13 Best Sights in Ischia, Capri, Ischia, and Procida

The spectacular Castello Aragonese, towering atop an islet just off the main shore, landmarks Ischia Ponte. The little island was settled as early as the 5th century BC, when the tyrant Hiero of Syracuse came to the aid of Cumae in its power struggle against the Etruscans. This was his reward: an almost unassailable natural islet more than 300 feet high, on which he erected high watchtowers to monitor movements across the Bay of Naples. The island changed hands in the succession of centuries, with Greeks from Neapolis, Romans, Visigoths, Vandals, Ostrogoths, Saracens, Normans, Swabians, and Angevins successively modifying the fortifications and settlements. Ischia Ponte was where the population of Ischia sought refuge in 1301, when Epomeo's last eruption buried the town of Geronda on the other side of the causeway. The new influx of inhabitants led to a flurry of building activity, most notably the Cattedrale dell'Assunta, built above a preexisting chapel that then became its crypt. In the following century the Angevin castle was rebuilt by Alfonso of Aragon (1438), who gave it much of its present form. However, its turbulent history continued well into the 19th century, when it was seriously damaged by the English in their attempts to dislodge the French during the Napoleonic Wars (1809).

Two hours should be enough to give you a feel of the citadel, stroll along its ramparts, and visit its key religious sites. Don't miss the frescoed 14th-century crypt beneath the cathedral (Giotto school), although the ruined cathedral itself, with its noticeable 18th-century additions—such as the Baroque stucco work—is quite atmospheric. Occasional exhibitions are held in the Chiesa dell'Immacolata, and there are two bars. Access to the citadel is via an elevator from the base, and the various walks at the top are clearly signposted. While taking in the whole site, enjoy the stunning views from the various vantage points.

The 14th-century Santa Maria della Neve, better known as the Chiesa del Soccorso, is the island's most picturesque church. Down at the harbor, the whitewashed church makes a good spot for a sunset stroll. Check out the wooden crucifix in the chapel on the left; it was washed up on the shore below the church in the 15th century. Restored in 2013, this is the oldest statue on the island. For an overview of the town go to the Torrione, one of 12 towers built under Aragonese rule in the 15th century to protect Forio's inhabitants from the ever-present threat of pirate raids.

Two kilometers (1 mile) north of Forio is one of the most famous gardens in Mediterranean Italy, La Mortella. The garden was a labor of love designed in 1956 by the landscape architect Russell Page for Sir William Walton and his Argentine-born wife, Susana. The garden was created within a wide, bowl-shape, rocky valley, originally not much more than a quarry, overlooking the Bay of San Francesco and with spreading views toward Monte Epomeo and Forio. Lady Walton, who passed away in 2010, was a talented gardener in her own right, and first planted the trees of her childhood here (jacaranda, silk trees, erythrina, brugmansia) and then added tree ferns, palm trees, cycads, and rare bromeliads. Native wild plants were encouraged in the upper reaches of the gardens, with dainty vetches and orchids as well as myrtle, from which the garden got its name, La Mortella. Considering the volcanic valley out of which the gardens were sculpted, they are appropriately threaded with pathways of rocks hewn from Vesuvius. In homage to the hot springs of the island, the centerpiece is an elliptical pond with three small islands adorned with the immense boulders that once littered the grounds. Below, underground cisterns were excavated to catch natural drinking water.

Besides some soothing strolls among the well-labeled flower beds and landscaped rock gardens, try to spend some time in the museum dedicated to the life and works of the late English composer, William Walton. The gardens have excellent facilities, with a shop selling Sir William's music, a teahouse for light refreshments, and a theater that hosts a concert series on most weekends; book well in advance for these tickets.

Most of the hotels are along the beach in the part of town called Ischia Ponte, which gets its name from the ponte (bridge) built by Alfonso of Aragon in 1438 to link the picturesque castle on a small islet offshore with the town and port. For a while the castle was the home of Vittoria Colonna, poetess, granddaughter of Renaissance Duke Federico da Montefeltro (1422–82), and platonic soulmate of Michelangelo, with whom she carried on a lengthy correspondence. The Castello Aragonese itself is a fascinating place to explore, a citadel with atmospheric corners and various exhibition spaces including the stylish Lo Studio art space/craft shop. There are wonderful views amid battlements, gardens, former places of worship and a Napoleonic prison. Plus there's the panoramic Il Terrazzo café and the lofty Il Monastero hotel-café-restaurant. It's all run by the Mattera family who bought the abandoned fortress from the State in 1912: "25,000 lire for 25 centuries of abandoned history" they say. Expect lots of steps but there's a lift if you prefer to avoid the climb. The surrounding area has countless cafés, shops, and restaurants, and a 1-km (½-mile) fine-sand beach.

Lacco Ameno's archaeological importance—it rests below the first Greek settlement on Italian soil on the island, at Monte Vico—is amply reflected by the finds displayed in Ischia's top museum. The museum occupies much of the Villa Arbusto, built by Carlo d'Aquaviva in 1785 on top of a Bronze Age settlement. Inaugurated in 1999, with the directors of both the British Museum and the Louvre in attendance, its eight rooms house a wide range of Greek pottery unearthed at the ancient necropolis site near the Baia di San Montano, much of it dating to the earliest years of the Greek colony (late 8th century BC), including Nestor's Cup, the oldest known kotyle vase in existence. There is also a room dedicated to internationally renowned filmmaker Angelo Rizzoli, who once lived in the villa, as well as a section devoted to dolphins. Villa Arbusto combines musical serate, or evening soirées, in summer months with visits to the antiquities museum.

On the southern coast, this is a charming village with a narrow path leading to its promontory; the road doesn't reach all the way into town, so it's free of traffic. It's a five-minute boat ride from the beach of Maronti, at the foot of cliffs.

In 1972 local divers found fragments of Roman ceramics in the Bay of Cartaromana, just across from the castle, leading to the 2011 discovery of Aenaria, a Roman settlement destroyed in a volcanic eruption around AD 150 (aenum is the Latin for metal), and referred to in records by Pliny the Elder. The excavations that began in 2011 are still ongoing, and Il Borgo del Mare organizes a tour in a glass-bottom boat as well as snorkeling tours.

The far-western and southern coasts of Ischia are more rugged and attractive than other areas. Forio, at the extreme west, has a waterfront church, Chiesa del Soccorso, and is a good spot for lunch or dinner. Head to the whitewashed Soccorso church to watch a gorgeous sunset—perhaps the best spot on the island to do so.

For the ultimate Ischian spa escape, try the stylishly landscaped park of Giardini Negombo. Designed around a beach of the finest sand, by the scenic Bay of San Montano, it was created decades ago by Duke Luigi Camerini, a passionate botanist (who named his resort in honor of its resemblance to a bay in Sri Lanka). There are 12 saltwater or thermal pools here, plus facilities for hydromassage, a beauty center with sauna and Turkish bath, sports facilities for diving and windsurfing, a bar, restaurant, and, according to the brochure, "a boutique for irresponsible purchases." All this is set in gardens with 500 species of Mediterranean plants and several panoramic views. Everything here—modern stone waterfalls, elegant poolside tables with thatched-leaf umbrellas, sensitive landscaping—is in the finest taste. At night, the outdoor arena often hosts big-name concerts. The Hotel della Baia ($$) is also on-site.

The largest spa on the island has the added boon of a natural sauna hollowed out of the rocks. Here you can sit like a Roman senator on stone chairs recessed in the rock and let the hot water cascade over you. With countless thermally regulated pools, promenades, and steam pools, plus lots of kitschy toga-clad statues of the Caesars, Poseidon exerts a special pull on tourists, many of them grandparents shepherding grandchildren. On certain days, the place is overrun with people, so be prepared for crowds and wailing babies.

This is the island's largest town and the usual point of debarkation. It's no workaday port, however, but rather a lively resort with plenty of hotels, restaurants, the island's best shopping area, and low, flat-roof houses on terraced hillsides overlooking the water. Its narrow streets and villas and gardens are framed by pines.

The inland town of Fontana is the base for excursions to the top of this long-dormant volcano that dominates the island landscape. You can reach its 2,589-foot peak in less than 1½ hours of relatively easy walking.

Housed in the Palazzo dell'Orologio, the town's Museo del Mare Ischia is dedicated to the daily life of fishermen. Ship models, archaeological finds, nautical instruments, and the stray modern art show make up the small holdings.