Looking for quick tips to plan your next trip Ischia and Procida Islands? Check out our Itinerary and some practical info that can be useful to inspire you in organize your travel!
our itinerary in a nutshell
Day 1 – Ischia North: San Montano beach– Gardens La Mortella – Punta Imperatore’s Lighthouse - Forio and sunset from Church of Soccorso
Day 2 – Trekking to Piano Liguori and Punta San Pancrazio – Campagnano Lookout
Day 3 – Ischia South: Beach of Maronti– Trekking to Mount Epomeo –Serrara Fontana Viepoint – Sant’Angelo – Aragonese Castle
Day 4 - Procida (see below all our stops). Our choice: Caremar fast boat from Ischia at 10.15 am and for the return to Ischia the Caremar ferry at 6.45 pm. The travel from Ischia takes about 20/30 min depending on the type of boat
Top Things to see in Ischia
-Gardens La Mortella, green oasis, perfect for relaxing among thousands of varieties of plants and flowers, fountains and panoramic views on the coast.
The garden is open only on Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 7pm (ticket 12 euros); consider at least 2 hours for the visit because the garden is quite big.
-Punta Imperatore’s Lighthouse: the road to get there by scooter is a bit bumpy, but don't be discouraged, continue and from there you will have an amazing view of the coastline and the village of Forio!
-The colorful seaside village of Forio
As suggested by our friend @wanderlustfrankie, the best time to arrive here is in the late afternoon to taste also the famous Zingara ischitana (a kind of very tasty hot sandwich) at Tiratardi and enjoy the sunset at the White Church of Soccorso
-Trekking to Piano Liguori and Punta San Pancrazio
The trail starts from the Belvedere of Campagnano from which you have an awesome view on the Aragonese Castle, Procida, Capri and the entire Gulf of Naples!
The path (n. 501) is about 10km long (round trip) - 4/5 hours
This trekking is of medium difficulty and it is scenic with amazing views on the South / East coast of the island.
Wear suitable shoes because especially the second part of the path up to Punta San Pancrazio is slippery
At the panoramic bar /restaurant in Piano Liguori, enjoy the view on Punta San Pancrazio from the above and try the juice made with local lemon and orange: excellent!
-Trekking to Monte Epomeo 789 m : from the summit you will enjoy the 360° view on Ischia Island and in the clearer days up to Circeo and Ponza Island!
The path starts from the parking at the base of Mount Epomeo above Serrara Fontana village. The trail is suitable for everyone and from here in about 30/40 min you reach the summit.
Alternatively, you can start the trail from the villages of Serrara Fontana or Forio, but the path becomes much longer and difficult
At the base of Mount Epomeo, there is a refuge / restaurant with a panoramic terrace: so if you will be there at the right time, it is the ideal place for lunch!
- Sant’ Angelo, the most chic seaside village in Ischia with its colorful houses overlooking the sea and in front of a promontory
A delicious ice cream in Sant’Angelo? Try the flavor Pesto di Pistacchio at the artisan ice cream shop in front of the promontory on the marina (you cannot wrong there is only this one facing the sea!)
-The Aragonese Castle…the symbol of Ischia!
The complex is visitable and open every day from 9 to 20.30 - ticket 12 euros per person: consider about 2 hours for the visit. In addition to the castle, you can visit various churches, the prisons and above enjoy an amazing view on the Gulf of Naples, Procida and Capri
If you have more time in Ischia, do not miss also:
- Trekking to the Baia della Sgarrupata
- The thermal parks in Ischia: Poseidon Thermal Gardens and La Sorgente di Nitrodi
- The tour of the island by boat
Top Things to see in Procida:
-La Corricella: the colorful village overlooking the sea: the symbol of Procida.
To see it from above, just before arriving to the village of Terra Murata you will find a panoramic terrace with cannons from which you can enjoy an incomparable view. Here you can also see the Monastery of Santa Margherita overlooking the sea, which unfortunately we could only see from distance because it was closed for restoration.
For a fabulous ice cream, we suggest you to go to Chiaro di Luna!
- Terra Murata, the ancient village on the hill. From here you will enjoy a wonderful view on Corricella and the Gulf of Naples. Definitely worth to be visited is the small but frescoed Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo
-Viewpoint of Elsa Morante, for a spectacular view of the black beach of Chiaia, La Corricella and Terra Murata
-Beaches: Dark Beach of Pozzo Vecchio; Black beach of Chiaia (reachable by boat from the Corricella or on foot with a staircase of 200 steps from piazza Olmo) - Dark beach (of volcanic origin)of Chiaiolella overlooking the islet of Vivara
- Islet of Vivara connected to the Santa Margherita bridge: a natural reserve that cannot be visited inside
- Punta di Solchiaro, the most southern point of Procida crossed by a characteristic road between villas with gardens overlooking the sea, nature and suggestive views on the south coast of Procida
-The tour of the island by boat, to see the island from the sea
INFO PRATICHE
Ferries/Fast Boats to reach Ischia from Naples or Pozzuoli: Caremar and Medmar (for more info check the official websites https://shop.caremar.it/it/acquista/ and https://www.medmargroup.it/)
Ischia has 2 ports: Ischia Porto and Casamicciola
- Ferries/Fast Boats to reach Procida: from Ischia only Caremar and from Pozzuoli Naples both Caremar or Medmar
- Best period for the visit: May / June or September / October
- Campsites in Ischia: Camping Paluba a couple of km from Ischia Porto and Aragonese Castle (the position is good, but the quality of services is quite low); Camping Mirage overlooking the beach of Maronti (much better in terms of services and views, but a little out of the way)
- Transports in Ischia: the island is quite large so the best way to explore it is to rent a scooter like we did ( at the beginning of June the cost is about 30 euros per day). At the port of Ischia, but also in the main villages there are many rentals. Alternatively, there are buses or for short distances the taxis.
- Transports in Procida: the island is quite small but with lot of ups and downs and the beaches tend to be far from the 2 main centers (Terra Murata and Corricella), so we recommend renting a scooter or a e-bike upon arrival at the port as we did (a scooter at the beginning of June costs about 30 euros per day and an electric bike 20 euros).
- Sweet or savory breaks: try the Zingara lschitana (a kind of very tasty hot sandwich) from Tiratardi in Forio (thanks @wanderlust_franky for the tip!); the best ice creams: in Ischia in Sant 'Angelo at the artisan ice cream shop in front of the marina (try the flavor Pesto di Pistacchio ) and in Procida at Corricella from Chiaro di Luna; for the sfogliatelle at the port of Ischia go to Mirabella Pasticceria
Nearby Ischia and Procida Islands, it surely deserves a visit also Capri Island and in this area do not miss Naples, Vesuvius National Park (Volcano), Pompei and Ercolano, the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Salerno, Pestum, the Royal Palace of Caserta, Palinuro and many others places... Campania is a region full of beauties! Check our gallery on IG @2intour as well as the dedicated articles on our blog to to find lots of info and contents on all these places!
To discover more about Ischia and Procida have a look to our posts and stories dated July/Aug 2021 on our Instagram page @2intour
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