Villa Lieta, the bed & breakfast with the best views of Ischia
The first thing to do when you wake up first thing in the morning in Villa Lieta , is to go out to the balcony.
Because the seagulls that you have been hearing for a long time hanging around the surroundings are crying out for it. Because the waves that break against the stones under your window They promise you a wonderful picture. And because, you are in Ischia! And looking out the window on this **beautiful island in the Gulf of Naples** can only bring you pleasant surprises.
And yes, just as you stick your head out, you have it clear: You couldn't have chosen a better place to stay. Before you, just 200 meters away, stands imposing the islet governed by the Castello Aragonese , absolute emblem of this paradisiacal Italian island.
Castello Aragonese
That's when you get an irrepressible desire to go out and explore this great historical monument. But before, How about a delicious breakfast with sea views?
on the roof of Villa Lieta , this flirty bed and breakfast , you enjoy a variety of exquisite toast, homemade sweets, yoghurt and fruit that give you energy to endure what they throw at you. Behind this beautiful project is Anna , a young entrepreneur who, after spending a few years living in the Dominican Republic and Honduras, she returned to her native island she determined to bet on her own business.
And, as those projects to which all the soul and love is given can only turn out well, Villa Lieta, with its five cozy rooms , has turned out to be a complete success. When you go down the stairs, a slap of reality surprises you.
The atmosphere on the street in this area known as Ponte Ischia sums up the essence of the most authentic Italy. Clothes hang out to dry from the windows and the older gentlemen chatter sitting on stone benches facing the sea. A fisherman , in his yellow overalls and raincoat, prepare the gear to go fishing.
This island in the Gulf of Naples offers sunsets as beautiful as this one
You cross the elegant 15th-century bridge that takes you to the castle and you are soon exploring its bowels. And it is that the Castello Aragonese concentrates history. A lot of history. So much so that you have to travel to the 474 BC to begin to know her: that was when Hiero I built the first fortress , although it was not until the fifteenth century Alfonso V of Aragon to give him his actual structure.
You go through everything that it houses in its perimeter, from the remains of the old Cathedral of Assunta -in whose 11th century crypt you contemplate its amazing fresh -to his prison or to a handful of small churches overlooking the endless blue of the sea. You walk through the paths and gardens that surround the castle and you let yourself be surprised by some of its viewpoints.
One of the most interesting places -as well as macabre- is the basement of the old Convent of the Poor Clare Nuns : in some stone chairs (which are still preserved) they deposited the corpses of the nuns so that their bodies would decompose over time. Unpleasant, very. Interesting, too.
But don't worry: the life present in the streets of Ischia gives you back the fresh air of the island. Two steps from the castle, the multicolored paradise of facades and bustling businesses confirms that the mediterranean elegance is more than defined in this Italian corner.
For example in Ischia Salumi , a family run local indigenous products in which a glass of Ischian wine and a table of exquisite cheeses and cured meats -that bacon, please!- they show you that life can be wonderful.
Ischia Porto
Ischia Porto, nerve center
The continual arrival of ferries from Naples and its neighboring islands, Procida and Capri, animates Ischia Porto from time to time. Here the coming and going of tourists and locals is continuous , and the rattling of suitcases rolling down the irregular road, the most repeated soundtrack.
In one of the places next to the dock you visit the Ceramic Laboratory of Camillo Mattera , an old-fashioned potter who, even in retirement, fights to keep one of the professions most deeply rooted in the tradition of the island.
But Ischia Porto it is also the place where the night takes on a different meaning: the port, full of bars, restaurants and pubs in which to dine or have a drink, it is the perfect place for night owls. Recommendations? ** Porto 51 and Bar Epomeo will not disappoint.**
To enjoy the best gastronomy , however, you decide to go a little further inside. Only three kilometers away is Alberto's Vineyard , where you live a quasi-religious experience. Is old family house, now converted into a restaurant It does not have a sign outside or any sign.
You won't be able to eat in it without a previous reservation either, and payment by card is non-existent. In fact, for not having, there is no menu: Here you eat what you have. And how wonderful. Opened in 2001, it has been word of mouth and Cicco's exquisite treatment and that of his son , business leaders, those who have made the restaurant become a benchmark.
And on the plate? Seasoned zucchini, buffalo mozzarella, ricotta, salami and provolone empanadas, artichokes, pasta, parmeggiana melanzane and the best meat These are just some of the recipes that conquer your table. All homemade. All zero kilometer product. It is the wine, also produced in-house, that ends up becoming your best ally to successfully survive this feast.
Let's go to the beach, uoh, uoooh...
But wait, are we talking about beaches then? Cool! Towel and swimsuit in hand, it's time for you to explore a wonderful part of the island. And eye, that in this topic, Ischia goes a long way.
Lacco Ameno hides places as hypnotic as this
One of the most picturesque and photographed is north of Ischia Porto: it is the Spiaggia dei Pescatori. Here the multicolored boats of the fishermen, with the Castello Aragonese in the background , give an unforgettable postcard.
More to the north, Casamicciola Terme has the lively Spiaggia of the Convent , Meanwhile in Lacco Ameno there is an absolute protagonist: the emblematic Il Fungo, a ten-meter-high volcanic rock in the shape of a mushroom protruding from the sea a few meters from the shore. A natural spectacle to enjoy while the sun's rays tan your little mountain body. Of course.
But the 46 square kilometers that Ischia occupies go a long way. And if there is something that also defines this Mediterranean paradise, it is its volcanic origin. The island is full of seaside resorts where the waters emerge from the bowels of the earth at extremely high temperatures with properties of all kinds.
To live one of those unique experiences, you decide to explore the Baia di Sorgeto , although for this your knees must go down -to, obviously, then go up- 300 steep steps. Once down, a bath in its hot springs confirms that it was worth it: feeling the mixture of the cold water of the sea with the hot water that emerges from the center of the earth is pure fantasy.
Sant'Angelo Beach
Very close, a classic: the Termas de Cavascura. Only open certain months of the year, it is the oldest open-air spa on the island. Its ideal location, between imposing cliffs, They give a spectacular stamp.
Here you can give a dip in roman baths -yes, Romans!- excavated in the cliff or "suffer" the heat of a natural sauna inside one of the caves. But if you are looking for a quiet plan, Sant'Angelo it's your place
And it is that in this beautiful and peaceful town there is no room for traffic: l Cars must stay in a designated parking area at the entrance to the town. Small streets flanked by elegant brand boutiques They will welcome you and accompany you as you descend to their small port.
After advancing between high-end bars and restaurants, little houses with whitewashed walls and a handful of colorful boats , two tiny beaches and one of the most desired postcards of Ischia will appear: the huge rock volcanic that, linked to the land by a fine tongue of sand, stars in many of the postcards of the island.
And from the beach, to the mountains...
But we already told you at the beginning: the variety of alternatives on Ischia is infinite. So the time has come Put on your trekking boots and head inland.
Here the environment changes completely, and from the coast of turquoise waters you pass, through the tangled circular road that runs through Ischia, to a landscape full of vineyards, forests and the most picturesque villages.
Views from Mount Epomeo
You have decided to do the beautiful route that starts from Fontana and that takes you to the top of Mount Epomeo , the highest point of the island, at 788 meters above sea level . A hiking incursion that gives you the best views and a very different experience from the one normally associated with Ischia.
Not far away, in phorium , famous for having some of the most beautiful private gardens -and for having been the favorite destination of Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams in the 50s -, you stop at the Giardini Raveno . Opened in 2006, this paradise dedicated to succulents was the personal project of Captain Giuseppe D'Ambra, a lover of botany.
After purchasing a old abandoned vineyard decided to shape it to share his extensive collection of cacti. A project for which they branded him crazy and today receives more than 17,000 annual visits.
A great way to end your trip will be sitting in the peaceful garden bar, surrounded by the most exotic plants and majestic peacocks, while you enjoy a cocktail made from the most peculiar ingredients: cactus fruit, passion fruit, chili and pepper.
That is when you decide to toast to the great luck that the world continues to keep little corners to discover like the beautiful Ischia. And many more to come. Cheers man!
Ischia, here we come!