Small and Local, or Bigger and Restorative
Procida is about rhythm rather than sights. Coffee at the port, a swim, a long lunch, a nap and an evening walk up to Terra Murata, the walled medieval quarter at the top of the island. It is small enough to know within a day. Film fans may recognize it from Il Postino and from scenes in The Talented Mr. Ripley. It was named Italian Capital of Culture in 2022 and has drawn more attention since, yet it still feels unhurried and lived in.
Ischia gives you more to fill the days. Thermal parks, a mountain to climb, one of southern Italy's loveliest gardens, a castle on a rock and six towns to explore. Italians and Germans have come here for spa holidays for generations. Even so, locals far outnumber visitors outside August.
If the best part of travel for you is feeling like you live somewhere for a few days, Procida delivers that. If you want comfort and choice, Ischia is the stronger base.
Places to Stay
Procida's lodging is small-scale by design. Expect boutique guesthouses, restored family homes, a few small hotels and apartments with terraces. Marina di Corricella is the most atmospheric spot to sleep, though rooms there are few and the stairs are steep with luggage. Marina Grande, by the main port, is practical for ferries and has plenty of cafés. Chiaiolella, at the southwestern tip, has a marina, restaurants and a more relaxed beach feel. Look for a private terrace or a sea view. Ask your host to arrange luggage transfers and boat trips. Costs are moderate for the Bay of Naples.
Ischia has a full range, from simple family hotels to grand spa properties. Mezzatorre, in a sixteenth-century watchtower on a wooded headland near Lacco Ameno, has its own thermal spa and starts around $800 a night in shoulder season. Regina Isabella is the long-established grand hotel in Lacco Ameno. Forio and Sant'Angelo have good smaller hotels.
Prices are approximate. Couples who want a full spa should plan at least part of the stay on Ischia.
Beaches and Warm Water
Procida's beaches are small and mostly local. Chiaia, below Terra Murata, is reached by a long staircase and rewards you with clear water and a beach restaurant. Pozzo Vecchio on the western side is the black sand beach from Il Postino. Chiaiolella has a longer strand near the marina. Hire a skipper to circle the island in about two hours, stopping in coves and grottoes along the cliffs.
Ischia has more and bigger beaches, plus the thermal water that makes it unique. Spend a day at Poseidon in Forio or Negombo in Lacco Ameno, moving between warm pools and the sea. Take a water taxi from Sant'Angelo to the Bay of Sorgeto, where hot springs bubble into rocky pools, best in the evening. A boat trip around the island adds swims in coves you can only reach by sea.
On Ischia, keep thermal soaks to about 20 minutes and drink plenty of water. Check with a doctor first if either of you has heart or blood pressure concerns, or if you are pregnant. Water shoes help on both islands.
Getting There and Around
Both start in Naples (NAP). Seasonal summer nonstops from the New York area and Chicago have served Naples in recent years. Otherwise connect through Rome or a European hub. A taxi from the airport to the port takes about 20 minutes.
Fast ferries reach Procida in about 45 minutes and Ischia in roughly an hour. Slower car ferries take longer. Boats also leave from Pozzuoli for both islands. The hop between Procida and Ischia is short.
Leave the car behind either way. On Procida, the streets are narrow and parking is scarce. Small buses run every 20 to 30 minutes, microtaxis wait at the port and e-bikes are a fun way to reach the beaches. Most of the island is walkable. On Ischia, buses circle the coast frequently and cheaply. Taxis and three-wheeled microtaxis are easy to find. Scooters are popular but roads are narrow and busy in summer.
Pack light for both. Ferries, stairs and lanes make big suitcases a burden.
At Table on Each Island
Both islands share a love of rabbit, which surprises many visitors. Procida has coniglio alla procidana, a stew. Ischia's signature dish is coniglio all'ischitana, slow-cooked with tomato, garlic, white wine and herbs, with the sauce served over pasta first. Farm restaurants in Ischia's hills specialize in it.
Seafood rules on both coasts. On Procida, order spaghetti with sea urchins or clams and fried calamari eaten on the harbor wall. The island's big lemons appear in a fresh salad dressed with oil, mint and chili. For breakfast, try lingua di bue, a flaky pastry filled with lemon cream, from the bakeries by the port. Book a waterside table in Corricella for dinner.
Ischia makes its own crisp white wines from Biancolella and Forastera grapes on volcanic terraces, poured cheaply by the glass. Rucolino, a bittersweet herb liqueur, ends the meal. Sunset tables in Forio and Sant'Angelo book up a day or two ahead in summer.
Romantic Moments
On Procida, the defining moment is sunset from Terra Murata, looking down on Corricella as the lights come on, with the Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo behind you. Cross the footbridge from Chiaiolella to Vivara, a small nature reserve with views back toward both islands; access is limited, so check locally. Easter is special, with the Good Friday procession one of the island's big events.
On Ischia, walk the stone causeway to the Castello Aragonese late in the day, when the light reaches Procida and Vesuvius. Wander Giardini La Mortella in Forio, created by the composer William Walton and his wife Susana. Hike Mount Epomeo, about 788 meters, then descend for a farmhouse lunch. End the day soaking in the warm sea pools at Sorgeto.
Procida's moments are quiet and close together. Ischia's take a little more planning and offer more variety.
Seasons and the Two-Island Plan
The best months on both are May, June and September, when the sea is warm and everything is open. July and August are hot and busy. Neapolitans day-trip to Procida on summer weekends, while Ischia fills with Italian families. October can be lovely on both. Ischia's thermal pools stay warm whatever the weather. From November to March many guesthouses and hotels close.
The islands combine beautifully. A strong plan is four nights on Ischia for thermal days and hikes, then two on Procida as a peaceful finale, or the reverse. Add Capri or the Amalfi Coast for a longer Bay of Naples honeymoon.
On Procida, respect quiet hours in the residential lanes; it is a working fishing community. On both, carry some cash for small cafés, boat captains and microtaxis. Ferries can be canceled in rough seas, so leave a buffer day before your flight home from Naples.
