Hotels in Ischia

Ischia sits in the Bay of Naples but gets a fraction of Capri's crowds, which is exactly its appeal: the same volcanic coastline and mild-blue sea, minus the day-tripper crush. It's built on thermal springs, and that's the real draw — spa gardens like Poseidon and the Negombo built around naturally hot mineral pools, plus the muddy thermal parks that older Italian visitors swear by for arthritis and skin conditions.

The Aragonese Castle, perched on its own rocky islet and linked by a causeway, is the one sight everyone photographs, and the interior towns of Ischia Ponte and Sant'Angelo have proper fishing-village charm. Be honest: the main port town is workaday and traffic-clogged in summer, ferries can be crowded, and this is a destination that shuts down considerably outside April to October. Base yourself in Sant'Angelo if you want the prettiest setting and easiest access to the southern thermal parks.