The island of Ischia is unknown to many American tourists which actually makes it a great place to visit. This island plays second fiddle to the island of Capri which many American tourists flock to because of the frequent visits from the many cruise ships that descend upon that tiny island. However this island is much larger and you have much more space to move around as it is not as crowded as Capri. I am not saying there are no crowds however, as many other tourists in the area know this island well and go here because of the lack of American tourists.
The island of Ischia is much larger and has a total of five principal towns. The history of the island is vast and hence there are many places to see and visit. The primary attraction in this island is Castello Aragonese once home to the poet and humanist Vittoria Colonna who counted the artist Michelangelo as one of her many friends.
The five towns on this island are Ischia, Porto, Lacco Ameno, Casamicciola Terme, and finally the town of Sant’Angelo. The town of Ischia is by far the largest of the towns and has the most hotels and restaurants and therefore is more geared towards the tourists that visit that island. If you want to get off the beaten track then visit the other towns like Lacco Ameno which has some of the greatest spas in the whole of Italy.
For those that cannot pass on visiting a museum there is a museum dedicated to the sea called Museo del Mare or the Museum of the Sea. Also for many film buffs it might be interesting to know that much of the film The Talented Mr. Ripley was filmed at Palazzo Malcoviti. Since much of the cinematic arts is geared towards the spectacular visuals I am sure that this place is definitely worth visiting.
If hiking and walking along nature paths is your thing then this is the island for you. This island has a volcanic center which many tourists spend an hour climbing up to look upon a great view that I am sure you will not find anywhere else. If you are backpacking through Europe then this should definitely be on your list of things to do.
Although this island is not as famous or glamorous as its sister Capri it still has plenty to offer. It is certainly going to be quieter then many of the other places you may find in and around the bay of Naples which is a definite plus in my book.
