amanda_j_barr

Hi, I will be staying in Ischia on 30th Sept for 3 nights before moving on to Rome and was wondering whether anyone has been and could recommend any spa's to visit? Also any other attractions I could see whilst I'm there?

I'm also thinking of visiting Pompeii for the day, how easy/expensive is this trip from Ischia?

Thanks for your help

Amanda

Jojonana

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!

A_Brit_In_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/ar...ategory/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/ShowTop..._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

amanda_j_barr

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

A_Brit_In_Ischia

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/ShowTop..._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....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...0515053335.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/oraridal15Giu...5Settembre.pdf

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

Peter

amanda_j_barr

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

A_Brit_In_Ischia

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

amanda_j_barr

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

caroline_edinburgh

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.

amanda_j_barr

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

A_Brit_In_Ischia

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...0515053335.pdf

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

http://www.pompeiisites.org/Sezione....a&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-fi...arianna-en.pdf

Peter

amanda_j_barr

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

caroline_edinburgh

"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.

A_Brit_In_Ischia

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/Orari...hia_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

A_Brit_In_Ischia

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/Restaur..._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/Restaur..._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/Restaur..._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/Restaur..._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

amanda_j_barr

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

A_Brit_In_Ischia

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

A_Brit_In_Ischia

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/pho...ianews_web.pdf

Peter

amanda_j_barr

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

amanda_j_barr

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

Thanks