Tell me about Ischia
 

We have gone back to Positano for three summers and have decided to pass on it for next summer. It seems to have gotten way more crowded with each passing year. I read a report by Edinbourgh Caroline that she and her husband stayed in Ischia and she said that it was what Positano used to be. Well, that sparked my interest and I wonder if anyone else has first hand experience with this island? Where to stay? How long to stay? How does it compare to Capri (favorably I hope, as Capri is too expensive and nuttily crowded by day)? Where are the most beautiful views? Restaurants? I have just started to research but my first choice for REAL info is here. Thanks!

I enjoyed Ischia as much or more than Capri - i just day tripped from Sorrento but walked around - immense fortress by port - a really nice laid-back place.

I don't know about the analogy between Positano and Ischia, but I do respect Caroline's advice in general. It's just that I have friends who lived in Positano all through the 70's and 80s, and its really apples and oranges. Not the same thing. First, Ischia is an Island, so there are many different towns. Capo Sant'Angelo being one of the more beautiful locations. For a spectacular view, I recommend Hotels in Ponza near the little beach terme which overlook Capo San†'Angelo in the distance. Ischia also has La Mortella, which is a fabulous garden filled with rare species in the middle of the Island. Ischia also attracts many Germans, and you'll find that signs there are in German and Italian, as opposed to English and Italian.
There's a spa I love at Capo Sant'Angelo. if you wait until the afternoon you can get in for half price.
Read "An Italian Affair" to get the Ischia juices flowing!

Positano is a pretty town in a spectacular setting; Capri is a lovely small island with two pretty towns; Ischia is a large island that is perfectly pleasant but does not compare to either Positano or Capri.

Our family lives in Ischia and I am very partial to Sant Angelo. If you go to www.ischiaonline.it you will see many hotels. We rent a car every year because we like the convenience. You have to park just outside the village and walk in. There is a bus that circles the island and is supposed to be very good.

I would suggest not going in August. All Europeans vacation on Ischia rather than Capri. It is said on the island that Capri is frequented more by Americans. Mostly Germans visit Ischia.

If you want a real European feeling, Ischia is the place.

Most hotels and car rental agencies speak English. You won't find as much English spoken in Ischia as other places in Italy, but it's very doable because if you try your best in Italian, they try their best in English and you can communicate.

We are planning to go in October. I can't recommend specific hotels because I have never stayed in one. We stay with family.