CNN — A quietly idyllic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Ischia offers a heartwarming dose of Italian beauty, spirit and hospitality, with a generous splash of nostalgia for the Italy of yesteryear.
Here, five-star hotels and luxurious thermal springs are juxtaposed with scenes of Italian grandmothers hanging out laundry, religious street parades, and kids strapped on the back of adults zooming by on Vespas. Its unspoiled beaches have long been popular with Italians, but international visitors were more likely to be drawn to the glitzier shores of nearby Capri or the Amalfi Coast.
Ischia, however, still has something which its more polished neighbors perhaps lack. You don’t need to dig deep here to find the real Italy. Ischia is a little less manufactured, a little more in-your-face and ultimately, that little more authentic.And now, finally, it’s having a moment. The rise of what Italians call “the green island” has gone a little something like this.
Firstly, its famous tufa rocks, narrow streets and bougainvillea-draped landscapes became one of the backdrops for Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels, global bestsellers turned hit TV show. Then came investment and the promise of bigger things to come when the luxury Pellicano Hotels group took over the island’s five-star Mezzatorre Hotel and Spa. And finally there’s the new Ischia is More campaign, driven by a community of local hotels and businesses who are keen to revive the island’s fortunes after a tough two years for tourism. Michele Sambaldi, the group’s president and Pellicano’s managing director, says it wants to position “Ischia as one of Italy’s most prestigious destinations while attracting and retaining the international jet-set.” Here’s what the island has to offer, all year round.
Sunsets, views and thermal waters
The beauty of Ischia is that the landscape and traditions change from town to town, so you can have a different experience each time you visit. Ischia Porto is hustle and bustle and the commercial heart, while nearby Ischia Ponte has an old-world vibe. Casamicciola Terme sits on the northern coast and has the largest concentration of thermal springs, while Barano di Ischia is best known for Maronti beach, the island’s biggest. Lacco Ameno, with its pretty marina, and Forio, with its picturesque old town, are perhaps two of the most charming towns. The island has several not-to-be-missed sights, including the medieval Aragonese Castlewhich sits on its own volcanic rock formation accessed by footbridge.
