Hi Amanda.

We went to 2 spas during our stay.

We absolutely LOVED Poseidon. Huge, nice beach, tons of private spots, lots of different pools. A must.

This one is smaller, but we really enjoyed it. http://www.termecastiglione.it/

If you are in Ischia for just 3 nights, I wouldn't waste a day going to and from Pompeii. Enjoy lovely Ischia!

You'll find photos and a little information about the three spas we've tried - with Negombo by far our firm favourite - here:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/spagards

The island's visitor magazine covers those, and several others - use the topmost green "Download" button to get a PDF copy of the current edition:

http://www.ischianews.com/it/home/area-download-documenti/category/2.html

September's should be there within a few days of that month's start.

...............

Pompei is an easy trip - so simple we now send visiting friends and family on their own!

Avoid going on Sundays, and just take the boat or hydrofoil back to Naples harbour - then follow these instructions:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g187785-i421-k4690201-Naples_harbour_to_Pompei-Naples_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html

Costs...
Hydrofoil, €18 or so, each way (ferry slightly cheaper).
Bus to Pompei, €2.80
Entrance fee, €11

(Depending on your flight's arrival time, but how about dumping your bags at the train station, and going down to visit the site then - before coming over to the island?)

Peter

Hi Peter,

Thanks again for yor help, you have helped me in the past with this trip and now its finally only a few weeks away

Our Easyjet flight to Naples should arrive for 10:45am and then obviously we need to get to Naples train station, is this easy done from the airport? Would us landing at 10:45 be too late to visit pompeii that day?

Are there safe places to leave our luggage if we went to pompeii after landing then? We do land on Sunday 30th September, would you advise to go to Pompeii on a sunday? How often are the ferrys back to Ischia from Naples on a Sunday run late?

thanks again Peter

Amanda

Hi!

If in a desperate hurry, go by cab - faster and you'd leave immediately - otherwise, take the Alibus...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/alibus

..............

That said, if wanting to go directly to Pompei from the airport, you'd perhaps be better using the Curreri Viaggi bus - which makes a stop near the site on its way to Sorrento (still €10, even if a shorter ride!).

Lots of stuff re that here:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g187782-i162-k4853743-To_and_from_Naples_airport_on_the_Curreri_bus-Sorrento_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html

11 per day at present, may have dropped to 8 by then - but should be the least hasslesome of the choices!

..................

They've free of charge places where you can leave your bags at the main entrances to the Pompeii site - zoom in and look for the little yellow suitcase symbols on the map here:

http://www.pompeiisites.org/Sezione.jsp?titolo=Info+visita&idSezione=1127

I've heard of no one having any difficulties with them.

Direct link to download a PDF copy:
http://www.pompeiisites.org/allegati/Pompei_120515053335.pdf

It's always a popular visit, and probably little different from one day to another? With luck, by noon / 1PM some of the cruise tours may have moved on... though possibly only to be replaced by coaches from Rome!

.......................

There should be ferries to Ischia until at least 21:55 - although you'd need to be at Beverello a little before 8PM for the last hydrofoil (*)

Links to the various operators' sites on one of the entries here:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/gettingtoischia

But do wait till nearer the time for a last check!

(*) the Alilauro line for instance will have new schedules for several of their routes, w.e.f. 15th September... although their last one of the day has been pretty much a summer/autumn fixture, usually 20:00-20:10.

Those before that time should still be more or less as shown on their current schedule:

http://www.alilauro.it/oraridal15Giugnoal15Settembre.pdf

... but don't overlook the other lines as well!

Peter

ok thanks, i will have a look over the ifnormation you given me, I would prefer to go the day we land as then i have 2 full days in Ischia to enjoy before moving onto Rome midday on Wednesday.

If i was to get a taxi to get to Pompeii quicker from the airport, do you know how much that would cost? If too expensive i would be tempted to get the Curreri Viaggi bus straight to pompeii from the Airport but i will have a suitcase, would that be a problem on that bus? Also are the luggage areas safe at Pompeii?

Thanks

Amanda

There's a "Tariffa predeterminata" for 80 Euro, that's meant to get you there from Naples and back, with 2 hours to explore the site - for 90 Euro...

It's in the purple section on this:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/142141176

If wanting longer, you'd have to negotiate...

I'd guess that the cost of just going wouldn't be a lot less, as you pay also for the empty taxi's drive back to the Naples boundary... before he's allowed to pick passengers again!
................................

The Curreri buses have stowage areas under the passenger cabin, where the luggage goes. Do ENSURE the driver knows you'd be getting off at Pompei, so yours can be left easily accessible!

As for the LLO at the site, again.... "I've heard of no one having any difficulties with them." Sorry, can't tell you more than that!

Peter

thanks Peter ou have been a great help once again.

I have had a few private taxi transfer quotes and for a car to take us to pompeii from naples airport and then pick us up from pompeii about 4:30pm and take us back to Naples Port it would be 94euros. thats not to bad so i think we will do that.

Thanks

Amanda

We spent a half day at the Apollon Aphrodite but weren't particularly impressed - it's pretty much just a large manicured hotel garden with various manmade pools and a building with treatment rooms. We thought there'd be more natural pools etc, but the only natural feature was a steamy cave which was quite uncomfortable - sitting on bare rock ledges with scalding condensation dropping on us.

Word of warning re Pompeii - we found we needed 7 hours. With only 2.5 days for Ischia I'd save Pompeii for another trip.

thanks for the Info Caroline. Im hoping to be at pompeii for 12pm as i will be taking a private transfer from Naples at 10:45am and then leaving at 4pm so 4hours isnt very long but i think it will be long enough for what we want out of it. I dont think i could walk for much longer... i will be doing plenty of it in Rome

Thanks

amanda

If you'd be OK with having to match the Italian names of the various houses to that same map of the site (get the PDF with the link repeated below, but much the same as the one you should receive with your tickets!)....

http://www.pompeiisites.org/allegati/Pompei_120515053335.pdf

... see here for suggested half-day itineraries at Pompei - with one starting from each of the main entrances:

http://www.pompeiisites.org/Sezione.jsp?titolo=Mezza+giornata&idSezione=70

Might even be worth printing, and marking up before you go?

.................

Attractive although it is, one drawback to staying in Sant'Angelo is its relative inaccessibility - even on an island as small as Ischia!

That can cut both ways, since - whilst there's not really the space, nor perhaps the demand, for facilities such as a larger spa in that area - it's nevertheless quite an effort to repeatedly up sticks and journey elsewhere?

Not sure that many of Negombo's are truly natural either, but this may give an idea of what's to be found there:

http://www.negombo.it/pdf/negombo-filo-di-arianna-en.pdf

Peter

Thanks Peter, i will take a look and print that information off. Its going to be hard to fit all the things i want to do into 6days, although im thinking I will just have to take another trip to Italy again next year to see more!!

With regards to the Spa's do any hotels offer excursions to them? or would i take taxi's from the hotel to them? I mstaying at Hotel Europa?

Also as its for my husbands 30th, i was wondering whether you could recommend anywhere nice to eat for a romantic birthday meal? as mentioned im staying in Ischia Ponte.

Thanks

amanda

"one drawback to staying in Sant'Angelo is its relative inaccessibility"

Tell me about it! The first time we stayed there, we'd previously spent a week in Naples so the journey was fine. The second time, direct from Edinburgh, it took us 13 hours door to door!! (Taxi to airport, flight to London, 3 hour wait in London, flight to Naples, bus to docks, hydrofoil to Ischia Porto, 1.25 hours on bus, walk last few hundred metres.) But it is the most beautiful place.

From the Europa, by far the easiest to reach is Castiglione!

The number 15 bus has a stop very nearby, and the spa is then at the furthest limit of its route (Via Quercia) - beyond the Porto depot, immediately before it then turns back again to finally end at said depot! Tell the driver - tickets €2.50 or so from him - that's where you want... you'll probably be the only people on the bus for that latter part!

Can't offer you definite times - this was very probably replaced w.e.f. Sept 1st, but will give an idea of their frequency if you zoom in far enough on the second page:

http://www.ischia.it/new/orari/Orario_Autobus_Ischia_Estivo.pdf

Otherwise, speak to Sandro for getting to Negombo and Poseidon... both require two buses! For a taxi from Negombo we pay about €30 to come home (200 yds away from the Europa), but Poseidon would be more as it's further.

................

Restaurants in a few minutes
Peter

Depends what you mean by romantic, but for somewhere a little special and not generally crowded, we've enjoyed Zi Nannina - which would be a 10/15 walk at most.

A lovely setting, with gardens slightly above the sea - and dishes we've not found elsewhere. Not vastly expensive, though also not cheap!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g580214-d2329156-Reviews-Zi_Nannina_A_Mare_Ristorante-Ischia_Ischia_Campania.html

.............

Otherwise, this may be more what you're thinking of - take the watertaxi from down in Ischia Ponte, round to the Giardini Eden...

http://giardinoeden.alysandyischia.com/en

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g580214-d1168776-Reviews-Il_Giardino_Eden-Ischia_Ischia_Campania.html

..........................

For birthdays that end in a zero, we ourselves would probably go to Gennaro, down by the harbourside at Porto... a real old pro, whose restaurant is a cut above others there - if very traditionally seaside Italian, and for that a favourite from the distant days of our holidays on the island:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187784-d1111631-Reviews-Da_Gennaro-Ischia_Campania.html

Busier, but fun and also with very good food, including excellent pizzas - and tables beside, sometimes on, the beach - at some point do try to get to "O Sole Mio"

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187784-d1863522-Reviews-O_Sole_Mio-Ischia_Campania.html

(With all of them, spend a few moments checking the worst reviews... if only to spot the sometimes dumb mistakes that can so easily spoil an evening, such as failing to order vegetables - or doing so, but with stuff whose price one doesn't know! If in doubt, ask...)

Hope that's a start - but do give me a shout if those are a little pricey... whilst it's an occasion, none are everyday places!

Peter

hi Peter,

As you prob know by now im travelling to Ischia on Sunday. I have notived there is a festival on the weekend we arrive 29th - 30th Sept? It in Sant' Angelo, i land in Naples at 10:30am and we are now going straight to the hotel in Ischia Ponte (Hotel Europa) and would be looking at going to Sant Angelo straight away to try and see some of this fesitval? i belive they have fireworks etc...

Is it easy to travel to Sant Angelo from Ischia ponte? are taxis available at night to get back from thier? and are they expensive?

thanks

Amanda

Not long now!!!

That's the festa for Saint Michael the Archangel - who is the "Angelo" in its name... duuh!

He's also the patron saint for the island of Procida, where I was a couple of days ago.... and they too were getting ready for a big series of shindigs:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/proc_arcangelo

(Do try to get there if you can, it's 20 minutes or so by boat from Porto, about 7 Euro each way!)

At 'our' Sant'Angelo, it looks as though that Sunday's events will culminate in the firework display at 00:15, just after midnight...

http://www.ischianews.com/it/eventi/details/10621.html

Remember though that those are Italian times, and perhaps liable to delay, rethinks, etc etc?

From Ischia Ponte, a taxi ought to cost about 40 Euro:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/136481940

I'm not so sure about the cost of coming back, as the drivers at Sant'Angelo may well have a similar set of fares set by their own Comune... but those are most unlikely to be any cheaper!

If going from the Europa, I would walk up to the Piazza Eroi roundabout (five minutes) and catch the CD bus from its stop next to the news stand and taxi rank there - with a ride of maybe 30-40 minutes... possibly slower on festa day?

More about the buses here:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/beginisc

If you can't find a taxi for the return journey, easiest to use the CS (the mirror-image route to the CD) and get off again at Piazza Eroi... otherwise both the CD and number 1 will take you to Porto, but in a clockwise direction!

I've not studied this September's timetable however the CS and CD should be running well into the night, with the last ones leaving Porto at 1AM or later.. but you can confirm that for yourselves, from the one pinned up on the noticeboard at Piazza Eroi?

Hope you'll have a fun evening,
Peter

PS Don't forget the island magazine - €1.50 for a printed copy once here, or free as a PDF using:

http://www.ischianews.com/images/phocadownload/Magazine_2012/2012_settembre_ischianews_web.pdf

Peter

thanks, i downloaded the PDF magazine last week and printed it, it had some reslly useful and i nteresting information in it.

We would really like to see the festival once we are there so mabe it would be best to check in at the hotel and then take the boat to sant angelo? we could then take a taxi back to the hotel if the prices arent to expensive. It would be nice to have dinner there and have a few drinks so i might even look into hotels in Sant Angelo for the one night? save paying for taxis back to Ischia Ponte. I will do some research today.

thanks again

Amanda

p.s hows thw weather in Ischia today? ive looked at the forecast and its giving rain when we arrive on sunday.

Thanks

Sorry - hope I haven't misled you? Those fares I mentioned were for the Caremar and Ippocampo line boats that go between Ischia and the island of Procida!

............

Hiring an individual water taxi, to go round to Sant'Angelo on Ischia's southern coast, is rather more expensive - here's the list posted at the "rank" next to the Hotel Miramare e Castello - the one nearest to the Europa, where Via Pontano reaches the coast:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/143943380

One way to Sant'Angelo... 70 Euro for 1 to 4 people, or €15 each if 5 or more passengers!

Peter

Here it's midday now, and some 27 - 28 in the shade out on our terrace. Very sunny, with just a few small clouds in sight.

This is the one I use...
http://meteo.corriere.it/meteo/Ischia

Peter

ah right ok, gosh that is more expensive. can i get a line boat to Sant Angelo from Ischia Ponte though? then maybe check what time the last bus is home, i would really like to stay for the fireworks, which are past midnight so my worry is getting back to Ponte afterwards. This is why im thinking of getting a cheap hotel in Sant Angelo if possible just for the one night.

Jus check out the weather, im hoping it stays nice for Sunday through to Wesdnesday as we will be getting the train to Rome Wednesday at midday.

Thanks

Amanda

No... except for a few hydrofoils to/from Forio that also stop in at Ischia Porto, there's no scheduled service around the island or between its ports - only those that go from it to elsewhere and vice versa!

And, with the bus fare at only €1.60, no way that anyone could make it pay?

I guess you might be able to get back to Porto from the Europa in time for the afternoon "trip round the island" boat, at 14:45...

http://www.ischiasea.com/giro-dell-isola-d-ischia.html

... and jump off that once it gets to Sant'Angelo?

Otherwise, once the flurry of school kids and other lunchtime traffic is over, taking the bus should be OK ?

Peter

ok thanks, So if i get to hotel europa then i could get the bus to Sant Angelo? cheaper and easier that the boat.

thanks

Yes, see above about going to Piazza Eroi - and catching the CD bus....


http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/139210727

If you've not already found a ticket (€1.60 for a single), they can be bought from the driver but then cost €2.50....

Peter

Thanks ive just printed the info for the CD or CS bus i think that will be the best/cheapest option for us, If i took the book from Piazza Eroi, will this take me straight to Sant' Angelo? or will his only take me to Porto, where i will then have to ake a boat trip to Sant'Angelo?

Thanks

Amanda

If you catch the CD from Piazza Eroi, you'll be boarding about 5/10 minutes after it has set off from Ischia Porto... thereby saving 15 mins or so on the journey!

You stay on until it gets to Cavo Grado - the nearest that buses can approach the pedestrianised village of Sant'Angelo, from where you'll then have a few minutes walk, downhill!

The CD route is still the same as shown on this (the CD's high-season timetable)....

http://www.eavbus.it/export/sites/default/eavbus/orari/ordinarie/pdfOrari/SEPSA/Linea_CD.pdf

... although the times may have changed now that it's September?

Hope it helps you to follow the route, using the map in either your guidebook or the island magazine?

Less detailed, but it's also shown in green on one of these - note that it goes round in a more or less clockwise direction, whilst the CS goes anticlockwise...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/110233858

Stick with the CD, and no boats will be necessary!!!!

Peter

Thanks for your help Peter.

Im looking forward to my trip.

thanks


Amanda

Hi Peter, its me again...

Im now in Ischia, loving the rain lets hope it clears up soon.

Any way i was thinking of going to Negombo for the day tomorrow as the weather looks a little brighter then, however ive looked online and not found much info on how to get there from Ischia Ponte or Ischia Porto. Could you help?

Im looking for the cheapest way to travel there really, is there a bus i could take? if so how long would this take?

Thanks

Amanda

Horrid, wasn't it! Seems to have stopped now, and to be drying out?

For Negombo, the number 7 will get you to the depot at Ischia Porto; then change to any of the 1, 2 or CS buses.

Should take perhaps 30/40 minutes... give or take waits!

Ask at the hotel for where you can buy tickets, or pay the driver... details here:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/beginisc

Peter

Hi Peter,

Remember me?

Thank you for all your advice about Ischia we loved our trip away! it was a shame about the weather... however when we went onto Rome for the last 3 days the weather was nice and hot.

The reason i am writing to you after such a long time is that we are looking at going back to Italy again this year. We are looking at travelling end of June or End of July dependant on prices.

We loved Ischia when we went, however we are debating on staying somewere different this time or returning back to Ischia? Could you recommend any other areas that are similar to Ischia? The things we loves about Ischia were the lovely shops and restaurants... and walking round of a night time was lovely.. we used to stop for some chocolate pancakes and a drink at a few places. It was heaven!

We are now thinking of either going back for 7 nights or staying on the Amalfi instead? we were looking at Revello or Priani? do you know anything about these places?

Thanks

Amanda

Hi there! Yes, of course I remember...

It was wretched - I've a whole week from that time with no photos at all!

We've only passed through those places you've mentioned, on various outings from here, but without feeling particularly tempted to linger - so I doubt I can offer much of any worth? If pushed, we quite liked Amalfi, and spent a lovely day in Vietri sul Mare, the very last resort on the AC...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/vietri

Otherwise our most most favourites include Sperlonga - within easy striking distance of Rome, and to where we'd probably still be going except for having stumbled upon Ischia...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/slides_sperlonga

... and you might pair that with a day or two on one of the Pontines? We preferred tiny Ventotene:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/ventotene

Over on the far side of the country, in Puglia (which was where we chose to run away to, on getting some miserable weather at the start of our first holiday in the Naples area, in late May 2001), we liked Lecce especially....and more recently had a great September stay in Trani:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/pugliagen

If you wanted to break the trip across to there, you could do a lot worse than stop off at the very civilised town of Benevento:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/benev

... but let's not forget, much nearer home, little Procida:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/procida1

So in all I guess that's about a month?

Peter

thats great, i will take a look at those links today.

We did love Ischia and its so hard deciding whether or not to come back... If we were to come at the beginning of June how is he weather around that time?

If we came back to Ischia we would certainly look at taking a day trip to Forio or Capri even as we never had chance to do that last time.

Amanda

just taken a look at Sperlonga, it looks lovely. Would a week be ok there or would that be to long?

My Husband loves places that arent over run by tourists this is why he liked Ischia, as although it had tourists it was a real taste of Italy.. we used to sit in a restaurant in Porto and watch the little kids finishing school and helping in the restaurant it was so nice to meet the locals.

would you say Sperlonga would be like this?

Thank you

Hi!

As I remember, the first time we had a couple of nights in Rome, then several in Sperlonga - visiting nearby Gaeta and Terracina by bus.....

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/lazio_more

Think we spanned a weekend, when it got a good bit busier with people down from Rome. The Aurora was wonderful...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g656834-d571587-Reviews-Hotel_Aurora-Sperlonga_Province_of_Latina_Lazio.html

... and if in need of a "slump" holiday we could have probably stayed longer - however Sperlonga is fairly small (pop 3000 - c.f. 60k on Ischia) and, on that visit, a whole week would been too much!

For an idea of June on Ischia, perhaps have a look through these...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/recjun

... good sunny weather most of the time, lively not manic - with Italian schools set to close on the 8th this year.

Last June's island magazine, for 'what's likely to be on'...

http://www.ischianews.com/images/phocadownload/Magazine_2012/2012-ischia-news-giugno-web.pdf

... with the festa of St Anthony of Padua usually celebrated on the 13th...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/sant_ant

Peter