After "mastering" the bus system we decided to push our public transport abilities to the limit and use the bus, train, and ferry to get to the island of Ischia, about 16 miles away by ferry. Unfortunately, Jess and Josh's car is having some transmission issues (as Jess said to the mechanic "la macchina non funziona"). But luckily the mechanic showed up right on time and we were able to drop the car off and make it by bus and train to the nearby town of Pozzuoli (birthplace of Sophia Loren) to catch the 9:35 ferry to the town of Ischia Porto.
At the dock there were numerous taxis waiting and we opted to take one as a taxi tour so that we could see more of the island. Luigi spoke only Italian, but with Jess's great Italian skills and a little guesswork we were all able to get lots of information out of the tour. We drove along the north coast of the island, stopping at just four of the towns on the island. Ischia is known for its hot springs and nice beaches and is definitely a resort island with some beautiful boutique hotels and restaurants.
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| Funicular to one of the many hot springs and beaches near Ischia Porto |
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| Jess, Amanda, and Kevin in Lacco Ameno |
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| Close up of the aptly named "Fungo" (Mushroom) rock in Lacco Ameno |
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| One of the many churches found on the island |
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| Bouganvillea grows everywhere |
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| Overlook of the island |
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| A beach with hot springs -- this one has waterfalls as part of the thermal treatment |
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| Overlooking Forio |
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| Clear waters off of Forio |
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| Beach chairs and umbrellas can be rented for the day |
After the tour we had lunch at a cafe near the marina in Ischia Porto, then walked through some of the pedestrian-only shop streets. Most of the shops were closed for "reposo", which is like the Spanish "siesta" where everyone goes home and relaxes during the hottest part of the day. It is a fantastic concept that I wish we could adopt in the US, especially Arizona.
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| More beautiful bouganvillea |
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| Balconies at one of the boutique hotels |
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| The ubiquitous motorcycle -- a very popular way to see the island |
We only spent a few short hours on the island but already I am wishing I could return. We will have to save it for the next time we visit Naples!
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| Jess and Kevin preparing to board our ferry home |
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| Last views of Ischia from the ferry -- this is the Castello Aragonese, parts of which date back to 400 BC |
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