IMAGE: REGINA ISABELLA
ISCHIA, Italy
Aimed at: history-lovers Highlights: ancient spa towns, natural pools, therapeutic mud & cliffside baths Health benefits: detoxification support, joint relief & skin renewal
DAY 1 THERMAL BEGINNINGS & ISLAND ORIENTATION Arriving on Ischia from Naples — just a 50-minute ferry ride away — feels like an instant change of pace. Where Italy’s third-largest city buzzes with grit and energy, Ischia Porto on the island’s north coast moves more slowly, its rhythm shaped by its long history as a wellness escape for Neapolitans. Bobbing yachts, little boutiques and lively
restaurants edge the azure waterfront before giving way to beaches and the island’s quieter, wilder corners. Hop in a taxi and follow the SP270 west towards the sheltered bay of San Montano and Hotel Della Baia, your base within the Negombo hydrothermal park for the next three days. Spread across 22 acres and founded in the 1940s by humanist-botanist Duke Luigi Silvestro Camerini, Negombo combines ornate botanical gardens with access to Ischia’s legendary volcanic springs — naturally hot and famously rich in minerals. It’s tempting to linger among Negombo’s pools and soothing spa treatment rooms, but venture beyond the resort and spend the afternoon exploring Ischia’s wider hydrotherapy tradition, praised as a medicinal aid since Roman times by the writer- naturalist Pliny the Elder. A 15-minute taxi ride to the west coast town of
Forio leads to the whitewashed Chiesa del Soccorso and further thermal soaking at Poseidon Gardens Thermal Park, where seawater and volcanic pools look out over sandy Citara Bay. As evening falls, wander through Forio’s pretty old town before tucking in to a plate of pasta laced with local seafood at traditional tavernas, such as Core a Core.
DAY 2 NATURE, HISTORY & HEALING For millennia, Ischia’s thermal waters have shaped daily life on the island — it was first used by the ancient Etruscans in ritual and later by the Romans for their restorative powers. To understand the natural landscapes that make this such a potent place for wellbeing, begin with a guided morning hike up Mount Epomeo, Ischia’s highest peak at 789m. The climb is steep in places, but the reward is worth it: sweeping views over green hillsides to the glittering sea, followed by a restorative lunch at Ristorante La Grotta da Fiore, a mountaintop spot carved straight into tuff rock.
Once you’ve enjoyed a bird’s-eye view of the island
— and tried the local speciality, rabbit stew — spend the afternoon going deeper into its history with a visit to Castello Aragonese on the east coast, about a 30-minute drive away. Inhabited since the 5th century BCE and complete with a convent, prison and catacombs, this medieval fortress on a small islet is reached via a stone causeway. A guided tour brings its past to life, while summer concerts and festivals offer a glimpse of its modern identity. After a day on your feet, reward yourself with an
evening at Sorgeto Bay, another of Ischia’s thermal highlights. Tucked into the south coast, around 40 minutes from the Castello, this natural hot-spring cove is warmed by volcanic currents that heat the rock pools to perfect bathing temperatures. It’s free to visit, and picnics are encouraged — locals even bring eggs to cook in the hottest pools. Uncork a bottle of Ischia-made wine and you’ve got all the ingredients for a simple, satisfying al fresco dinner.
DAY 3 MUD, MARKETS & MEDITERRANEAN LIVING Having already dipped your toe into Ischia’s thermal water, a deeper immerision awaits in Lacco Ameno, a historic spa town on the north coast, under 10-minutes’ drive away. Known for its fango (mineral-rich mud) treatments, made from the island’s volcanic soils, it’s the place to experience Ischia’s traditional therapies at their most indulgent. At glamorous hotel Regina Isabella, treatments involve getting smothered in bentonite clay that’s been aged for six months in the local thermal waters to boost its curative properties — said to aid everything from detoxification to easing sore muscles and joints. You’ll emerge feeling blissfully Zen, ready for a gentle wander through the town’s pastel boutiques, a lounge on Il Fungo beach or a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Pithecusae. The latter is filled with Grecian pottery, Roman anchors and stories of ancient spa culture. After enjoying grilled fish for lunch at a casual
seafront spot such as Le Canzoni del Mare, head back to Negombo to enjoy its spa facilities and golden beachfront for the afternoon. Hop between thermal and seawater pools, drift under warm waterfalls and unwind in salt caves designed to benefit lung health. Then, once Ischia’s restorative magic has worked its charm, round off your final day with a boat ride from Forio along the island’s dramatic coastline — sipping wine as the sun sets and taking one last plunge into the shallows. AM
HOW TO DO IT: Citalia has seven nights in Ischia from £997 per person, including flights, transfers and B&B accommodation from a selection of hotels across the island. The best way to explore all of Ischia’s wellness spots is by car.
citalia.com
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER – ISLANDS COLLECTION 23
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