Islands of Campania
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 20 November 2023
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The three main islands of Campania are among the most popular holiday destinations in Italy and add to what is a mind-boggling array of sights in the region.
If the seaside town of Sorrento with its nearby archaeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum isn't quite for you, or if the dramatic scenery of the Amalfi Coast doesn't set your pulse racing, then Campania also has these three extraordinary islands up its sleeve. In reality, the islands of Ischia, Capri and Procida have become firm fixtures on the established itinerary of the region's best sights. |
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Ischia
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The island of Ischia is the third most populous island in Italy, behind only Sicily and Sardinia which are much larger. Ischia's sixty thousand or so inhabitants occupy a space of 46 km² which is dominated at its centre by the imposing Mount Epomeo.
Ischia has a verdant-tinge as a result of the mountain which is made from a type volcanic rock called tufa. As a result, it's known to many as the Isola Verde or Green Island which only gives a hint towards its natural wonders. Thousands of years before the word tourism even existed. the Romans came to Ischia to heal themselves after battle, taking advantage of the thermal water that bubbles up under the island's surface. |
Castello Aragonese, Ischia
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That thermal water is now an integral part of the island's economy with a series of thermal water parks welcoming visitors during the summer. It's a particularly favourite spot with northern Europeans during the early part of spring when it's sunny but still not too hot too enjoy the many hiking trails around the interior.
However, it's really during the summer when the island most comes to life with around twenty sandy beaches to choose from and an enormous number of accommodation options. There are half a dozen official municipalities in Ischia as well, with a great selection of restaurants and shops. You can get around using the island's bus network, hire cars, scooters or taxis while the most enjoyable way to see Ischia is from the water; either by renting a boat or getting someone to drive one for you. The most famous sight on the island is the iconic Castello Aragonese in Ischia Ponte, one of the most beautiful castles in Italy and full of history.
However, it's really during the summer when the island most comes to life with around twenty sandy beaches to choose from and an enormous number of accommodation options. There are half a dozen official municipalities in Ischia as well, with a great selection of restaurants and shops. You can get around using the island's bus network, hire cars, scooters or taxis while the most enjoyable way to see Ischia is from the water; either by renting a boat or getting someone to drive one for you. The most famous sight on the island is the iconic Castello Aragonese in Ischia Ponte, one of the most beautiful castles in Italy and full of history.
Capri
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The island of Capri lies just a stone's throw from the Sorrento Peninsula on the Italian mainland, although to really make that statement true requires a stone-thrower of hitherto unseen capabilities with a distance of five kilometres to cover.
If you had to choose a set of words that best describe Capri then you might choose the likes of glamour, VIP or chic. It has become very much the playground of the rich and famous over the years and that trail has been followed by the hordes of tourists who converge on the island every summer. Every morning the busy port of Marina Grande receives new arrivals from Naples, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi, with most of them staying just for the day. |
Faraglioni, Capri
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Most attention gets lavished on Capri's most famous sight: the legendary Blue Grotto which is of quite exquisite beauty and accessible by a tiny hole on the island's rocky coast. The bustling Marina Grande is a buzz of activity and its through here that the majority of people flow as they make their way up to the main town using the funicular railway system.
That main town is called Capri and its here where you start to understand why the high-rollers like the island: aside from the people-watching extravaganza to be had in the little Piazzetta, there's a shopping street called Via Camerelle where you feel like you need to take out a loan just to peek at the windows. Some of Italy's most famous luxury hotels can be found around this area, along with a few more modest sights such as the pretty Augustus Gardens and the Certosa di San Giacomo. In some ways it's unfortunate that Capri has that association with the wealthy as when you strip away all of those trappings, you're left with a quite majestic natural jewel. For many people Capri is at its best in the evenings when the day-trippers have gone and you can start to soak up its real beauty.
That main town is called Capri and its here where you start to understand why the high-rollers like the island: aside from the people-watching extravaganza to be had in the little Piazzetta, there's a shopping street called Via Camerelle where you feel like you need to take out a loan just to peek at the windows. Some of Italy's most famous luxury hotels can be found around this area, along with a few more modest sights such as the pretty Augustus Gardens and the Certosa di San Giacomo. In some ways it's unfortunate that Capri has that association with the wealthy as when you strip away all of those trappings, you're left with a quite majestic natural jewel. For many people Capri is at its best in the evenings when the day-trippers have gone and you can start to soak up its real beauty.
Procida
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In the same way that you've heard music by artists you've never heard of, it's likely that you've seen photos of Procida without realising where it is. It lies no more than a few kilometres to the east of its larger neighbour Ischia and a 40 minute hydrofoil journey from Naples. Of the three islands in the Gulf of Naples, it's the least known but that might be about to change a little bit.
Depending on when you read this, Procida either will be, is or was the Italian Capital of Culture for 2022 which comes with a heavy burst of publicity and all kinds of cultural events. For most of the time Procida is the definition of "sleepy", best typified perhaps by its starring role in the classic Italian film Il Postino (1994). |
Marina Corricella, Procida
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As you walk around the island there is no shortage of references to the film with bars and beaches named after it, but these are just a few little cultural appetisers before the main course of Procida's most famous sight. If you've seen a photo of Procida then there's every chance that photo was of the polychromatic Marina Corricella. A steep but brief walk up to the Terra Murata rewards you with the most stunning view of the marina where you can pick out all the little houses that are tightly clustered together with the island of Capri in the distance creating a mouth-watering backdrop.
