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The
"La Mortella" garden: This park is located at Forio d’Ischia and
was originally the property of the English composer William Walton,
who lived in the Villa next door with his wife. The composer, arrived on
the island in 1946, planting wonderful tropical and Mediterranean plants,
some of which have now reached amazing proportions.
Villa La Colombaia - The Villa, surrounded by a
superb park, was the residence of the movie director Luchino Visconti.
It is now the seat of the cultural Institution dedicated to Visconti,
which is involved in cultural activities promotion such as music, cinema,
theatre, art exhibitions, work-shops, cinema reviews. There is a museum
dedicated to Luchino Visconti will. The Villa and the the Park are
accessible to public visits.
The
Sorgeto bay is rich in hot thermal springs in the Mediterranean Sea
where one can bathe in the sea, even in Winter. In some places, the sea is
so hot that it would be possible to boil eggs and potatoes. And more: if a
turfacean stone is scratched, a mud can be obtained which can be used for
making a beauty musk for the face.
The
Monte Epomeo
The Castello Aragonese (Ischia Ponte): - Is one of the most striking
monuments on the island. It stands on a small island near Ischia Ponte.
The castle can be reached over a stone bridge. The small island is about
113 meters high and the climb can be made on an old mule track or by using
a modern elevator that was installed in the seventies. The castle was
built in 1441 by Alfonso D’Aragona on top of the ruins of an old fort that
dated back to 474 B.C. This fortified castle was used to protect Ischia’s
population from pirate attacks.
Guevara Tower - Ischia Ponte - The tower represents as well as the
Castle one of the best known symbols of the island. It is called
Guevara or Michelangelo’s Tower and is rising in front of the
Castle, surrounded by a lawn and facing Sant’ Anna rocks. The tower has
been rebuilt on the ruins of an ancient fortress: it is likely one of the
defence towers built from the XV century to protect the Castle islet ant
the coast against enemies’ raids. The tower derives its name from the
Dukes of Guevara who were the owners since the beginning of 1800. Its
second name derives from a groundless legend which tells that the world
famous artist Michelangelo, who was a friend of the poet Vittoria
Colonna, stayed in the tower when he was visiting the island. The tower is
nowadays used as arts exhibition centre.
Il Torrione - Forio - Many towers have been built in the past along
Ischia coastline to get better sight of the sea around the island . Since
the IX century, they used to be built in order to defend the island
against raids of pirates. One of those tower, called “Torrione” still now
existing, is located in Forio, nearby the harbour. It was built in 1480,
has two floors: the ground floor had not access from outside and was used
as weapons and munitions storage, there was also a rain-water tank; on the
upper floor there was the Garisson’s accommodation (about 10 people) led
by a “torriere” that had the task of promptly taking sight of any enemy
ship and sounding the alarm. On the top, there was a terrace provided with
four cannons. Historians notice that many similar towers were built in
Forio until the XVIII century, although many of them were used as private
residence of noble families. 16 similar fotresses have been counted in all
between 1480 and 1700, plus five more towers built in the district of
Panza, some with a squarred base and others with a circular base. Many of
these towers can be observed still now and are mainly private houses. The
“Torrione”, after it had been restored, became a municipal Museum, on the
lower floor, while the upper floor was the house of the artist Giovanni
Maltese from Forio and is now an art gallery hosting his pictures and
sculptures collection.
A.Rizzoli Museum The Angelo Rizzoli Museum is located in Villa Arbusto
and collects a picture gallery about Angelo Rizzoli’s stay on the island
of Ischia. He was used to stay in Lacco Ameno where he promoted the
restructuring of the ancient Santa Restituta baths and sponsored the
construction of a series of big luxury hotels which became since then the
much loved destination for cinema stars and international jet-set in 50ies
and 60ies.
Pithecusae Museum - Lacco Ameno - The Pithecusae Archaeological Museum
is located at the main building of Villa Arbusto, in Lacco Ameno. The
Villa was built in 1785 by Don Carlo Acquaviva, Duke of Atri, in the same
place where was once a farm called “dell’arbusto” (“arbusto” means “
shrub” , in this case the reference is to a particular plant growing in
the garden surrounding the building). The Villa had many owners , until
1952, when it was purchased by the publisher and movie producer Angelo
Rizzoli who sponsored the reconstruction of the ancient thermal bath, the
construction of some big hotels and the restoration of Piazza Restituta in
the town centre of Lacco Ameno. Villa Arbusto is not only the seat of the
Pithecusae Museum, but has a splendid garden, open to the public. In the
Museum there are many archaeological findings dating back from the
Prehistory to the Romans Age. On the ground floor there is the a
Geological section , which shows how the presence of the volcano affected
life on the island.
The Soccorso's church - Forio - It is devoted to "Santa Maria della
neve" (Saint Maria of the snow), and it was built on a steeply promontory
that take its name. As the "Torrione" it is the symbol of the town of
Forio and it is one of the most original architecture structues of the
Island of Ischia. The Soccorso was founded as an augustinian convent on
about 1350 but it was suppressed on 1653, anyway its actual form go up
since the 1864. The 5 may 2002 Pope John Paul II during Pastoral Visit
Meet with youth in a square adjacent to the church of Our Lady Help of
Christians.
Although there is plenty to keep visitors happily occupied on the island,
it is also very easy to visit the islands of Capri and Procida, or to
spend a day on the mainland; Naples, Herculaneum, Pompeii, Vesuvius and
Sorrento are all possible. There are regular ferries and hydrofoils to
most places from Ischia Porto, a limited service from Casamicciola, and
several hydrofoils daily from Forio to Naples.
It
is possible to book with us the following excursions: |
