The magic of Ischia

hot springs and the best bruschetta of your life

The first time I came to Ischia, I felt like the character Lenù Greco in Elena Ferrante’s novel “My Brilliant Best Friend”. Growing up in a poor neighborhood in Naples, Lenù gets a job babysitting and housekeeping for the summer in Ischia. She leaves the exhaustive heat of Napoli for the breeze of the island. She asks herself, “how had it happened that I lived in a city like Naples and never thought, not once, of swimming in the sea?” - a question I often ask myself. Lenù comes back to Naples with golden hair and bronzed skin, completely refreshed from time spent in nature, and unsure of how to fit back into Naples. It’s amazing how such short distances can bring you to another world.

Ischia is the is the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia, and is inhabited by 60,000 people year-round. Just an hour's ferry ride from Naples, it is a delight to escape the swirling noise of Naples and be greeted by the quiet rustic greenery of Ischia’s lush paradise. It is a completely volcanic island, and a walk through local gardens will have you gazing at pomegranate trees, lemons, figs and grape vines.

During a visit to Ischia with friends I got picked up from the ferry by Paulo, the host of our quaint and rustic bnb Casa Lora. I told him I lived in Naples, and his first words were, “Ah forget Napoli”. Like most island folk, Ischians are not big fans of the big city. Paulo knew exactly which way the wind was facing and which boats would run for the weather.

Coffee

Napoli is known for its coffee. Italian breakfasts, including in Ischia, are usually coffee and a cigarette, and a few times per week a nice big pastry. At Casa Lora, Paulo’s gorgeous Brazilian wife would wake us up with a big moka pot full of coffee and cornetti, and we would eat breakfast outside in the sun. When you get off at any of the three ports in Ischia, they are full of coffee shops ready to feed tired travelers. Remember the rule of coffee in Italy: it’s more expensive to have your coffee at the table than standing at the bar. But if you’re at the table, you can stay there all day and people-watch. There were also several very cute bars in the town of Forio, which was mostly full of locals when we were there in September.

Adventure

Being an island, the absolute best way to see Ischia is by boat. One day, we rented a boat and ventured out to see the “hot ocean”. Italians call the Bay of Sorgeto the “hot ocean” because the shoreline corresponds with a thermal spring that renders the water as warm as a bath in some areas to boiling hot in others. A strikingly handsome, tanned, young Ischian man named Simone swam over to us in his tiny bathing suit bottoms, educating us on the best spots to enjoy the springs from the ocean. It seemed like he was born from the island itself.

Ischia is known for its natural thermal hot springs. Several resorts on the island cater to tourists looking for a day spa experience. I’ve heard stories of locals heading to the beach with a bucket of clams and mussels and cooking them in the hot springs, creating a naturally salty and nutritious lunch.

Culture

Italy is obviously known for its food. However, Ischian food stands out to me because of the rich volcanic soil and wonderful weather that allows for delicious produce. It’s sometimes called Isola Verde or the Green Island for both the lush vegetation and also the color of the tufo rock that lines Mount Epomeo.

Volcanic soil is great for growing vegetables. One time on the island, in the humid heat of July, we went for lunch at Antica Fattoria Greca Chiarito. I had the best bruschetta I’ve probably ever had in my life. The tomatoes were so red and juicy, and the bread was smothered in olive oil, parsley, and garlic. The restaurant is on a porch that looks over the famous Bay of Sorgeto. We met the owner, an 86-year-old farmer, who looked straight out of the documentary Blue Zones. He was in excellent mental and physical health and was so proud to show us his fresh fruit and veggies for sale, along with his collection of organic beauty products. He lectured us that he’s been organic farming since before it was cool. Hipster burn.

Have you been to Ischia? I find islands are such a unique way to travel. One day, I will write a book about all my favorite islands across the world. My favorites are the islands of Mid-Coast Maine, Ometepe Island in Nicaragua, and Maui and Kauai in Hawaii. Some of my dream islands to visit are the Faroe Islands, Lofoten Islands in Norway, and the Aran Islands in Ireland (we got pretty close when we went to Dingle!).

• Would you like more Ischia tips? Buy my Guide to Ischia

Some excerpts from My Brilliant Friend that I found so relatable as someone living in Naples and visiting Ischia:

• “I found Naples submerged in a stinking, devastating heat. My mother, without saying a word about how I had changed - the acne gone, my skin sun-darkened - reproached me”… “I looked at myself in the mirror and I also marveled: the sun had made me a shining blonde, but my face, my arms, my legs were as if painted with dark gold. As long as I had been immersed in the colors of Ischia, amid sunburned faces, my transformation had seemed suitable; now, restored to the context of the neighborhood, where every face, every street had a sick pallor, it seemed to be excessive, anomalous. The people, the buildings, the dusty, busy stradone had the appearance of a poorly printed photograph, like the ones in the newspapers.” - Elena Ferrante

Finally, I have to plug my guest post on

Fran | The PCOS Newsletter

- a story about living with misunderstood women’s health diseases. Ever since my health issues last year, I have been feeling more called to write about my “invisible illnesses”. We still haven’t made any major gains in research or funding for PCOS in the 16 years since I was diagnosed. This really grinds my gears. I hope you will have a read!