On the road that connects Forio to the village of Panza, you will find a flight of stairs that leads you to the Chiesa di San Francesco Saverio.  The church dates from 1742, and it is worth a visit, if you find yourself walking by.  Set up in the front of the church, there is…

After a quick cup of coffee in the room, we made ourselves presentable, and went to the dining room for breakfast. Breakfast was buffet style, and there were plenty of options. After breakfast, we set out to explore the area around the hotel!   Next up: We continue to explore the area around the hotel!…

Realizing that we were both hungry, we decided to order room service, and have lunch in our room.  We ordered two salads, one with tuna, and the other with octopus.  We ate them with relish! After lunch, we had coffee outside, on the terrace.  The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing, unwinding in the…

The Chiesetta di San Girolamo is at Corso Vittoria Colonna, #114.  The church dates back to 1301.  A plaque, on the facade of the building, commemorates the 400th anniversary of the marriage between Vittoria Colonna and Ferrante d’Avalos, which occurred in 1509. We headed back to the apartment, to take a bit of a rest,…

The Monumento a Battistessa is a monument consisting of two marble slabs, dedicated to the martyrs of the Neopolitan uprisings of 1799, and, in particular, to Pasquale Battistessa, a local who lost his life on a nearby beach, during the resistance.  Legend has it that, on the site of the monument, there once stood the…

As we began our fourth day in Ischia, we noticed a sculpture of a sunbather, on a patch of grass, alongside the road. The Hotel Villa Maria is a three-star hotel, set in a liberty-style building that dates from the 1920s. The poster below is advertising a drink called Rucolino, a delicious local digestivo, similar…

The Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie, or the Church of Holy Mary of Grace, dates from the early 1500s.  The church is also known as the Chiesa della Madonna della Punta, or Our Lady of the Point, because of its location on the island.  It served as a place of worship, for the fishermen…

Be sure to head downstairs, to the cathedral’s Crypt of Nobles!  It dates from the 11th century.  The walls feature the remains of ancient frescoes, dating back to the 13th century. The Casa del Sole is a building that was originally part of the ancient castle, but now, it hosts modern art, as well as…

The Castello Aragonese is one sight that everyone, visiting the island of Ischia, should try and see!  Parts of the complex date back to the 4th century BC.  It was given its current name in the 1400s, when the small island, on which the castle sits, became the property of Alfonso I of Aragon.  Much…

For our third day in Ischia, our plan was to slowly make our way over to the Castello Aragonese.  It is an easy and lovely walk, from the port area to the castle, and so, we began wandering along the main street of the town, headed in that direction. The sculpture titled “Gesù, Fate Luce,”…

The Monumento al Redentore, or the Monument to the Redeemer, dates from 1903.  It was designed by the engineer, Francesco Fusco, but the actual carrying out of the design was done by the engineer, Luigi Parisi.  It sits in a small square, Piazza del Redentore, in front of the Chiesa di Santa Maria di Portosalvo….

Our second day in Ischia Porto began with a walk around the port area.  The “Bocca Vecchia” is an old bridge, dating from 1670, which connected the port area with what, at the time, was part of a naval yard, and today, it hosts a nice park.  The old bridge is used for autos and…