Travel to Ischia

This island of volcanic origin is located in the Gulf of Naples and I also wanted to visit Naples. Besides, the beach and the sea, but what more do we need?

I have to admit, the road to our destination was a bit daunting. In Slovakia, no travel agency offers a holiday on the island of Ischia, so we arranged the holiday through an Italian travel agency. But she will take care of us only in Italy after arriving in Naples. Until then, it is in our hands.

From Spišská Nová Ves, where we live, we get on a train and go to Budapest. We have to sleep right here and in the morning a hotel taxi is to take us to the airport.

We slept well and in the morning we pack up quickly and go in front of the hotel, where a taxi is waiting for us. Instead of the car in which we would put our luggage, a driver with a tablet in his hands is waiting for us. He shows us something about it and tries to explain something to us in Hungarian English. We take a closer look and see a list of scheduled flights from Budapest on the screen. The red canceled sign flashes for the first three. Fortunately, our flight is not among them. Ours is the fifth in a row.

The Lord explains to us that they suspected a bomb on board one of the planes that landed at the airport, then evacuated and closed the entire airport. He could be seen thinking about how he would help us. We still had time and so we only stressed a little. After half an hour of waiting, he came to us and told us to get in the car. A friend said to him that the airport had already been opened. We took a deep breath.

They found no bomb at the airport and returned to the old tracks. We get on a plane and hooray, we go in the direction of Naples.

The flight goes smoothly and we are landing in Naples. We are looking for someone from a travel agency to take us to the island. Fortunately, as we exit the airport lobby, we see the gentleman with a sign that says my name on it. He will take us to the bus and head to the port. When disembarking, he gives us tickets for the ferry that will take us to the island.

The ferry leaves in an hour and we buy buns to eat, water to drink and we walk around the port a bit.

The ships moored here are truly enchanting.

We board the ferry. As soon as we moved, a flock of seagulls surrounded us. They circled around, waiting for someone from the ship to throw something good under their teeth.

As we leave the port, we see a lighthouse and a statue of the Pope blessing every ship that enters or leaves the port.

We love the surroundings and we are glad that we have set out on this journey. It is our first ferry trip and actually the first holiday on the island.

After less than an hour of sailing, we swim around the castle of Aragonese. This castle is connected to the island of Ischia only by a narrow road.

We enter the port and disembark. There are a lot of people everywhere who have scattered in all directions. We also stand with our luggage in a large parking lot, looking around and looking for someone who came for us from the trip.

People dispersed, the last taxi left and we were left alone in the port. Only seagulls kept us company. Fortunately, after half an hour of uncertainty, a smiling guy stopped by. Peaceful and in a good mood, he greeted us on the island. He put his suitcases in our car and took us to the hotel. We are finally here!

Ischia is a small island with an area of ​​46.3 square kilometers, located in the Gulf of Naples. It is an island of volcanic origin. There are larger or smaller volcanic centers on it. The last eruption was in 1302. The volcano is currently inactive, but earthquakes predict the movement of magma beneath the island and the possibility of an eruption in the future. We hope not when we are on the island.

We unpack our things and go to the night city. The nightlife here is not as intense as in the big resorts, but there is a small promenade surrounded by shops and stalls, where you can buy whatever you want or sit in one of the restaurants. Ischia is a fishing town and has retained its character to this day.

The most beautiful view of the city at night is, in my opinion, from this pier.

I was immediately attracted by small cars on the island, which found their place in these narrow streets.

We are on the island for the third day and after a day of relaxation on the beach and evening walks around the city, we went to visit the island's landmarks. It is the castle of Aragonese.

We are accommodated close and so we go down the hill, we cross a little around the historic center and we are in front of the pier that connects the castle built on a rock with the island.

We walk through the entrance gate and delve into the history of the castle. Its origins date back to 474 BC. In that year he built a fortification and two towers on the castle hill of Hiero I. Syracuse. The fortifications served to control the enemy fleet. Later the castle was occupied by the Neapolitans, then by the Romans and finally again by the Neapolitans. In 1441, King Alfonso I of Aragon of Spain had a fortified castle built on an island near Ischia and connected it to the island by a bridge. The castle protected the island from pirates.

Later, the castle became a refuge for the nuns of the Poor Clares and the Basilian monks. There were 13 churches and 2,000 families. In 1809, the island was besieged by the British under French command and the castle was almost destroyed but not conquered. The castle has been privately owned since 1912.

We like the castle. Not only is there a nice view of the island and the sea from here, but the small narrow streets are not a mistake.

After a walk and getting to know the castle, we come to the beach. We want to relax and enjoy the sea.

On the other side of the island is the town of Forio. The church located here is known far and wide. The Chiesa del Soccorso was originally a Augustinian monastery, built in 1350. In 1883 it was destroyed by an earthquake. They restored it, but in a more modest style.

Source.