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Jake Emen
Aug. 3, 2018 3:31 p.m. ET Ischia, often overlooked by tourists, was first settled by the Greeks roughly 2,800 years ago Jake Emen

Ischia has long been overshadowed by neighboring Capri in the minds of American tourists. But everyone else’s loss is your gain, because this island off the coast of Naples offers rich cultural history with opportunities for adventure and unique geologic features that have made it a haven for wellness retreats.

Ischia’s thermal baths have been enjoyed since at least the Roman times and remain sought after by health-minded travelers. “It’s a great, unique combination that gives us the thermal springs,” says Alessandro Mattera, a native Ischian and the general manager of tour operator FORADAY.

The island's porous tufa rock allows rainwater to trickle and filter through, becoming loaded with minerals along the way. Active thermal activity beneath the surface heats the water, and it escapes the tufa rock and pools in areas of volcanic basalt rock, forming the springs. Further mineral runoff from the rocks then forms the island's beaches.

The island was first settled by the Greeks roughly 2,800 years ago, and is said to be perhaps the first Greek settlement in Italy, as well as the first site of winemaking in the country. Artifacts found on the island include some of the best, earliest known samples of the Greek alphabet, and what some believe is the oldest written reference to the stories of the "Iliad."

The largest of Italy’s small islands, Ischia awaits you after an easy hour-long ferry from Naples. Medieval Castello Aragonese, situation on a rocky volcanic islet Castello Aragonese


The five-star L’Albergo della Regina Isabella on the island's northwestern corner offers welcoming old-world Italian hospitality amid a beautiful cliffside setting. The resort is comprised of a series of brightly colored, interconnected buildings and towers with direct sea access. Find a sunny spot among the long rows of lounge chairs adorning a crisscrossing series of private piers and the hotel’s cozy beach alcove, or retreat to your room, which may feature its own thermal bath plunge pool on the balcony.


The Regina Isabella's spa is a sprawling complex that's also open to those who aren’t staying at the property. Indulge with any number of massages or beauty treatments, or consult with an on-site team of medical professionals to develop an entire wellness program for the duration of your stay. Traditional thermal mud treatments are a popular choice for either relaxation or remedy.

Or do as the Romans did and head straight to one of the island’s many termes, or thermal baths. There are even places today where you can sit in the very same pools and undergo the same overall experience that Romans enjoyed at least 2,200 years prior. Settings range from quite traditional to more modern to suit your taste, with some of the largest and most well known options  including Cavascura, Negombo, Giardini Poseidon, and Parco Castiglione. Expect to pay a half day or full day rate for admission, with many termes offering anywhere from a dozen to 20 or more different pools.


Ischia is currently home to three Michelin-starred restaurants, including the two-star Daní Maison, and the one-star Il Mosaico and Indaco, the latter of which is a nine-table, oceanfront restaurant housed in the Regina Isabella. The restaurant, named for the color of the surrounding waters, is dedicated to all things seafood, showcasing fanciful presentations and extravagant tasting menus with Ischian wine pairings. The golden anchovies dish, featuring seven preparations of anchovies, is an example of how chef Pasquale Palamaro’s creative mind is able to transform and showcase traditional fare in surprising new ways.

Visit Umberto a Mare, located at the site of Ischia’s oldest church, the Chiesa del Soccorso, for an intimate setting with sensational sunset views, or get a ride to the Ristorante L’Arca, housed in an ark-shaped tufa stone rock jutting out from the mountain for a taste of traditional Ischian cuisine such as rabbit.


The winding, narrow roads of hilly Ischia may be best and most easily explored via scooter, offering direct views of the lush landscape, the whitewashed homes seemingly built atop one another leading up the hillsides, and the aqua waters sparkling down below. Rent your own or tour around with an operator such as FORADAY, focused on experiential and educational excursions led by professionals, including historians, biologists, and archeologists.

Hit the water with the operator for a day of private yacht sailing, snorkeling through underwater Roman ruins, or an evening bioluminescence tour, or consider volcanic cooking in hot sand heated by thermal springs, or a culinary tour including winery visits and stops into myriad local purveyors.

Visit the stunning Castello Aragonese d’Ischia, a medieval era castle housed on a rocky outcropping now connected to Ischia via causeway. The fortified position was a stronghold and settlement dating to the 4th century BCE. The Castello has been owned privately for the past century, but is open to the public for visits throughout the week.

The Ischia Film Festival is held at the Castello each June and July. Now in its 15th season, the festival has grown into a noteworthy attraction showcasing over 100 international films in a remarkable setting.
 Great Escapes: Italy’s Ancient, Overlooked Ischia



