Ischia is the largest of the Neapolitan islands and is located in the Gulf of Naples, in a privileged geographical position. For the beauty of its landscape, its enchanting beaches, its luxuriant pine forests, the vineyards, the chestnut and citrus groves, it has been defined "THE GREEN ISLAND".
Without doubt the most famous postcard on the island of Ischia. It is located at the end of the characteristic village of Ischia Ponte connected to the mainland by a stone isthmus commissioned by Alfonso V of Aragon. A comfortable lift takes you to the top of the structure just below the Maschio (which cannot be visited). The view is breathtaking, as are the remains of the Assumption Cathedral, the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the cemetery of the Poor Clares. The Aragonese Castle can be visited all year round, although in summer, between theatrical visits and cultural reviews, there is much more excitement. Make a note of the appointment at the end of June with the Ischia Film Festival.
Together with the Aragonese Castle, the Soccorso church is the other undisputed icon of the island of Ischia. It is located in Forio, overlooking the sea and a stone's throw from the historic center. It is a Mediterranean church, with very simple lines, without great works of art, yet the setting in which it is inserted is truly unique in the world. It is no coincidence that several weddings are celebrated during the summer. The church is almost always open, while the museum set up in the sacristy is more rarely open. If it can be visited, I highly recommend visiting it. Inside there are numerous "ex votos" with giant vessels and paintings with shipwreck scenes, testifying to the deep devotion of Ischia's fishermen. The churchyard all around is also wonderful, with a view of the sea and the infinite sunsets of the western side of the island.
The Poseidon Terme Gardens are located in Forio, at the bottom of the beautiful bay of Citara. Open from mid-April until October, they are one of the tourist excellences of the island of Ischia, ideal for spending a wonderful day immersed in the lush greenery of the Punta Imperatore hill. Twenty-two swimming pools (two of which, plus the Olympic pool, also suitable for children) without forgetting direct access to the sea complete with an equipped beach. In short, the thirty and more euros of the cost of the ticket (excluding catering) are absolutely well spent. The top.
In Ischia there are not only the Poseidon Gardens. Negombo is certainly worth a visit (from mid-April to the end of October). It is located in Lacco Ameno and in addition to being a popular spa park, it is also a location for concerts, theater and cabaret performances. Every summer famous celebrities from the entertainment world perform: songwriters, actors and well-known TV faces (the late Pino Daniele also performed here). Even Negombo, like the Poseidons, has a part of the beach in concession (San Montano, see photo). The cost of an umbrella with a sunbed and deckchair is a little higher than the average (alternatively there is a free beach) even if the shallow water, well beyond the shore, is ideal if you travel with the whole family . Recommended.
At the beginning we mentioned the Archaeological Museum of Pithecusae, one of the most important ceramic museums in Campania, set up inside that Villa Arbusto which was the private residence of the knight Angelo Rizzoli senior. The most important find of all is undoubtedly the Cup of Nestor, a small vase with a lateral incision that represents one of the oldest examples of Greek alphabetic writing, even contemporary with Homeric texts. In the Museum, of course, there is also a room dedicated to the Milanese publisher who, with his investments, was the main architect of the tourist revival of the island of Ischia immediately after the Second World War. The museum is open all year round.
Those who stop at the Aragonese Castle inevitably also visit Ischia Ponte. In Sant’Angelo, on the other hand, you have to go there on purpose. This seaside village, in fact, evokes a feeling of separateness, located as it is at the southern end of the island of Ischia, at the end of a long and winding descent. Sant’Angelo is a splendid testimony of Mediterranean architecture. The pastel colors of the houses, the marina, the square with the boutiques and the restaurants have for years been worth the well-deserved comparison to Capri. The suggestion is to also see the Madonnella, the upper part of the village from which one arrives at the Maronti beach or, if desired, on the Serrara Fontana viewpoint (municipality to which it is administratively part).
