the world over as a go-to wine destination, which, in our eyes, is utter sacrilege. There are hundreds of vineyards dotted all about the island that grow top-notch indigenous grapes – Biancolella and Forastera white grapes and Guarnaccia and Per'e' Palummo (Piedirosso) red grapes especially – and thanks to all that volcanic soil, the bottles corked here are some of the tastiest Campania has to offer. Check out bottles from Tommasone, a five-generation family business that’s been producing wine for over 250 years; Cenatiempo, another family affair where Biancolella vines string out some deliciously crisp glasses of Kalimera (a lovely white); and Casa D’Ambra, a vineyard nestled inside a natural amphitheatre overlooking the bay of Citara.
Where to eat and drink
Acropoli Bar at San Montano Resort & Spa
The hotel up in the sky has “date night” written all over it. Sister to buzzy Amalfi outcrop Borgo Santandrea, the laidback terrace dishes out all the wow factor with stunning bay views that look out to all the island’s neighbours and beyond. The décor is a little blast from the past, but there are plenty of love seats to caress, fancy cocktails included. The pizza is excellent and melts in your mouth, too.
Address: Acropoli Bar, Via Nuova Montevico, 26, 80076 Lacco Ameno NA, Italy
Ristorante Indaco at hotel Regina Isabella
You’ll need to book early for this one because it’s the place to go for starry-eyed loved-up couples to go and be seen in. Chef Pasquale Palamaro serves up Michelin-approved dishes to gourmet palettes year-round. The menu is seafood-heavy, and there’s a particular passion for plating up classics with an Ischia-like spin where local ingredients trump Campanian go-tos. It’s all too delicious.
Address: Ristorante Indaco, Piazza Santa Restituta, 1, 80076 Lacco Ameno NA, Italy
La Scanella, Sant’Angelo
Here’s the spot to go if you’re in need of a serious digital detox. Set deep within the island’s craggy coast via a rather perilous but fun natural staircase, La Scanella is where introverted extroverts head to chill, book in one hand and a spritz in the other. Its remoteness is its charm. There’s no phone signal down here whatsoever, and the club enforces a pretty strict silent bathing area where only the crashing waves break the sound waves. Post a dip in the salt pools, and treat your taste buds to lunch with a sea view. Fresh fish – it really is the definition of the word – salads and pasta in the pan are served here, all to the tune of a foodie mantra that preaches simple is best.
Address: La Scanella, Via Scannella Mare, 1, 80075 Panza, frazione di Forio d’Ischia NA, Italy
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Umberto A Mare
It’s all very arty and intimate at this cute little spot in Fori. Request to sit terrace-side for breezy seascapes. The food is typically Mediterranean, from pasta to slick, kaleidoscopic salads and a wine list that exceeds 500 bottles. If you can stand up straight after all the booze, waltz through the hotel and check out all the fine work from local artists, sculptors, and photographers.
Address: Umberto A Mare, d'Ischia, Via del Soccorso, 8, 80075 Forio NA, Italy
La Vigna Di Alberto
Owner Franco di Scala is the third-generation restauranteur behind this historic spot that has brought in punters for decades. Perched up in the hills near Barano, the food is simple and minimal…intentionally, we’re told, to let all of the timeless Italian flavours shine. Expect a lot of seafood, meat and veggies, plus creamy risottos and some seriously good portions of perfectly cooked al dente pasta.
Address: La Vigna Di Alberto, Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 87, 80070 Barano D'ischia NA, Italy
Ristorante La Grotta Epomeo
Pure drama does not get much better than this spot set high above the heavens on Mount Epomeo. A great lunch spot, the whole thing is carved into a tufa on the peak of the mountain and is roughly a three or so hour hike from Sant’ Angelo. Food is as local and fresh as it gets with all the usual suspects from fish to pasta and salads. Wine is a treat, as are the panoramas that stretch all the way out to Maronti beach.
Address: Ristorante La Grotta Epomeo, Via Epomeo, 21, 80070 Serrara Fontana NA, Italy
La Bella Napoli
If you’re done with all the fancy stuff and just want something down-to-earth and casual, La Bella Napoli is the spot to know. Like most things on Ischia, it's a buzzy affair plonked just off the port of Forio. There is lots on offer, but let’s face it, we came here for the pizza and homemade cookies.
Address: La Bella Napoli, Unit 22, Bow Triangle Business Center, Eleanor St, London E3 4UR