Italy’s Best-Kept Secret Has Better Food Than Capri and No Crowds
An hour from Naples, the island of Ischia continues to stay under the radar, which is exactly how many locals like it.
Capri gets the press, the paparazzi, and the cruise ship itineraries. It also gets fashion labels, glossy magazine shoots, and celebrity lore. Since the 1950s, the island has drawn stars, royals, and influencers, its glamour fed by films, designer boutiques, and curated streets like Via Camerelle. The island became a brand long ago, and travelers bought in.
Ischia, on the other hand, comes without the press or sky-high prices. It’s where Neapolitans go when they want a real summer. The island sits in the Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the same volcanic trio that includes Procida and Capri. It’s bigger than it looks, with six distinct towns and enough local color to fill a dozen postcards. Its charm feels lived in.
Where the Food Speaks First
Image via Unsplash/Jakub Kapusnak
Capri is known for its scenery, while Ischia is remembered for its meals. Its specialty is rabbit stew, slow-cooked in clay pots with garlic, cherry tomatoes, wine, and a touch of pepper. Locals call it Coniglio all’ischitana, and the good places recommend calling ahead to reserve it. Seafood here means calamari caught that morning. The best meals are fresh and local.
Try the restaurant Trattoria Il Focolare in the hills for the dish at its peak. The antipasti roll out like a neighborhood celebration, and the rabbit stew is worth the uphill drive. Down in Ischia Ponte, Ristorante Pirozzi tosses out some of the island’s best pizza and outperforms plenty of mainland spots. Le Fumarole da Nicola, near Sant’Angelo, lets you eat fresh fish over the sea while natural hot springs bubble beneath the floor.
Where to Stay
Capri’s hotels are famous for their fashion week buzz, but Ischia offers elegance. An example is Mezzatorre Hotel, which sits above a rocky cove and has a spa that uses geothermal mud and water from the island’s hot springs. It has blue-striped umbrellas, detox mud, and a view over San Montano Bay that might be the best on the island. This spot helped put Ischia on the radar of design travelers.
Il Monastero, inside the Castello Aragonese, gives you a room inside a centuries-old fortress. There’s a lift up through the rock, a garden that grows ingredients for the restaurant, and a terrace for long, unbothered breakfasts. For beach access and breezier energy, Umberto a Mare offers balconies so close to the sea that they’re nearly on it.
What to Do (When You’re Not Eating)
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This is a place built for soaking, whether in the sea, in hot springs, or in the sun. Thermal spas have been part of Ischia for centuries, and places like Poseidon and Negombo offer thermal pools, sea access, and more than a few hammams. Locals swear by the healing mud, but it also just feels good after a morning walk.
Castello Aragonese is built on a rocky islet connected by a narrow causeway. It features frescoes, gardens, and an espresso terrace bar. For a quieter corner, Giardini La Mortella, a garden started by the late British composer Susana Walton and designed by Russell Page, is a sweet pick.
Hikers head for Mount Epomeo. It’s the island’s highest point, and the climb is reasonable if you’re motivated by bruschetta and house wine at the summit. Most towns have trail access, and the wildflowers tend to show up in spring.
Capri’s shoreline looks good in photos, but space is limited. Ischia’s beaches leave better room to stretch out. Spiaggia dei Maronti stretches along the southern coast and is filled with family-run beach clubs. San Montano curves like a crescent and shares real estate with Negombo’s thermal complex. Giardino Eden, perched near the castle, has wooden decks built above the sea.
Beach clubs here are also connected to snack bars that serve real food.
Get There Before Everyone Else Does
Ischia is easy to reach from Naples by ferry or hydrofoil, with most routes landing at Ischia Porto. Some hotels offer pickups, and car ferries run regularly if you’re road-tripping. The island is big enough to explore but small enough to cross in under an hour—unless you let a vineyard or seafood spot slow you down.
You don’t need a car, but it helps. So does a scooter, especially in the warmer months. Just watch the mountain roads because they’re narrow and occasionally dramatic.