Flegrean Islands
Procida, Ischia, and Capri between volcanic calderas and limestone cliffs
Procida. Resting on the Campi Flegrei caldera like her bigger sister Ischia, Procida is the remnant of an ancient volcano with mostly tuff cliffs. Just 40 minutes by hydrofoil from Naples, it has long been a seamanship school and hosts our RYA Training Centre, Sailing Pro Italy. Over 10,000 residents live across distinctive quarters: Corricella (UNESCO-listed pastel harbour), Chiaiolella with its natural marina, and the hilltop Palazzo d’Avalos (former prison, now museum). Beaches and coves abound.
Ischia. A still-active volcanic island topped by Monte Epomeo (~800 m), home to 60,000+ residents across several towns. Famous worldwide for thermal spas, standout cuisine, and wines. East and south coasts are gorgeous; west and north more built-up but lively with historic villages nearly year-round. Must-sees: Ischia Porto, Casamicciola, Lacco Ameno, Forio, Sant’Angelo, hillside hamlets, panoramas, archaeological sites, trattorie, and thermal parks. Southern bays like Cava Scura and Sorgeto mix seawater with hot springs for unique swims; on the east coast, anchor beneath the Aragonese Castle and tour the fortress.
Capri
Capri, queen of the Tyrrhenian, has drawn visitors for millennia. Emperor Tiberius built a lavish villa here from which he ruled in the first century CE. Geologically unlike Procida and Ischia, Capri extends the Sorrento Peninsula and was joined to it in the Pleistocene. Its karst limestone cliffs evoke the Dolomites; the island is lush with famed gardens and colourful villages, luxury shopping streets, restaurants, and nightlife.
The coasts are steep and riddled with grottos; depths plunge almost everywhere and holiday traffic is busy. The most beautiful bays are Marina Piccola and the cove beneath Tiberius’s villa near the Faraglioni. Expect crowds and plan mooring/anchoring early.
Plan your cruise
- Access: Naples to Procida in ~40 minutes by hydrofoil; easy crew changes.
- Highlights: Corricella strolls, Chiaiolella sunset moorings, Sorgeto hot springs, Aragonese Castle, Capri’s Marina Piccola and Faraglioni.
- Shelter: Plan anchorages carefully around Capri’s steep drop-offs; aim for early arrivals before day-traffic peaks.