Top Ten Italian Islands
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 20 October 2023
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The Top Ten Italian Islands provide some of the most spectacular scenery, beautiful beaches and historic sights that Italy can muster.
Away from the beautiful cities on the mainland and the rugged hills of the interior, the Italian Islands offer a heady mixture of holiday destinations where you can slouch on a beach for a few weeks and beautiful landscapes, often gilded by the aquamarine colour of the sea. I've personally visited more than sixty Italian islands and it was with a very heavy heart that I omitted those remaining 50 or so that didn't quite make the list. |
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The selections below are not based on size or population, just my personal feeling of which ones offer the most for a visit or have a certain, unique charm about them. How can you say that one island is better than another? The answer is, that nobody can because it's all a matter of opinion and I have to say, that on a different day I could quite easily have come up with ten completely different selections in a different order. Each of the 62 islands that I've visited have something special to offer which was the very reason for visiting them in the first place.
At the end of this page once the number one island in Italy has been revealed, I'll briefly mention some of the islands that didn't quite make the list but I should add a few caveats before continuing. Firstly, Italy has two "island regions" of Sicily and Sardinia. They are of course islands, but I haven't included either of them on this particular list. If I had, they would most certainly have come in at number one and number two respectively because they're so much bigger than all the others and have so much more to offer as a result.
Both Sardinia and Sicily are covered in greater detail on the hundreds of pages dedicated to them on this website and their fame is well-established. The purpose of this list is to showcase some of the smaller islands that you might not have heard of along with some of the household names but of the smaller variety. That said, both Sicily and Sardinia are represented on this list by three of their own islands.
The other thorny issue was whether or not to include Venice as an island. Well, it most certainly is an island and it would run Sardinia and Sicily close for number one spot but again, Venice features so heavily throughout this website, particularly on the lists of Major Italian Cities and Top Ten Cities of Italy that it felt wrong to include it here as well. However, whilst Venice isn't on the list below, one of the islands of the Venetian Lagoon is. There are 118 islands in the Lagoon alone so if it's the best of those, you know it's worthy of its place.
So here, without further ado and with tin-hat firmly on head, I present to you my list of Top Ten Italian Islands.
At the end of this page once the number one island in Italy has been revealed, I'll briefly mention some of the islands that didn't quite make the list but I should add a few caveats before continuing. Firstly, Italy has two "island regions" of Sicily and Sardinia. They are of course islands, but I haven't included either of them on this particular list. If I had, they would most certainly have come in at number one and number two respectively because they're so much bigger than all the others and have so much more to offer as a result.
Both Sardinia and Sicily are covered in greater detail on the hundreds of pages dedicated to them on this website and their fame is well-established. The purpose of this list is to showcase some of the smaller islands that you might not have heard of along with some of the household names but of the smaller variety. That said, both Sicily and Sardinia are represented on this list by three of their own islands.
The other thorny issue was whether or not to include Venice as an island. Well, it most certainly is an island and it would run Sardinia and Sicily close for number one spot but again, Venice features so heavily throughout this website, particularly on the lists of Major Italian Cities and Top Ten Cities of Italy that it felt wrong to include it here as well. However, whilst Venice isn't on the list below, one of the islands of the Venetian Lagoon is. There are 118 islands in the Lagoon alone so if it's the best of those, you know it's worthy of its place.
So here, without further ado and with tin-hat firmly on head, I present to you my list of Top Ten Italian Islands.
10: Favignana - Sicily
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So after everything I said about Sicily not being on this list, where do we go first? Yes that's right, the island of Favignana in Sicily!
Favignana is one of the three Aegadian Islands just off the coast of Trapani in north-western Sicily. This island can boast some of the most dazzling azure waters of anywhere in Italy and as such, Favignana's beaches are among the most popular. Sicilians and international travellers alike make a bee-line for Favignana as soon as the sun comes out to enjoy beautiful bays and beaches such as Bue Marino, Cala Rossa and Cala Azzurra. It also has a smart port area and can be explored on foot or with a bike. |
Bue Marino Beach, Favignana
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9. Procida - Campania
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Lying just off the coast of Naples and recently voted Italy's Capital of Culture for 2022, the island of Procida is set for something of a Renaissance. It's likely that you haven't heard of its most famous sight but there's a much better chance that you've seen photos of it. The polychromatic display from the little fishing port of Marina Corricella adorns the cover of many a guide book to southern Italy.
There are certain attributes that some Italian islands have and "sleepy" is one of those. Well if sleepy is what you're looking for, sleepy's what you'll get with Procida where the pace of life is slow but the welcome is full of warmth. You can reach Procida from the main ports in Naples or from Pozzuoli, just outside the city. |
Marina Corricella, Procida
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8. Burano - Venetian Lagoon
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With something like 118 islands in the Venetian Lagoon, including the amazing Venice itself, it's hard to stand out among the crowd but that's precisely what the wonderful island of Burano does.
The island's population of around two thousand for many years based their economy on the lace industry and there are still traces of that past on the island such as a museum-school and dozens of shops where you can buy the best examples. However, the original trade on Burano was based around fishing and the fishermen used to paint their houses in bright colours so they'd always be able to see them while they were out on the Lagoon. The array of colours on Burano is astounding and it even has its own leaning tower. |
Burano, Venetian Lagoon
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7. Asinara - Sardinia
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There's so much I like about Asinara that's impossible to explain in this little box. Its overall charm is based around how quirky it is.
You can reach the island by ferry from the ports of Stintino or Porto Torres on the Sardinian mainland and on that mini voyage you're accompanied by the small number of people that work on the island. It has one permanent resident of the human variety but there's no doubt that the local donkey population are the dominant factor here, along with horses and goats, all of whom roam freely. Asinara is officially a national park with some of the most beautiful landscapes in Italy but also boasts a curious, abandoned prison. |
Asinara, Sardinia
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6. Lampedusa - Sicily
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Sicily's second entry on the list is the island of Lampedusa. It's the main island of the group of three known as the Pelagie Islands which share the distinction of being closer to Africa than Italy. This proximity to the African coastline has been the cause of much controversy and media coverage with Lampedusa the island that refugees always head for as it's the closest within Italian waters.
That negative coverage puts off so many people which is a tragedy because this really is a beautiful island with a quite staggering collection of beaches. The most famous of those is the Spiaggia dei Conigli which regularly wins best beach in Italy awards. A leap of faith past the negative publicity is handsomely rewarded here. |
Spiaggia dei Conigli, Lampedusa
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5. Ponza - Lazio
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Standing proudly just off the Tyrrhenian Coast in the region of Lazio, the island of Ponza is a favourite getaway for Romans who flee the boiling hot city during summer weekends and often choose it as their summer holiday destination.
Taking a ferry across from one of the half dozen or so ports on the Italian mainland, you're welcomed by one of the prettiest ports in Italy with its rows of multi-coloured houses and a place for which the word "bustling" might have been invented during the summer. Around the edges of Ponza are some of the most beautiful beaches such as Cala Feola while its main sight is the Chiaia di Luna bay. |
Chiaia di Luna, Ponza
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4. Giglio - Tuscany
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The English translation of Giglio is Lilly and that name perfectly fits this pretty island in the Tuscan Archipelago. In a slightly different way to Lampedusa, it received some unwanted media attention when through no fault of its own it was the scene of the Costa Concordia disaster in 2012 when a huge cruise liner ran aground off its shores.
That blot on the landscape has long been cleared and the peaceful island has returned to normality. Taking the ferry across from Porto Santo Stefano on the mainland you're met by a colourful port from which you can take a scenic hike to two of Italy's best beaches which are side by side: Cala delle Caldane and Cala delle Cannelle. |
Cala delle Caldane Beach, Giglio
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3. Capri - Campania
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There's no questioning which of these ten islands is the most popular or the most chic. Inundated with tourists every day of the summer season, the island of Capri has sought ways to restrict the numbers of visitors in recent years as it's becoming overwhelmed.
It's easy to understand why as well: Capri seems to carry that "chic" tag and it's absolutely a favourite destination of VIPs who like to shop in its expensive boutiques on Via Camerelle but it's the natural beauty of the island that put it on the map in the first place. Natural wonders such as the amazing Blue Grotto and iconic Faraglioni rocks are joined by the imposing Mount Solaro. |
Villa Lysis, Capri
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2. Elba - Tuscany
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If ever an island's name was attached to that of one person, it's Elba where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled for nine months in 1814 before escaping the next year. Elba is the main focus of the Tuscan Archipelago group of islands which is also a national park and it certainly would have been with a heavy heart that he left.
For many years Elba's economy was based around the mining industry and there are vestiges of this past around the island with disused mining apparatus now proudly displayed as part of its heritage. In the late 20th century and early part of the new century Elba has managed to reinvent itself as a holiday island with an incredible collection of around 80 beautiful beaches. |
Biodola Beach, Elba
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1. Ischia - Campania
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And so we arrive at the number one Italian island: Ischia. When I first visited this island I had never heard of it before but as soon as I caught my first glimpse of the Castello Aragonese fortress I couldn't understand how or why its beauty had escaped me.
The further you explore Ischia the more you realise it's a truly special place, kissed by the sun and blessed by the Gods with some wonderful gifts. The volcanic activity has bubbling away under the island for millennia and produces not only mud with healing properties, but naturally heated water that has its own therapeutic qualities and also forms the basis of a series of thermal parks. All this and around 20 great beaches, six towns and a mountain! |
Castello Aragonese, Ischia
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So well done Ischia, a worthy winner of this award and the subject of the cover photo of this website. Producing this list of ten was very difficult although the first place position was the easy part as Ischia's charms have been working on me from the very moment I started working on this project in 2012.
The islands that caused my heart to be heavy with their omission were many and I could easily have included the likes of beautiful Linosa, another of the Pelagie Islands that Lampedusa belongs to. Linosa's brightly coloured houses and its remote location really appeal to me on a personal level and the only reason it didn't make the list is that it's slightly difficult to reach. I should also give a mention to the island of Tavolara in Sardinia which is not only beautiful with its dinosaur-shaped mountain and crystal clear waters, but it can also boast a royal family in its total population of 20. Most of that royal family work in the restaurant trade which I think is brilliant.
I've put together a comprehensive section of Italian Islands on the website and there are another 50 or so not mention above that I would urge you to visit if you have the time and opportunity.
The Top Ten on Friday feature will produce another list next Friday so keep an eye on the Italy Review Blog page for that or follow it on Facebook to be alerted as soon as it's posted.
The islands that caused my heart to be heavy with their omission were many and I could easily have included the likes of beautiful Linosa, another of the Pelagie Islands that Lampedusa belongs to. Linosa's brightly coloured houses and its remote location really appeal to me on a personal level and the only reason it didn't make the list is that it's slightly difficult to reach. I should also give a mention to the island of Tavolara in Sardinia which is not only beautiful with its dinosaur-shaped mountain and crystal clear waters, but it can also boast a royal family in its total population of 20. Most of that royal family work in the restaurant trade which I think is brilliant.
I've put together a comprehensive section of Italian Islands on the website and there are another 50 or so not mention above that I would urge you to visit if you have the time and opportunity.
The Top Ten on Friday feature will produce another list next Friday so keep an eye on the Italy Review Blog page for that or follow it on Facebook to be alerted as soon as it's posted.
