Ischia Islands

Ischia is a small Italian island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Ischia has a total population of approximately sixty thousand residents, and covers an area of about eighteen square miles. Ischia is a relatively mountainous island, a result of its volcanic origins. Ischia’s volcano has not erupted in the past eight hundred years, with its latest eruption ending in 1302. Ischia was home to a diverse community even in its early history, seeing the influence of the Phoenicians, Etruscans, and Greeks. In the modern day, Ischia’s economy depends almost entirely on the tourist industry. Approximately six million tourists visit the island over the course of an average year, drawing primarily from the European mainland and in particular Germany and Ischia. Ischia has been memorialized in a number of literary works and films, including an essay by Truman Capote. The high peaks of the island provide fantastic views of the island’s landscape and the surrounding ocean, and are a primary draw for the throngs of tourists.

One of the best known attractions on the island of Ischia is the Aragonese Castle or Castello Aragonese, a fortress built on an offshore rock and intended to maintain control over ship movements. The islet is home to ancient fortifications and ruins as well as a number of chapels and other historic sites. La Mortella’s gardens are another popular destination on Ischia, and include a number of tropical plants and Mediterranean specimens. The Villa Ravino Gardens are another botanical destination on Ischia, although they specialize in cacti and gardener education. Other notable sites of interest on Ischia include the Church of the Soccorso, the Poseidon Gardens, and Sant’ Angelo. Ischia has a number of beautiful and popular beaches as well, including English’s Beach, Maronti Beach, and Citara Beach.