HIDDEN IN THE TYRRHENIAN SEA, FAR FROM THE AMALFI COAST
Nobody opposes the notion of spending a summer in Europe. Wonderful possibilities include beach parties and grilled octopus on the Greek islands, bike tours across the south of France, and an infinite supply of beverages and tapas in Spain.
And then there’s Italy, where time moves at a more leisurely pace and the sound of lovers kissing travels through the air with the scent of pizza cooking.
Millions of people visit Italy every summer with visions of Timothée Chalamet biting into a juicy peach from “Call Me By Your Name” dancing in their heads, wanting to re-create their own version of the film’s romantic premise.
Even if dripping peaches and passion were to blame for my summer trip to Italy, I have to look elsewhere to explain why I opted to stay longer than planned and left my companion bewildered on the boat dock.
It wasn’t Timothée’s Oscar-worthy performance that got me thinking about writing, but rather a completely unrelated film that I chance to watch while drinking a bottle of wine on the Amalfi Coast.
TRAVEL TO THE AMALFI COAST
If I want to do this narrative justice, I need to go back to the beginning. My new love interest invited me to spend two weeks in Italy. We just had two dates on record, but we had great chemistry and this opportunity sounded like too much fun to pass up.
So, on a whim, I purchased my plane ticket. Since this was our first trip to Italy, we started with a few days in Rome. The next stop on our trip was Naples and the Amalfi Coast.
We hired scooters and stayed in a stunning villa on the edge of the Amalfi Coast, where we lazed around all day in the sun and gorged ourselves on pasta, wine, and espresso. Generally speaking, it was a wonderful time.
MR. RIPLEY ACROSS FROM AMALFI
Capri and the Amalfi Coast may be the most well-known Mediterranean summer destinations, but there is another, less-visited spot just across the Bay of Naples in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
My journey to this hitherto secret locale began with “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” Even if you’re not interested in the story, the beautiful location used in this 1999 film makes it essential viewing. The title was heavily advertised as an Italian Netflix top pick because it was shot on location in several cities and towns across Italy.
Though I had seen the film years ago, my memory of it was hazy at best. My date, who had not seen it and wanted to, and the fact that I don’t rewatch movies very frequently (variety being the spice of life and all) brought Mr. Ripley’s stomping turf back into my field of vision. We sat back with full stomachs and wine glasses and watched the movie.
I discovered during the film that the island of Ischia served as a stand-in for the fictional town of Mongibello, where much of the action in “The Talented Mr. Ripley” takes place. Ischia was a name I was unfamiliar with, yet it immediately caught my attention.
Scenes from idyllic fishing communities with rocking sailboats and leisurely strolls down cobblestone walkways were shown on the screen.
I bought it. After watching the film, I immediately rescheduled my return flight and booked a month-long stay on the island of Ischia for the month of June through Airbnb. My date’s reaction to hearing that I wouldn’t be returning on the scheduled flight was equal parts shock and envy, so I had to break the news to her carefully.
LEAVING AMALFI FOR THE ISLAND OF ISCHIA
On our last day in Amalfi, I said a tearful but delighted goodbye and boarded the ferry for the 2.5-hour journey across the Bay of Naples.
It would be more romantic to say that I leaned over the rail at Amalfi and blown kisses to my date, but alas, I had heard the siren’s song. My heart was already completely taken by Ischia.
I’ve been putting off writing about my trip to Ischia because I don’t want to bring unwanted attention to such a genuine and pristine piece of Italy.
Unfortunately, additional investigation reveals that Ischia is already famous and renowned for housing some of the finest beaches in the Mediterranean.
I can say without a doubt that the beaches are exquisite, particularly on the area of the island I visited. However, what really stood out to me was how authentic the atmosphere was. Call it what you will: a genuine charm, an authentic soul, il cuore, or a genuine vibe.
Ischia, with its volcanic vineyards, old castles, and gorgeous beaches, is unmistakably Italian.
The local personalities that exemplified authentic Italian friendliness and charisma made the trip very remarkable. The elements of the Italian good life (la dolce vita)—family, good wine, good food, and tranquility—were wherever I looked.
There’s far too much to cover in a single article, including my favorite restaurants (Da Peppina Di Renato), beach clubs (Scannella), cafes (Gelateria Roxy), boat rentals (West Coast Ischia), and sunset hikes (Monte Epomeo), but I’ll focus on the finer details that made my vacation to Ischia so memorable in the hopes that you’ll be inspired to create your own magical memories in Ischia next summer.
All of the island’s territory is under protection, so building is strictly prohibited. My Airbnb host told me that to create anything on Ischia, you need to either “know” the appropriate people or work extremely slowly and covertly, often at night. So, naturally, everything around me seemed unreal.
Sure, the suite was equipped with all the latest amenities, but all I could see beyond the garden gate was peach trees and vineyards. The garden behind the fence had everything from lemons to figs to eggs to bunnies.
THE TOWNS OF ISCHIA
I awoke every day in a garden on Ischia’s seaward side, a short distance from Forio, the island’s second-largest town. Due to its small size (48 km2), the island can be driven around in about two hours.
A mountain pass winds its way through the island’s center, passing by several quaint settlements and starting points for hiking trails. Ischia is a volcano, and its inhabitants claim that an explosion there would be considerably more devastating than the one that obliterated ancient Pompeii.
Capri is barely 10 square kilometers in size, for comparison. However, you need not fret; Ischia has not experienced an eruption in almost 700 years.
However, the volcanic activity does bring a very unusual phenomena to the surface. Ischia’s distinctive thermal waters have attracted visitors from the Greeks and Romans for millennia due to the abundance of fish they contain.
Natural hot springs gush steaming mineral water to the surface all across the island. Spa parks have been built on top of others, and some of the hot water is utilized to warm swimming pools at high-end hotels. However, in my opinion, there is one hot spring that stands head and shoulders above the rest, and that is where I accidentally booked my Airbnb.
My garden apartment was a part of a small farm that had been in the same family for many years.
All of the island’s territory is under protection, so building is strictly prohibited. My Airbnb host told me that to create anything on Ischia, you need to either “know” the appropriate people or work extremely slowly and covertly, often at night. So, naturally, everything around me seemed unreal.
Sure, the suite was equipped with all the latest amenities, but all I could see beyond the garden gate was peach trees and vineyards. The garden behind the fence had everything from lemons to figs to eggs to bunnies.
SORGETO BAY IN ISCHIA
Daily, I would leave the property and make my way to the beach through a dirt path that wound through a vineyard. There was a lengthy stone staircase leading down to this shore. It’s not your typical beach; it’s called Sorgeto Bay (Baia di Sorgeto) in Italian.
Hot spring water from underground flows right into the tiny rocky cove, forming thermal tidal pools where visitors can relax, apply mud masks, and/or enjoy cocktails at the beach’s rudimentary bar and restaurant. Not many places in the world have salty seawater hot enough to soak in. You can cool off by swimming out a short distance into the blue waters.
Moreover, the thermal baths were ideal for brisk nighttime excursions and naked moonlit swims. Amazingly, the beach wasn’t too crowded most of the time, especially at night, so I had plenty of room to spread out my freshly picked peaches and enjoy them in solitude.
FAREWELL ISCHIA
One of the unusual persons I encountered in Sorgeto was a guy named Thor, and he was given that name because of his striking resemblance to the Norse god. While some may label Thor as “homeless,” I have no qualms in saying that he has created a home and life for himself in Sorgeto that he can be proud of.
He’s built himself a pretty sweet hideaway in the cliffs, complete with a hammock, a toasty cave bed, a fire pit, a private thermal bath, a kitchen, a paddle board, and a motorized canoe. Thor, the embodiment of non è tutto oro quello luccica, was tanned, healthier, and happier than most people I’ve met on my travels since he lived off the sea, catching fresh muscles every day, fishing, harvesting fruit, and trading for various products.
