What is interesting to see in Forio? Forio: a vast commune in the western part of the Italian island of Ischia - Who is most often extradited.
Palaces, lanes, quarters, fortress towers and architectural angles make a "flower" - city of Forio(Forio) - indescribably original.
You can get to Forio by direct ferry from Naples.
Place of attraction a large number artists and intellectuals from all over the world (from W. H. Auden to Visconti, from Moravia to Capote, from Walton to many others). This largest commune on the island was for many decades considered a multilingual "living room", the "fatal center of gravity" of which was located between the tables of the legendary "Vag Intemazionale" Maria.
Geographically, the commune of Forio is located, as it were, “on the back” of the island of Ischia from mainland Italy, it descends from Mount Epomeo to the sandy seashore and wedged into the interweaving of quarters with their places of worship. 
A few meters from a small Piazza Luca Balsofiore with the Church of St. Gaetano, which has a facade and dome typical of local churches, there is a real art gallery: Papal Basilica of the Madonna of Loreto with an attached old hospital and a chapel; she belongs to the Brotherhood of the Madonna of Loreto. Considered the center of spirituality, the basilica was built in the 14th century. For centuries, active charitable activities have been carried out here, which have been brought to life with the help of various forms providing assistance and in the form of running a hospital founded in 1596. Special veneration is addressed to Madonna Loreto, whose icon is located in the depths of the apse on a marble throne.
Along the street of shopping and evening walks we reach Cape Soccorso. There are two churches on the Municipality Square: St. Francis of Assisi with an old monastery (now the communal authorities sit in it) and the Church of the Brotherhood of Santa Maria Visitapoveri. In the inner courtyard of the monastery there are remains of images with scenes from the life of St. Francis and his first followers, the work of the Neapolitan artist Filippo Baldi.
The brotherhood and the church were founded around 1614 and were the center of an active spiritual life and the cult of the Merciful Virgin Mary (Madonna delle Grazie). The peculiar architecture is distinguished by a double façade: the façade of the church and the façade that covers the patio. The church displays the work of the artist Alfonso Di Spina. 
A few steps towards the sea, and in front of us is the Church of Soccorso, dedicated to the Virgin Mary of the Snow. It is one of the most beautiful churches in Italy and is famous for its distinctive façade.
The churchyard and part of the side walls are decorated with majolica tiles from the 18th century depicting the Passion of Christ and scenes from the life of various saints.
Breathtaking landscapes and views of other temples of great historical and cultural value open up from the hillside. This also applies to Cathedral of Forio, dedicated to the patron saint of the commune, Saint Vito, erected under the name Papal Basilica. The cathedral has long roots: a document dated 1306 states that the inhabitants of Forio are given the right to patronage over the church, which they owned even earlier. The most important work in the cathedral is the statue of St. Vito in silver and gilded copper, made in 1787 by the Neapolitan goldsmiths Del Giudice, after a sketch by the sculptor Giuseppe Sanmartino.
On Via Gaetano Morgera (formerly Via Cierco) is Church of San Carlo Borromeo is an architectural masterpiece built by the Sportiello brothers in 1620. The single-nave church with a plan in the form of a Latin cross is unique in that such local material as green tuff, which is customary for the construction of residential premises, was used here to build a portal, arches, and a crowning cornice. The columns, bases of the columns and the covering of some chapels, made in the form of a half shell, are made of a solid tuff block. Amazing. All painting in the church is by the Forian painter Cesare Calise. Not to underestimate the beauty of the Monterone area and the panoramic view in the San Francesco area (on another slope), one cannot miss the steep climb leading almost to the slopes of Epomeo.
Here, at an altitude of more than 400 meters above sea level, rises Church of St. Mary on the Hill founded by the Sportiello family in 1596. It is located just at the top of the route, the surroundings of which are ideal for trekking fans. 
At this starting point, you can choose between a guided tour in the Frasitelli area(the edge of white wine) and the route to the Bianchetto area to reach the forest of Falanga, an oasis of greenery and chestnut groves, a mysterious and charming place with its stone houses, distilleries and ancient buildings of the first inhabitants of this area.
Among them are the so-called "neviere" (snow cellar) - pits and wells for storing snow, recognizable by tropical ferns that grow along the dry masonry walls. The landscape is truly unique.
The road leading from here to top of Epomeo, is just a dream trail. From above, the bays are visible: the bay of Citara with a string of sand drifts stretching to the beach of Cava del Isola and further - from the bay of Chiaia to San Francesco.
And, of course, the surrounding settlements are visible, for example, Panza- the starting point of excursions in the direction of Cape Chiarito, Sorgeto (a small sea bay with thermal springs that beat among the rocks; the water of the sources mixes with sea water bays) and in the direction St. Angelo. In the center locality, at the top of a wide staircase with a patio, is the parish church of St. Leonardo Abbot. Its existence is confirmed by documents from 1536. 
Another important stop is Villa La Mortella in the forest of Dzaro, known as Walton's Villa. It is surrounded by a magnificent garden, once considered the most beautiful park in Italy.
In 1956, the great English composer Sir William Walton settled with his wife in Ischia and decided to build a house with an excellent park for himself in the volcanic region of Mount Zaro, saturated with magnetism and charm.
The garden, designed by landscape architect Russell Page, features over 3,000 rare plants.
Sir Walton's wife Lady Susanna moved from Argentina to Europe in 1948. In the same year she married William. The Waltons, together with the Sitwell brothers, are representatives of one of the brightest eras in the cultural life of England in the 20th century. For this group of people, the exotic garden became the epitome of aesthetic thinking, later interpreted by Page's genius. The garden is distinguished by its progressiveness, and the microclimate is its secret, in the triumph of biology and technology. The largest tropical water lily in the world, the Victoria amazonica, is housed in a large tropical greenhouse.
Not far from the Villa, in the same forest of Dzaro, you can visit a charming Villa Colombaia with a large garden, the owner of which was the outstanding theater and film director Luchino Visconti, buried, according to his will, here, in the garden.
Ischia is a small island: 7 by 9 km, slightly elongated from east to west.
In the center of the island there are mountains (more precisely, three volcanoes), towns and villages are scattered along the perimeter.
On the east coast is the city of Ischia Porto, smoothly flowing into Ischia Ponte, in the north - Casamicciola and, in the west - Forio (the second largest city of the island) and Panza, in the south - Sant'Angelo and Barano. There are also smaller villages.
It all depends on the purpose of your visit. If you purposefully came to Ischia to improve your health, you will, of course, take a hotel near one of the thermal parks.
The largest thermal complexes are "", "" and " Castiglione". If you prefer Negombo, look for a hotel in Lacco Ameno, if Poseidon Gardens - in Forio, and Castiglione is located between Ischia Porto and Casamicciola Terme. From Ischia Porto to Castiglione 2 km, some walk without waiting for the bus.
Pools in Negombo
The longest beaches on the island Chitara And Maronti. Chitara - right next to Forio. Part of the beach is occupied by the Poseidon Gardens thermal park. Maronti - more solitary; the nearest town to it is Barano.
There is a bay of Sorgeto in Ischia, where hot spring goes straight out to sea. So, if there is no extra money for a thermal park, then you can go to the "wild spring". A path leads to the bay of Sorgeto from the village of Panza. Or you can take a sea taxi from Sant'Angelo.
(By the way, this is the case when you can swim in the sea in winter. The temperature of the source is 80 degrees).
If you intend to move around the island a lot, travel to Naples, Sorrento and other islands, settle in Ischia Porto.
If you are a lover of solitude, take a look at. However, in almost every town you can find a villa located in a secluded place, with its own baths and a garden. But if you like to wander in the evenings through souvenir shops, shops, listen to street musicians, in general, take a walk around the evening city, choose either Forio or.
Transport in Ischia
Buses
The bus service on the island is quite convenient.
The most popular routes are circular. One of them - CD(i.e. - circolare destra) makes a circle around the island clockwise, the other - CS(circolare sinistra) - counterclockwise. The first buses of these lines leave Ischia Porto at 4:20 am, the last ones at 1 am. So you can easily have dinner overlooking a beautiful sunset on the west coast, and then go to your hotel on the other side of the island. However, sometimes you can wait for the bus for half an hour or an hour. The bus makes a full circle around the island in 1-20.
Of the popular routes, there is also line 1 (Ischia Porto - Sant'Angelo), line 2 (Ischia Porto - Poseidon Gardens Thermal Park), line 5 (Ischia Porto - Maronti Beach).
The full schedule can be viewed in the section THE PUBLIC BUS SERVICE, Timetable EAVBUS.
So, in general, when choosing a hotel, you should not focus so much on the proximity of something, say, to settle near the Maronti beach, if you can easily get to it from the same Ischia Porto.
A single ticket (singola) for the bus costs 1.20, a day ticket (giornaliero) - 3.60, a ticket for a week (settimanale) - 12.60 euros.
ships
Ischia has three ports: Ischia Porto, Casamicciola and Forio. Schedule maritime transport we look.
There are about 15 flights a day to Naples or Pozzuoli, often with a call to the island of Procida (which is also recommended to see).
From Ischia to Capri there is one flight a day: at 10-35 (from Alilauro). After Capri, the ship goes to Sorrento.
Tickets for the flight are sold on the day of departure of the ship. I tried to buy a ticket for Capri a day in advance, I was asked to come on the day of departure, half an hour before boarding the ship.
There are two windows at the port ticket office. Caremar sells tickets on the left, Alilauro on the right. In general, southern Italy is characterized by the presence of numerous small companies on various types transport.
Queue to the Caremar window
In travel companies on the island you can buy excursions to Capri, to the Amalfi Coast.
So, excursion to Capri takes place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and costs 33 euros. Excursion to Positano Amalfi held on Thursdays and Sundays and costs 40 euros.
For 18 euros three hours are offered boat trips around the island of Ischia with an hour's stop at Sant'Angelo. Excursion to Procida costs 20 euros.
When we boarded the ship in Naples, preparing to sail for Ischia, each was given a pamphlet containing useful information on the island. In particular, there were timetables for sea and land transport, a description of bus routes, a list of all museums.
Such a pamphlet, I think, can be taken at the tourist offices on the spot. I highly recommend getting it.
Ischia for wellness: baths, sea and hiking
Ischia is a healing and wellness island, and there are many opportunities to heal, improve your health, and get in shape.
The main wealth of Ischia is thermal springs. This volcanic island has 67 fumaroles, 29 underground pools and 103 thermal springs.
However, to consider the island only as a balneological and thermal resort means to use its potential by half.
The center of the island is mountainous. The highest point of the island is the top of Epomeo volcano (788 m). There are two more volcanoes: Traboti (512 m) and Monte Vezzi (395 m). There are numerous hiking trails of varying difficulty in the mountains. The routes pass through the picturesque area, the views from above are incredible. The most accessible way to climb the Epomeo volcano is described
View of Forio from above
Along the mountain path
It seems to me optimal to build your day in Ischia as follows: in the morning go hiking (or see the sights), and in the afternoon swim in the sea and / or go to the thermal park. Moreover, starting from 13:00, the price of a ticket to the thermal parks is 5 euros less (this is considered a half-day ticket).
In the evening, set aside for a pleasant walk, attending a concert, dinner in a beautiful place.
Ischia is called a pensioner's island. Indeed, I have never met so many elderly people gathered in one place before. But you should have seen these pensioners! Skinny, athletic, with backpacks and trekking poles! In the mornings, they gather at bus stops and are loaded into a bus in a friendly crowd, which takes them to the beginning of the next route. By God, sometimes it was envious. Very good old age. Downright perfect.
The group is going on a hike
I have already mentioned the information brochure that was given to everyone who wanted to board the ship in Naples. In it, among other useful information, the most common hiking routes were described, indicating the degree of difficulty, mileage and approximate travel time. If a person does not dare to go on a route himself, he can join a group with an instructor and go in a company. The cost of organized mountain walks is around 20 euros.
Sights of Ischia
In addition to the natural attractions of Ischia, such as thermal springs and mountains, there are also man-made ones on the island, namely: museums, churches, villas, botanical gardens.
The main attraction of Ischia is. I highly recommend visiting it. The castle is located opposite Ischia Ponte, a 15-minute walk from the port of Ischia.
The castle is built on a separate rock not far from the shore and is a conglomeration of a wide variety of buildings. Walking along the rock with looking into all sorts of nooks and crannies turns out to be very exciting.
The rock is connected with the "land" by a bridge, through which this part of the city of Ischia received the prefix Ponte ("bridge").
Not far from the Cathedral of Ischia Museum of the Sea, housed in the Clock Palace.
The second most important attraction of Ischia is. It is located between the cities of Lacco Ameno and Forio. A magnificent garden rising up the mountain slope. Don't miss this delightful piece of the island.
In the garden of La Mortella
In the city of Forio there is a small botanical garden Ravino. The collection is based on numerous types of cacti. Peacocks, ponies walk around the garden, rabbits in cages.
About food
Finally, I will say a few more words about food.
The main dish of the Iskitan cuisine is the Iskitan rabbit. The rabbit meat is stewed in a clay pot with basil and parsley, lemon and wine are added. But in the heat of the meat, something did not want at all. I took mostly anything from the sea. On the first day I took mussels. I expected a saucepan, as in. They brought, probably, half of the Normandy portion. Normandy mussels are smaller and are served with broth. Iskita mussels are large, fatter and softer in taste. I liked the Normandy version with broth more; however, these were good.
Another time I ordered anchovies. Freshest and most delicious. I dined then at Sant'Angelo. The whole embankment is a fish restaurant, the competition is great, they cook very tasty.
Freshly caught fish to choose from are laid out in front of the restaurants. Any one will be fried.
From wines I took local white. Miraculous. Local brands: Biancolella, Forastera, Rilla.
Ischia is famous for its sweets. That’s what I really didn’t want in the heat, so it’s sweets. They looked very attractive, but they didn’t want to at all.
Volcanic soils are known for their fertility and abundance. Plus - the Mediterranean climate and excellent ecology. Fruits, berries, vegetables are delicious here. Loved the local tomatoes.
Souvenirs
The main souvenir in Ischia is ceramics.
The island is flooded with shops selling ceramics. Each such shop is a mini-museum, demonstrating the wild imagination of local potters and artists. Streets, benches, steps of stairs, city fountains are decorated with ceramics.
They also buy local thermal cosmetics and mud as souvenirs.
Well, and, of course, they bring home local wines and limoncello from local lemons.
Weather in Ischia at the end of May
The weather was sunny, air temperature 25-27, water - about 20-22. There were few swimmers in the sea, but for me the water was suitable for swimming. (However, I am not an indicator, I swam in early May and in February in Kemer).
Many specifically go to Ischia in May, since the main bathing season has not yet begun, and in Ischia you can swim in pools with thermal water instead of the sea.
Nevertheless, of course, the optimal period is September, when the sun is softer and the sea is warm.
This concludes my story about the island. In the following articles I will tell you in detail about the thermal parks and the main attractions of Ischia.
Flights to Naples
Tours to Italy
Useful websites to prepare for your trip
Excursions in Forio from private guides and travel agencies.
Online order on Pomogator.Travel: no intermediaries and prepayments!
Fashionable resort in Italy, Big City, which is located on the shores of a picturesque bay, with a well-preserved ancient city center and excellent conditions for a full-fledged beach holiday.
It has long attracted creative bohemia and other celebrities. It is interesting, for example, that Colombaya captured the old villa in his film works famous director Luciano Visconti.
The architecture and nature of the resort is beautiful: here you can see beautiful Mediterranean-style houses with pretty turrets and domes, take a walk in the shade of fragrant gardens. In addition, the resort is famous for its thermal springs.
Another interesting fact: the Forio resort is located near the Epomeo volcano, whose height is about 800 meters. This volcano is extinct, so tourists have nothing to fear. But the scenery here is simply breathtaking!
The tourist infrastructure of the Forio resort is well developed: there are many cafes and bars, restaurants. Night life the resort is in full swing: here you can always have a great rest and dance to high-quality music!
The resort is designed for wealthy tourists.
Video from Forio
The sights of Forio are, first of all, its magnificent architectural objects, beautiful villas. We recommend that tourists pay attention to such sights of Forio as Villa Colombaia, famous for Visconti, as well as beautiful (each in its own way!) residential buildings of the resort, built in a traditional Mediterranean style. Interesting...
Tours and activities in Forio
These are trips to unique interesting sights, namely: a visit to the Aragonese castle, which is a symbol of Ischia, an excursion to the botanical garden, a visit to the historical museum located in Lacco Ameno.
Also of interest are such excursions from Forio as trips to Naples and Pompeii, a boat trip to the island of Capri, an excursion from Forio to Sorrento, visiting the small but pretty resorts of Amalfi and Positano.
Note that shopping tourists will be interested in visiting Cis Nola - this is a huge shopping mall where you can buy quality items with decent links.
History of Forio
The history of Forio began in ancient times: it is known that there were Greeks and Romans who loved to relax here. You can learn the history of Forio by walking through the historical center of the resort, visiting the ancient towers. For example, pay attention to the Torrione Tower, built in the 15th century (today...
Climate in Forio
Mild Mediterranean subtropical. Holidays in Forio are pleasant throughout the year, but the most pleasant time to travel to Forio is from April to October. Summers in Forio are dry and hot, while winters are not cold at all.
Things to do in Forio
These are, of course, water sports: snorkeling and diving, riding a catamaran, yacht, boat. On the sandy beaches of Forio, it is nice to play beach volleyball or just soak up the rays of the gentle sun.
You can rent a motor scooter or bike and go on a tour of Forio.
Forio hotels have luxurious pools and spa rooms.
In the evenings in Forio you can go for a walk in bars or clubs - fortunately, there is no shortage of them here!
Transport features of Forio
Forio is a port city, so the most popular form of transport here is water.
Note that it is best to move around the historical center of Forio on foot - so you can carefully consider all the sights of Forio.
If desired, you can use the services of a taxi.
Forio is located in the western part of Ischia and spreads over almost the entire part of this part from Lacco Ameno to the village of Ponza. The area of Forio is 12 km 2, which is quite good for an island with an area of just over 46.3 km 2. Most of Ischia is occupied by the Epomeo Volcano, an impregnable mountain in the very center of the island. By the way, you can climb to the top of the Epomeo volcano on foot or on horseback.
Forio will appeal to everyone, except for the ever-hanging youth. Forio cannot boast of numerous boutiques and noisy discos. Personally, I would not call Ischia a budget holiday destination in general, but if you compare holidays in Forio and in the east of Ischia - in Ischia Porto, then Forio will seem cheaper. Less temptations; of the boutiques here, only Yamamay and Intimissimi and some chain stores of Italian clothing at very affordable prices. For example, Yamamay briefs can be purchased for as little as 10 euros, and men's cotton shorts for 25 euros. I bought FABIO shorts in Forio, just the same, I am very satisfied.
Photo of Forio Ischia, view from the promenade to the watchtower of Torrione (Torrione)
The photograph of Forio above can say almost everything about this resort of Ischia. Photographed in the foreground is the watchtower of Torrione, the central landmark of Forio, built in the 15th century. Now the city museum is located in the Torrione tower, and on the top floor there is a permanent exhibition of paintings by Giovanni Maltese. The streets of Forio are not wide, the cars are small and nimble. In Ischia, you can rent a car or a scooter, but no one recommends :). Forio hotels are not tall buildings, usually no more than 3 floors high. Interior decoration hotels and hotels in Ischia, in general, this is old, but reliable furniture. The Russian-speaking population will call the furniture of Ischia hotels a scoop, and they will be, in principle, right. Ischia is an island in Italy; Well, who will drag a mahogany secretary here ?! Loaded? Well, for example, in 2014 I lived in a three-star hotel with a very good reviews, in a room for those who never got a second or third half.
Photo of furniture in a 3 star hotel in Forio
Reading reviews about five-star hotels in Ischia and Forio, I come to the conclusion that the people who wrote them were striving for VIP-class furniture, but they got what they got or deserved (maybe they have such karma) ...
Are you down?! Below you will find photos of Forio that I managed to find in my bins!
White Church, landmark of Forio on the island of Ischia
Photo of Forio in the center, the central walking street in the evening
Photo of Epomeo volcano and Forio early morning(photo taken from the ferry to Naples)
Photo of the main gastronomic heritage of Ischia, dinner for 10.80 euros
Shops in Ischia king prawns cost a little less. In the review of Ischia Porto I will try to remember exactly how much :). In general, my first visit to Ischia was not very democratic, as I ate exclusively in restaurants. It took a whole year to pump up to the preparation of sea delicacies right in your room: D.
Located in Forio best beach Ischia - Citara. Clean sand, clear transparent sea of malachite color, shimmering in the rays of sunlight, which we all dream of in the office and at home in gloomy summers and cold winters...
Photo of Citara beach in Forio on the island of Ischia
Photo of Citara beach from the territory of the thermal park Poseidon Gardens in Forio
Life on Citara Beach (Forio, Ischia)
Photo. Tyrrhenian Sea off the coast of Forio, Citara beach
Citara beach is located in the south of Forio, not in the center. The beach is equipped with everything you need for a carefree holiday on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy. Along the entire length of the beach there are restaurants and cafes, shops and kiosks with food and beach accessories. There are sun loungers for rent, but take best places available until 10:00 am. They wake up early here and attack sun loungers even at high prices, the price of one seat per day is from 15 to 20 euros. Like a dozen or some twenty, and now multiply by today's rate. There are also places for local and budget travelers who always carry their own umbrella and towel. A set of my own huge umbrella and a cotton towel cost me about 10 euros. I rested with it for two weeks and paid only ten, not 280 euros. Saved and all the rest of the money squandered on shrimp!
As I mentioned in my photo review, Forio has a unique thermal park Poseidon Gardens. The territory of the Poseidon Gardens thermal park is a multi-level landscape with a large number of pools, some of which are with thermal water. The Poseidon Thermal Gardens are open daily from 09:00 to 19:00. The cost of visiting the Poseidon Gardens is 32 euros in the low season and 35 euros in August. Yes, in August, there are a lot of Italians and guests of sunny Italy, a lot of pragmatic Germans, a Russian-speaking population is found, but rarely. There is also a discount program in the park that allows you to save, albeit a little. If you sleep for a long time, then you can come here after 13:00 and pay only 27 euros, which is called for half a day.
Photo of the territory of the thermal park Poseidon Gardens. Sun loungers are included in the price of the park ticket.
Poseidon Gardens Ischia photo. The photograph shows the tiered layout of the Poseidon Gardens.
Thermal Park Poseidon Gardens in Ischia is the most popular attraction in Ischia. Everyone knows about it and certainly wants to come here. Most of the pools have different water temperatures, in the park you can find pools with a water temperature of about 15 degrees and hotter up to 40 degrees. In total, there are more than 20 pools in the park, including indoor ones, which are located in the health spa center.
Photo. Thermal park Poseidon Gardens in Ischia.
The nature of Poseidon Gardens in Forio.
In some places I wanted to capture the amazing views of nature in the Poseidon Gardens in photographs and got smart with filters in my Canon. In general, the main thing is visible: the Christmas trees, and the mountains, and the rocks, and the radiant sea - everything is at the service of the guests of the park for a modest fee! 😀
I also liked the territory of the thermal park at its highest point: there is a natural sauna carved into the rock. Heat in the sauna, a hot jet of steam is created from the crevices. There are no naked men and women inside the sauna, so there was nothing to take a picture of and it’s dark there, so don’t get angry…
Photo. Entrance to the thermal sauna in the rock, Poseidon Gardens, Forio, 2015.
You will not die of boredom in Forio; I personally like Forio much more than Ischia Porto: there are endless views of the sea, the absence of overdressed signorinas with pumped lips, excellent embankments (perhaps, of course, not the promenade in Nice ...) and just a pleasant sea atmosphere! And finally:
Photo. A piece of summer from Forio, Ischia, Italy.
Thanks to the abundance of hot mineral springs, formed as a result of volcanic activity and overlooking the sea coast, Ischia has become famous as a place of pilgrimage for tourists thirsting for beauty, youth and health.
Along with luxurious balneological resorts and thermal complexes, Ischia known for its soft subtropical climate, citrus and pine groves, golden sandy beaches, full of excursion programs and entertainment for every taste.
Ischia Porto
Ischia Porto is one of two independent districts of the capital of the island. Its main attraction is a huge cargo-passenger port, built in the 19th century on the site of a volcanic crater that was extinct millennia ago and filled with water. Thanks to the port, life in Ischia Porto is in full swing around the clock: tourists eager for entertainment fill the numerous local taverns, fish restaurants, bars and clubs. But still the most popular place in the daytime Ischia Porto is the famous beach, which is marked on all maps as English (Spiaggia degli Inglesi).
The main feature of Ischia Porto is a cargo and passenger port
Ischia Ponte
The second independent area of the metropolitan city of Ischia, located just a few bus stops from Ischia Porto. However, unlike the port "brother", Ischia Ponte is distinguished by peace and regularity, thanks to which it has become a popular place for families with children among Italians.
The fertile sea air, mixed with the aroma of pine, citrus and chestnut groves, fishing boats moored to the shore and the majestic Aragonese Castle create an atmosphere of peace and relaxation. And from the numerous sandy beaches, gently descending to the sea, a wonderful view of the neighboring islands of Procida and Vivara, old mills and fishermen's houses opens up.
Aragonese castle (Castello Aragonese)
One of the main and most visited attractions of the island is the Aragonese castle, built in the Middle Ages on the ruins of an ancient fortress from the time of the tyrant Hieron of Syracuse (V century BC).
The castle (or fortress) is located on a volcanic island, which is a solidified magma, with a diameter of about 300 m and a height of up to 113 m. Nature itself made sure that the place for the future fortress was reliably protected: the slopes of the volcanic island are steep and rocky, and in some places even completely unexpectedly break off over the abyss of the sea. A fortress wall was built around the perimeter of the island, and the shore can only be reached by a bridge laid over a dam, or by a secret passage - a 400-meter tunnel cut into the rock back in 1441.
Aragonese castle is located on a volcanic island
In my time Aragonese Castle was a small populated town, and at a time when foreigners tried to conquer the island, the entire population of Ischia hid on its territory. Later it was the residence of the bishop. In addition, inside the castle territory there was convent Clarissinian belonging to the Franciscan Order. An unusual cemetery has been preserved on the territory of the monastery, where instead of graves there are stone chairs. When the nuns died, they were not buried, but planted on chairs covered with small cages.
Even in the Aragonese castle, a torture chamber has been preserved, which now houses the Museum. Among its exhibits are all kinds of torture devices used during the interrogation of prisoners and prisoners of war.
When the nuns died, they were not buried, but planted on chairs
For lovers of special flavor, there is a small hotel on the territory of the Castle, as well as several restaurants.
Forio (Forio)
Forio, which is the largest resort town the islands of Ischia, located at the foot of the 800-meter dormant volcano Epomeo. Once the city was surrounded by 12 watchtowers. Some of them, which "survived" to this day, are used today as viewing platforms and local attractions. Most notable is the 15th-century Torrione tower, which houses an art gallery and a municipal museum. In clear weather, not only the city itself, but also a significant part of the island is clearly visible from its height.
In the Middle Ages, Forio was surrounded by 12 watchtowers.
The historical center of Forio is well preserved, with its narrow streets, baroque palaces and medieval churches. At all times, the beauty of this city has attracted creative people who came here for inspiration. Cinema lovers are happy to visit the old Villa Colombaia, which has become a house-museum and became famous thanks to the cult Italian director Luchino Visconti. In total, more than 300 exhibits have been collected here, among which special interest present sets for his films, costumes, as well as photographs, awards and other Visconti memorabilia.
Forio is located at the foot of the dormant volcano Epomeo
IN Forio wonderful sandy beaches with white sand, which will appeal not only to adults, but also perfect for families with children.
Fans of nightlife will also not be disappointed, as the city has a sufficient number of discos, nightclubs, restaurants and bars.
Epomeo volcano (Monte Epomeo)
Although the Volcano fell asleep more than 7 centuries ago, and its last eruption was observed in 1302, seismologists insist that it can wake up at any moment, and the consequences of this will be worse than those that occurred as a result of the eruption and the Pompeii catastrophe. In this scenario, the fate of the legendary Atlantis awaits Ischia, since the island will completely go under water.
However, fearless tourists are not afraid of such forecasts, and they boldly climb to the top. Epomeo to take photos as a keepsake. On a clear day with good weather, the 800-meter volcano offers stunning views of the entire island, including the Aragonese castle and the silhouette of the island of Capri on the horizon.
get to Volcano Epomeo it’s not difficult at all: you need to get to the town of Serrara Fontana, and from there, along a narrow winding path made in the rock, climb to the top on foot. The ascent, however, may not be easy, as many experience dizziness and increased heart rate, especially in the last tens of sheer meters.
If Epomeo wakes up, the consequences could be worse than the Pompeii catastrophe
It is curious that the enterprising Italians here - on the Volcano - built a small, but profitable business: not reaching 50 meters from its top, there is a trattoria selling pizza, pasta and espresso.
And on Epomeo you can visit the small church of St. Nicholas (XIII century). In ancient times, the Basilica played the role of a kind of observation post, from which it was possible to notice the approach of pirates and warn the inhabitants of the island of danger.
And, of course, the main pride of the island are thermal springs and mud, which can rejuvenate the face, body and entire body without any medical procedures, as well as relieve stress and fatigue.
Ischia still remembers how the star couple walked here - Clark Gable and Elizabeth Taylor. Today it is a favorite vacation spot of Angela Merkel and other equally famous personalities.
