Ischia is a volcanic island situated in the Gulf of Naples, Italy. Boasting abundant natural beauty, Ischia is well known for its thermal spas and iconic sites like the medieval Aragonese castle. Follow this travel guide to discover useful information about the Island’s best accommodation, transport options, activities and more.
Guest Post by Harper Reid
Climate
Ischia enjoys a climate of long, hot summers and mild winters. On average, August is the hottest month. Unsurprisingly, this is the time of year when tourism in Ischia is at its peak. To avoid the crowds, you can visit during the cooler months of June or September when there is usually more space at thermal parks and beaches.
Where to Stay
Hotel Accommodation
Ischia has a wide variety of accommodation options for all budgets and requirements. For those with a higher budget, the island has an excellent choice of luxurious five-star hotels. Some standouts include San Montano Resort and Spa, Grand Hotel Excelsior Terme, and Hotel Mare Blu Terme. However, even the Island’s lower budget hotels are still of high quality and provide exceptional service, so wherever you go, you’re bound to have an enjoyable stay.
Self-Catering Accommodation
If you’d prefer something more private, Ischia also offers a great selection of self-catering accommodation. This may include vacation villa rentals, private apartment rentals, holiday homes and residencies.
Places to Visit
Iconic Sites
As the most famous of Ischia’s sights, the Castello Aragonese medieval castle is a must see. This beautiful, historic castle dates back almost 2,500 years when it was built by Hiero I of Syracuse. It sits on a volcanic rock that is connected to the island by a causeway, boasting breathtaking scenic views of Ischia. The castle also features its very own Torture Museum, which offers profound insight into the castle’s past.
The Pilastri Aqueduct is another one of Ischia’s most historic landmarks. The Aqueduct dates back to the sixteenth century, when it was built to help fix the shortage of water in the Village of Celsa (now known as Ischia Ponte). You can get incredible views of the aqueduct from the Piano Liguori area, where you’ll truly be able to appreciate its full size and scale.
Botanic Gardens
Ischia has several beautiful, picturesque gardens that are open to the public. La Mortella is perhaps the most well-known public garden on the Island. Here you’ll enjoy a wonderful, unique combination of colourful plant life and music. The garden is open to visitors on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between the hours of 09:00-19:00.
The Ravino Garden is also worth visiting. It's beautiful, sunny location overlooks the bay of Citara, Ravino and makes for a great day out. The garden specialises in rare examples of exotic bonsai and cacti plants, offering a complex array of environments and scenery. It’s open to the public every day of the week, apart from Tuesdays and Thursdays when private tours can be arranged.
Iconic Sites
As the most famous of Ischia’s sights, the Castello Aragonese medieval castle is a must see. This beautiful, historic castle dates back almost 2,500 years when it was built by Hiero I of Syracuse. It sits on a volcanic rock that is connected to the island by a causeway, boasting breathtaking scenic views of Ischia. The castle also features its very own Torture Museum, which offers profound insight into the castle’s past.
The Pilastri Aqueduct is another one of Ischia’s most historic landmarks. The Aqueduct dates back to the sixteenth century, when it was built to help fix the shortage of water in the Village of Celsa (now known as Ischia Ponte). You can get incredible views of the aqueduct from the Piano Liguori area, where you’ll truly be able to appreciate its full size and scale.
Botanic Gardens
Ischia has several beautiful, picturesque gardens that are open to the public. La Mortella is perhaps the most well-known public garden on the Island. Here you’ll enjoy a wonderful, unique combination of colourful plant life and music. The garden is open to visitors on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between the hours of 09:00-19:00.
The Ravino Garden is also worth visiting. It's beautiful, sunny location overlooks the bay of Citara, Ravino and makes for a great day out. The garden specialises in rare examples of exotic bonsai and cacti plants, offering a complex array of environments and scenery. It’s open to the public every day of the week, apart from Tuesdays and Thursdays when private tours can be arranged.
Activities
The island of Ischia is full of dozens of exciting things to do. Well-loved outdoor activities include horse riding, scuba diving, trekking and sailing. Ischia also offers a great selection of tours and classes for visitors to enjoy, including professional yoga classes, singing lessons, Italian language lessons, sightseeing tours and guided boat trips.
You’ll find no shortage of daytime activities in Ischia, but the island also has a fantastic nightlife. The Island boasts a variety of great nightclubs, discos, live music events and restaurants for visitors to have a fantastic night out. La Riva Destra is a popular destination among locals and tourists. Situated by the harbour in Ischia Porto, this busy street boasts loads of great bars, restaurants and clubs that stay open long into the night in the summer months.
Natural Wonders
As a volcanic island, Ischia offers plenty of opportunities for visitors to enjoy its natural hot springs and volcanic mud. The Island is home to many popular thermal parks and gardens, including Negombo and the Poseidon Thermal Gardens.
You may notice that many hotels in Ischia feature “Terme” in their names. This word indicates that the hotel has a wellness centre or thermal spa, using the location’s natural underground resources.
The island of Ischia is full of dozens of exciting things to do. Well-loved outdoor activities include horse riding, scuba diving, trekking and sailing. Ischia also offers a great selection of tours and classes for visitors to enjoy, including professional yoga classes, singing lessons, Italian language lessons, sightseeing tours and guided boat trips.
You’ll find no shortage of daytime activities in Ischia, but the island also has a fantastic nightlife. The Island boasts a variety of great nightclubs, discos, live music events and restaurants for visitors to have a fantastic night out. La Riva Destra is a popular destination among locals and tourists. Situated by the harbour in Ischia Porto, this busy street boasts loads of great bars, restaurants and clubs that stay open long into the night in the summer months.
Natural Wonders
As a volcanic island, Ischia offers plenty of opportunities for visitors to enjoy its natural hot springs and volcanic mud. The Island is home to many popular thermal parks and gardens, including Negombo and the Poseidon Thermal Gardens.
You may notice that many hotels in Ischia feature “Terme” in their names. This word indicates that the hotel has a wellness centre or thermal spa, using the location’s natural underground resources.
Getting Around
Public Transport
The cheapest way to get around Ischia is to take the bus. Buses run from early morning until late at night and should allow you to reach most destinations on the island. Tickets are available from newsagents, travel agencies, tobacconists and some hotels. You can buy tickets from the bus driver too, at a slightly higher price.
Taxis are also available on the island. These run to and from all the main places of interest in Ischia, and your hotel should be able to arrange a taxi if you ever need one. Prices for taxis generally depend on the length of the journey – but no direct route between any two points on the island should take longer than 40 minutes.
There are also some places throughout Ischia where you can catch a water taxi to reach the Island’s most exciting areas. In some cases, a water taxi costs less than catching a regular cab!
Private Transport
Of course, if you’d prefer to drive a car during your stay in Ischia, you can choose to hire one on the island or bring your vehicle via ferry. Ischia’s good road network makes travelling via car a pleasant experience. Alternative transport options include electric bike hire, bicycle hire and scooter hire.
Author bio:
My name is Harper (after Harper Lee, my mother’s favourite author) - a food and travel lover living in the beautiful “City of Sails” – Auckland, New Zealand. My lifelong dream is to head on a spontaneous trip, starting in Iceland, on the quest for the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets all over the world. Until then, I will enjoy my freelance writing career, penning articles for various blogs and travel sites including Active Asia and many more! You can drop me a line anytime on Tumblr.
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