The islands of Italy - the stars scattered over the sea

Little treasures of Italy

The Italian islands are not only Sicily pulsating with passion or Sardinia fragrant with flowers. Nature has endowed the country of pizza and olives with wonderful landscapes, scattering small gems in the form of smaller or larger islands in the sea with a generous handful. Each of them deserves attention, because each has something different to offer. Therefore, during your vacation in Italy, it is worth planning a few trips to the local picturesque islands. Most of them can be reached by ferry, and some are connected by a series of bridges - reaching them will not be a problem, so you really need to take this opportunity.

If your tour starts in Naples, you can take the ferry to explore Procida. The island is only 3.4 km from the mainland. Right next to it, there is a small island called Vivara, connected to the bigger sister by a bridge.

Lemon Island - Procida

In the past, Procida was an ordinary fishing village, but today it is developing rapidly, taking advantage of the interest of more and more tourists. It houses many hotels and campsites (including the nice Camping Ciraccio or Camping Punta Serra, both with bungalow spaces). The island is famous for its 18th-century pastel buildings, its attractions are also the Terra Murata fortifications. Tourists who will come here before Easter will have the opportunity to see the distinctive celebration of Holy Week. On Holy Thursday there is a Procession of the Apostles and on Good Friday a Mystery Procession. The fame of this charming island is also brought by the huge and very juicy lemons growing there. It is from them that the regional alcoholic beverage known as limoncello is produced.

Her little sister Vivara still fascinates scientists - especially the origin of her name. Some of them claim that the name means a place inhabited by animals, which might be true considering that Vivara was once eagerly visited by poachers. Because of them, in 2002 it was renamed a strict nature reserve and, although it is connected with Procida by a bridge, access to the island is forbidden for the time being. Perhaps in the future we will be able to visit it - the authorities of Procida are talking more and more about the need to use the tourist attractions of Vivara. The island itself is shaped like a crescent moon, and its ridge visible from space is the remains of a prehistoric volcano crater.

Monkey Island - Ischia

Not far from the two sisters is one of the major tourist attractions of the Gulf of Naples - Ischia . Near the island, on a rock, stands the Aragonese Castle (Castello Aragonese) from 474 BC. It is worth taking a closer look at it, because it is a very interesting building. Ischia is approximately 30 km from the mainland, but regular ferries run from Naples to the island. Formerly it was called Pithekoussai, which was associated with the myth in which Zeus turned the inhabitants of the island into monkeys (Pithekos - a monkey). The island delights tourists with its beauty, and is also appreciated for its healing and spa qualities. It has hot springs and many thermal waters, already used by the ancient Greeks to strengthen the body and spirit.

The main attraction of the island, however, is not the hot springs, but a truly paradise garden, or rather gardens - Giardini Poseidon , or Gardens of Poseidon. They constitute a complex of 20 thermal pools and gardens of lush Mediterranean vegetation. They occupy an area of about 50,000 square meters and stretch right next to the beach in Citara Bay. Admission to the Gardens is paid, but let's be honest - who wouldn't pay to enter paradise? For around 30 euros, we can spend the whole day among lush, wild vegetation and enjoy all the pools and other attractions of Giardini Poseidon.

There are several campsites where you can stay on this beautiful island. One of them is Camping Mirage (Spiaggia dei Maronti, 80070 Barano d '/ media / images / islands-italy-2013-Gwiazd-rozsiane-na-seas_2) offering places for tents, campers and caravans. A stand for a vehicle here costs 9.50-11 EUR / day, and an overnight stay - from 10 to 12 EUR a day. The campsite has a restaurant serving a variety of Mediterranean dishes, and there is also a typical American fast food.

A tiny island - Nisida

A little closer to Naples is a tiny island called Nisida. It belongs to the Neapolitan district of Bagnoli, on the Capo Posillipo cape. To reach it, you do not need - for years the island has been connected to the mainland by a long, stone pier. In the nineteenth century there was a prison here, now on the island there is a branch of the Italian Navy and the local headquarters of NATO forces. Interestingly, the former prisons are still in use, but today they are more of a center for troubled youth.

Of course, it is not military buildings that attract tourists here. The island is small but very beautiful - round in shape, overlooking the wonderful Italian coast. As Homer wrote, the area between Nisida and Capri is where mermaids can be found .

These are just a few of the many islets scattered across the sea that Italy can boast. And only a few that are in close proximity to Naples. Visiting Italy, you can find many more.