It's not a secret anymore, Ischia. Often overshadowed by its more popular neighbor, Capri, the island of Ischia and its closer neighbor, Procida, are down to earth and layered with personality. They are lived in, literally. Ischia has a population of about sixty thousand residents who live year-round on the island, significantly more than Capri with only about fifteen thousand, and this contrast shows. When you step foot onto Capri, you get a manicured reality, polished for the summer vacationers. Ischia, not so much. Vacationers are absolutely welcome and the island offers a well-crafted hospitality experience, but you do not have the right of way.
The island is lush, very lush—subtropical-like. Like the other islands in the Bay of Naples, Ischia is a volcano. Clouds gather at the peak and, unlike most of Southern Italy, it rains. The wine from Ischia is fantastic. Mostly white, and the Casa d'Ambra family are friends of the family. Heck, Sara used to work for us! Drink their wine, drink all the wine.
The island is big—keep that in mind when planning your days. It would take about 1 1/2, even 2 hours to drive the entire island. There can be traffic, and the roads can be windy, especially if you're driving into the hills. That said, you will want to explore the entire island. There are so many hidden beaches, beach bars, thermal baths, restaurants, bars, snacks—you don't even need a list. But there are a few bad places also, and it's nice to have a lay of the land and an idea of what to expect. You don't have to do it all. Pick a few places, go again, become regulars—you live there now.
Google Map Saving Instructions:
This map can be viewed in your mobile map, but it will not live there. Add and save the locations to your stars by following the this link and processing add to map
