Ischia, Italy: Grand Escape From Civilisation

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Ischia, the Green Island, rises from the azure waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea and it is the largest of the three islands off the Naples Coast (the other two being Capri and Procida). The town of the same name is the major port town for the island, and it has beautiful beaches and spas with healing waters.

The town is divided into two parts: Porto – the harbor district and the commercial center of the island with a lot of brightly lit taverns and bars; and Ponte – the historic quarter with ancient castle and stone paved streets that seem to have frozen in time.

Even though the island has been looted and abused many times in the past, it is full of beauty, energy and history. Its richness in natural resources provides it with an abiding beauty and attraction. The volcanic island has a unique supply of hot springs, volcanic mud, minerals and spas.

It is a center of well being and visitors find it a haven for recovery. It is located just a few miles across the sea from the energy-charged, busy streets of Naples, but its serenity makes it look like as if it is a million miles away.

Castello Aragonese in Ischia, Italy

The island has three commercial and tourist ports, and two pleasure boats’ ports. It enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate with dry, hot summers and mild winters.

A Little Bit Of History

Like its climate and natural properties, this island’s history is rich and varied with many owners and sub owners, who seized the island.

The island of Procida with its rainbow colors

The Greeks were the first settlers during the 8th century BC. The volcano was active in the ancient times and possibly its original inhabitants had abandoned it after an eruption.

The list of invaders is long and some of them are the Neapolitans, Heruli, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Saracens and Normans. Alfonso V of Aragon reconstructed the Greek ancient fort in 1441, and it became the setting for many fights and power transfers from the hands of Durres to Anjou, and then the Bourbons, French and the English.

The view of the port and the old town

Some of the famous festivals and events on the island are Festa della Ndrezzata, Foreign Film Festival, International Festival of Classic Music, Festa di Sant’Anna, White Night and Vinischia.