Ischia by boat

What to admire and where to dive, along the coasts of an island that has a perimeter of 33 kilometres? You’ll be spoilt for choice, with gulfs and coves, sandy shores of fine or thick grain, or pebbles polished by the waves, under sheer rocks, between spurs and boulders, or in the open dimension of the most crowded shorelines.

At Ischia Porto, on the north coast, between the sand of Bagnitiello di Casamicciola and the Pagoda, there is the Spiaggia degli Inglesi, which hides charming corners.
Moving eastwards, you go around the majestic bulk of the Insula Minor, the Aragonese Castle, after having skirted beaches of very fine and sticky sand, from the lighthouse to Ischia Ponte, passing by the Lido up to the Mandra, in a strip that was once uninterrupted, with its characteristic and numerous bathing establishments, each with its own intriguing history, and moorings for boats.
You arrive at Cartaromana, where you will find everything, wedged between the spectacular Scogli di Sant’Anna: rock, sand, fumaroles and hot springs. We continue along the coast, from Punta Pisciazza, to the legendary Grotta del Mago (Cave of the Magician) which, it is assumed, was the site of Mithraic cults in ancient times. After Punta Grotta di Terra, the route wedges between landslide platforms as far as Grotta Verde, in an area that is geologically the oldest on the island.
From Punta San Pancrazio, you skirt around the sumptuous offshoots of Monte Vezzi, Chiummano and Monte Barano, as far as Scarrupata with its unmistakable pebbles. At Barano, there is the enchanting and very long Maronti bay (two kilometres of sandy shore), which takes on different names in different areas, starting from Petrelle (Capo Grosso) on the eastern side; to Olmitello and Cava Scura where the tiny ripples of ancient thermal springs “flow”; to Fumarole, with its boiling sands, towards the isthmus of Sant’Angelo which closes the area to the west. At Sant’Angelo and Cava Grado the rocks alternate with the sandy crevices, towards the prominent Punta Chiarito, beyond which – in the belly of the promontory of Monte di Panza – one enters the small gulf of Sorgeto, where one finds the characteristic pools of water bubbling two metres from the shore: the sea is always… warm, even in winter, and bathing is practically all year round.

As you sail around Capo Negro and, after having seen first Pelara and then Scannella, as far as the suggestive Punta Imperatore with its lighthouse, you will come across – in a wild and enchanting setting – a group of rocks steeped in myths and age-old legends: La Nave. It looks just like a vessel, the largest rock, and is a spectacular landmark for yachtsmen and those who love exciting snorkelling.
In Forio, from the thermal and glorious bay of Citara with its rocks emerging here and there, you enter a breathtaking natural setting, in an overlay of evergreen scrubland and dense coastal dwellings.
From Cava dell’isola (a corner for teenagers), you come to the Scogli Innamorati (Lovers’ Reefs), which cling to the coast road, and circumvent – offshore, the seabed is rocky – Punta del Soccorso, the port and the fine sandy beaches of Chiaia and San Francesco. You then find yourself close to the Zaro promontory, thick with Mediterranean vegetation, abseiling and protruding wedges to carefully squeeze through. Finally, there is more sand at San Montano, with its wide gulf that welcomed the first Greek navigators. Heading towards Monte Vico and the Spiaggia delle Monache, we skirt Lacco Ameno with its famous erratic boulder in the middle of the sea, Il Fungo, which casts its gaze towards the Casamicciola strip with its port and beaches interrupted by the Bagnitiello cliffs, to complete the tour.