When my friends and family tell me they’re going to Capri, I wince.
I don’t loathe the popular island, but as someone who’s traveled extensively throughout Italy over the past 15 years, I found it comparatively overhyped, overpriced, and overcrowded.
Instead, I recommend Ischia, a Phlegraean island in the Gulf of Naples that’s just a 50-minute ferry ride away from Capri.
During my recent 17-day trip there, I realized Ischia has everything its more popular neighbor offers — great shopping, a castle, beaches, a botanical garden — but with fewer tourists.
Here’s why it belongs on your Italy itinerary.
Ischia’s walkable, lively town center has comparatively few tourists
Pasquale Gargano/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images
Italy’s high season runs from June to August, so I always expect a fair share of tourists wherever I go in the summer. However, compared to Capri, a buzzy spot that lands on many first-timers’ Italy itineraries, Ischia doesn’t get quite as busy, even during peak season.
The ferry from Naples goes right into Ischia Porto, the town center, where I could walk directly to attractions such as San Pietro Beach, Castello Aragonese, and thermal spas. Buses at the port also run throughout the entire island.
Being able to wander streets like Via Roma, stop for Amarena cherry and Nutella gelato at Il Grottino, and visit Corso Vittorio Colonna’s restaurants, coffee bars, and shops without battling crowds is always exceptional. The island still felt lively and vibrant when I was there; it just wasn’t swarmed with tourists.
Although Capri is famous for its high-end boutiques, I found the shopping experience on Ischia to be more focused on reasonably priced clothing made by local designers.
Corso Vittorio Colonna, one of the main shopping streets, is the perfect spot to score unique souvenirs.
Ischia also specializes in ceramics, beauty products infused with the island’s volcanic mud and thermal waters, and Rucolino Amaro — a sweet, herbaceous liqueur made from arugula.
The island has impressive sightseeing opportunities
Mark Marino
Ischia has more than just beaches — there are also ample opportunities for taking in local culture and history.
One of my favorite spots is Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie, a striking 18th-century Baroque church with a buttery yellow facade, white stucco details, and oval windows. Unlike some Italian churches that require a ticket or a long wait to enter, this one is free and had no line during my recent visit.
Castello Aragonese is another absolute must. The 5th-century B.C. castle is a scenic 30-minute walk from the port and sits atop a cliff. To reach the castle, visitors cross a 720-foot-long stone bridge.
Touring the massive castle took me about two hours. Although visitors can take an elevator to the top and work their way down, I chose to walk up the winding steps and pathways, stopping at a convent, church ruins, an abandoned prison, and an underground cemetery along the way.
I enjoyed being in the pleasantly warm weather among prickly pear plants and olive and fig trees, taking in panoramic views of Ischia and its surrounding islands (hello, Capri!) from the castle’s many terraces.
I didn’t expect Ischia to have the most stunning botanical garden I’ve visited in any part of Italy (or in the US, for that matter), but Giardini La Mortella is just that.
Although the sprawling botanical garden is a popular destination (and only a 30-minute bus ride from the port), there were very few guests on the morning I visited, which is a good thing since I kept audibly gasping at the vibrant greens, rich reds, sunny yellows, and deep purples of the subtropical and Mediterranean plants and trees.
I saw water lilies, ferns, palm trees, and Japanese maples as I made my way around the garden’s fountains, streams, waterfall, and temple.
I could easily spend hours at the beach or port
If doing a lot of sightseeing isn’t your style, Ischia still has some of the most impressive European beaches I’ve seen.
San Pietro Beach is one of the largest on the island, and it’s only steps from the port. It has a free public section along with an area where you can rent lounge chairs and umbrellas. When I visited in the spring, it was mostly filled with locals playing volleyball or taking leisurely walks.
The right bank of the port is another great place to spend time, with plenty of fantastic restaurants and bars for dining al fresco on the waterfront. I loved watching yachts and ferries sail in and out of the port. The experience felt even more special at sunset.
Some of my favorite spots to unwind are Station 33, a burger bar where I ordered spritzes of all types, and Portobello Restaurant, where I had fantastic ricotta-stuffed fried zucchini blossoms and a huge portion of creamy spaghetti alla carbonara in a mini ceramic boat.
Procida, another incredible island, is just a 20-minute ferry away
Mark Marino
One of the many reasons I love Ischia is that it’s a 20-minute ferry ride from Procida, a small island with astounding views and dreamy pastel-colored buildings.
As soon as I first arrived in the marina, I was met by a sea of shops and cafés in washed-out pinks, blues, and ochres that led me to the main piazza.
For a perfect day on Procida, roam the cobblestone alleys and watch locals speed by on Vespas and, if you’re up for it, climb 20 minutes to the island’s highest point, a historic village called Terra Murata. The spectacular views of the marina and historic Coricella fishing village are worth the effort.
The island’s food is also excellent. I enjoyed a plate of spaghetti al limone at Bar Graziella, an iconic eatery featured in films such as 1994’s “Il Postino.”
I also stopped at Capriccio Bar for a Fogliolì spritz, which uses a liqueur made from lemon leaves, and lingue di bue, a puff pastry filled with a lemon custard cream.
After a gorgeous day on Procida, I was thrilled to return to Ischia. Although I had the pleasure of spending over two weeks getting to know the island, it’s spectacular enough that it’s worth going even for just one day if you’re able.