The Emerald Isle of Ischia

Ischia is located in the Gulf of Naples and is the most famous thermal resort in Italy. Due to the volcanic origin of the island, its soil is very fertile, which has led to an extraordinary variety of vegetation. Here you can find bananas and chestnuts, blueberries and cyclamens, flowering cacti and magnificent white mushrooms. For vineyards, fruit-bearing citrus plantations and pine forests, the island received its second name - Emerald.

A picturesque road connects numerous fishing villages and small towns. Harsh rocks, sandy beaches, ancient churches, colorful houses, olive and lemon groves - these are beautiful, rapidly changing landscapes of Ischia. Thermal waters, which have the most beneficial effect on the human body, have become the main treasure of the island.

According to an old legend, the goddess Venus was the first to know the power of the mineral springs of Ischia. In gratitude, she turned the island into a beautiful flowering garden. Noble Romans and many European aristocrats rested and built their villas here. Two hundred meters away, on the top of a separate rock, the Aragonese castle fortified, which has become a symbol of Ischia. The castle is connected to the island by a bridge, and a winding path leads to the castle itself through a tunnel. Directly from the tunnel you can go outside, which leads to the Watchtower and the fortress itself. This citadel has repeatedly protected the inhabitants of the island from pirates. There are many interesting buildings and gardens inside the fortress.

An interesting natural landmark of Ischia is Fungo, the so-called tufa rock that grows directly from the sea near the town of Lacco Ameno. The rock, in the form of a giant mushroom, was turned by coastal waves. It is worth visiting the dormant Epomeo volcano to see the whole island and its surroundings from its top. To admire the wonderful sunsets, tourists and locals come to the town of Forio, which has an observation deck near the local church.

Ischia attracts with its mild climate, very clean sea, healing thermal springs and well-equipped hotels. There are all conditions for scuba diving and yachting. In the sea there are thickets of rare black coral, flocks of colorful fish and dolphins. A trip to the resort of Ischia is hard to forget. Leaving the island, I want to come back here again and settle here.