The fortress on an islet joined by a bridge
Off Ischia Ponte, on the east coast of the island, a volcanic rock 113 metres high rises from the sea, crowned by the Castello Aragonese. Joined to the island by a stone bridge built in 1441 by Alfonso of Aragon, it was for centuries a fortified citadel where the population took refuge from pirate raids: in the sixteenth century almost two thousand families lived here, with a cathedral, convents and a dozen churches.
A lift carved into the rock, or a path, takes you to the top. Along the way you visit the ruins of the Cathedral of the Assumption, partly destroyed by English bombing in 1809, with its crypt of frescoes; the cemetery of the Poor Clares, where the bodies of the nuns were left to decompose sitting on stone seats; the church of the Immacolata; and the terraces with views over Ischia, Procida and the gulf. Vittoria Colonna, the poet and friend of Michelangelo, lived here.
Tip: allow at least two hours; the bars on the terraces of the castle are a magical place for an aperitif at sunset.
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