Capri, Ischia or Procida: Which of Naples’ Islands Should You Visit?
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Between Capri, Procida, and Ischia, the traveler to Naples has an extraordinarily tough choice before them — not only because each island offers a unique experience and charm, but because each one means taking a day or half a day away from seeing Naples; meaning that the real choice is Capri, Ischia, Procida, or Naples.
Scattered in the bay of Naples like the drops which fall on your kitchen counter from a wet plate as you move it from the sink to the drying rack, the islands of Naples/Napoli, are classically beautiful and picturesque places of Mediterranean majesty.
Each has its own flavor, and deciding which one to visit, considering that one must spend at least 2 hours transiting to and fro via ferry boat, can come down to several key factors — like price, crowds, and beaches. Depending on one’s preference and portfolio size, the choice will be different for different people.
A choice between Capri and Procida will come down to crowds and price, while a choice between Procida and Ischia might come down to beaches. A choice between Ischia and Capri could be resolved by hotel prices.
Like a loose-fitting linen shirt — the classic apparel of the islanders, this WaL guide to the islands of Napoli should give one all the information they need to find which island is right for them and plan their trip accordingly.
CAPRI, Napoli. August 4th, 2020. PICTURED: The lovely port of Capri welcomes all visitors with sun, sea, sky, and brightly colored houses.
Capri – Mediterranean Chic
Combining the beauty of the Mediterranean climate and biology with the storybook city planning that dazzles honeymooners every year in a place like Santorini or Crete, Capri was a famous stopover point for European and American movie stars in the golden age of Hollywood.
The island is relatively small, with one half ‘sacrificed’ for tourist infrastructure and services, while the other half remains largely communal and residential. The best trip to Capri will be dipping your toes in both halves.
How to get there
— Car-carrying ferry boats from companies like Caremar regularly depart for Capri from Centro Portoin Naples, as well as the other islands. A two-way ticket could run you €19-23, and if you want to bring a car, luggage, or a bicycle, the cost could be higher. The trip will take around 50 minutes.
Price
— The most expensive island by a strong margin, Capri’s port and tourist center on the beaches where the ferries arrive features inflated restaurants, cafes, gelaterie (ice cream shops), and souvenir stalls. Be prepared to pay more than €10 for street food or a glass of wine, and if you want to cool off with a granita, or gelato, don’t be surprised if you have to pay close to €10 as well.
If you take a bus to Anacapri, an old town in the hills above the sunny port and beaches, the prices fall significantly.
Shopping
— Home to luxury and designer fashion, jewelry, and ceramic brands, a trip to Capri is like a trip to a Parisian fashion expose. Some of these outlets are just taking advantage of the wealthy tourist money, but there are others that are Capri-born and peddle handmade products like shoes, jewelry, ceramics, and linen-wear that are unique and beautiful.
There are also a number of small stores that make classic Italian products from lemons — a famous crop from Capri. Limoncello, and other sweet liquors, candies, and other products are all made from Capri’s lemons which can grow to be the size of a softball.
CAPRI, Napoli. August 4th, 2020. PICTURED: Shops fill the rose-colored arcade in the town center of Capri as clouds briefly roll in to give respite from the blazing sun.
CAPRI, Napoli. August 4th, 2020. PICTURED: A shoemaker’s stall above the hills in Anacapri – the older town.
CAPRI, Napoli. August 4th, 2020. PICTURED: A stunningly old flower bush has slowly taken over the doorway of a small house in the hills above Capri.
CAPRI, Napoli. August 4th, 2020. PICTURED: The terrain of Capri rolls into the beautiful blue sea. Seen from the hills surrounding Emperor Tiberius’ villa.
CAPRI, Napoli. August 4th, 2020. PICTURED: A resident’s afternoon tea sits without imbiber in the afternoon sun under a grape arbor.
Is Capri the island for me?
The beaches of Capri are covered in soft, water-worn rocks without a grain of sand to be seen. However, the water is warm, sparkly, and deep blue. If you can ignore the other beachgoers packed tightly into the limited space, it’s an amazing place for a swim.
If you’re not bothered by crowds, and you have money to spend, Capri is a phenomenal getaway.
Walk through Anacapri to see the town as it was when only Italians knew about it. Take the old Capri walking tour to see beautiful buildings and landmarks, or head over the hills to pass by quiet streets where the old beat-up cars demonstrate a gentler, simpler island life that some lucky few still live.
Visit the archaeological site of the Villa of the Roman Emperor Tiberius, who evidently knew the charm and beauty of Capri quite well.
Charter a boat to go swimming in Grotta Azzurra, a secluded sea cave eroded by wind and wave.
Capri probably has the second-most to do and see of the three major islands of Napoli, but its high price, dense crowds, and small beaches might be a dealbreaker for vacationers. It’s an unbelievably beautiful place with great places to buy birthday gifts and souvenirs, but if you are looking for a quiet retreat, consider the next item on our list….
PROCIDA, Napoli. August 5th, 2020. PICTURED: Taken from the town streets above the old prison complex, the curve of Procida island bends dramatically around volcanically-blackened waters.
Procida – The Quiet Island
Deciding between Capri and Procida, the two smaller of the three islands featured in this piece, is about whether you want a bit of peace and quiet or excitement. Essentially just ask if you would prefer to have a holiday in New York City or in Martha’s Vineyard, and you can imagine the difference.
Procida was once almost only inhabited by the infrastructure of one of humanity’s favorite things to build on islands — a prison complex. The shops in the port town are filled with traditional linen clothing, and without a local, you’re likely to assume it’s because of the hot weather, and not because it was a way for the wives and daughters of the inmates to make money for the day when they would be reunited.
Procida is a little community, and if you arrive in the early morning, the SD card on your phone or camera will quickly fill up with pictures of traditional island life, including watermen going out to sea in their boats, old-timers with sweet-potato skin having coffee and talking outside of cafes, and people doing their shopping — sometimes from balconies.
How to get there
Ferries to Procida can be found at the ticket station for ferries in Napoli Centro Porto (here is the link to the Google Maps Direction). As listed above, all the same things apply in terms of cars and animals, and baggage. Pay attention to when ferries depart Procida, as sometimes the last one leaves fairly early — around 5:00 pm.
As we covered in our Destination Review of Pozzuoli, there is a wonderful ferry company called Scotto Lines which will drop you off at Procida port at 8:40, just in time to see the locals begin their day, and before any of the larger ferry companies dump a horde of tourists onto the streets.
Price
Procida is the cheapest of the three islands, averaging normal continental rates for coffee, gelato, souvenir magnets, and other things. Even the linen clothes, a staple of local craftsmanship, aren’t going to set you back an arm or a leg. Our editor even found a box of KIND Bars for €2.50, which if you’re from Los Angeles or D.C., you’ll recognize as being literally half the price.
Beaches
There are two significant beaches on Procida. If after you arrive you immediately turn right down the road past the port authority, you’ll find a small beach that looks privately owned but isn’t. When our editor was there in August he reported the water being full of ocean debris — not plastic, but sticks and seaweed.
The other involves a bit of a hike. On the other side of Procida centro is a black sand beach, evidence of Procida’s volcanic past. There are a few stairways down from the main road — usually down narrow streets sporting signs marked “la spiaggia”. Swimming in black water is a little unnerving, but this beach is normally fairly empty, and there’s a small bar if you are looking to buy a coffee or a beer.
PROCIDA, Napoli. August 5th, 2020. PICTURED: The streets alongside the wharfs on Procida.
PROCIDA, Napoli. August 5th, 2020. PICTURED: The other side of Procida from where the ferries arrive, a thousand painted houses are bisected by a thousand tiny staircases.
PROCIDA, Napoli. August 5th, 2020. PICTURED: The view from the terrace on top of the prison complex surrounded by relatively new real estate.
PROCIDA, Napoli. August 5th, 2020. PICTURED: The view towards the terrace on top of the prison complex, taken down on the black sand beaches.
Is Procida the island for me?
If you want to have a glimpse into the less-glamorous and rightly-rural part of island life, or want to be able to post up on a beach without worrying about theft or bumping into shoulders, Procida is a really good place to experience Mediterranean island culture, especially if you are interesting in seeing comparisons between the Greek, Balkan, or French islands.
Ascend up to Procida town central, and walk the road up to the old prison. The jailhouse and yard were closed when our editor was there, but there are small streets where different parts of the complex have been converted into real estate. A truly strange way to live one’s life.
Walk through the other side of Procida for a swim and buy any kind of cute confection you like.
Buy off-the-boat seafood in the several Pescherie (fish markets) on the island’s shopping districts.
Unlike the costly lodging in Capri, a number of quaint B&Bs and hostels exist on the island, making it possible to stay on Procida for several days.
Procida is perfect if you want to find those quiet nooks and crannies in the world that make you feel like you’ve stepped through a portal in time. If you are interested in the sea, and how one makes a living on the sea, or if you want a quiet beach rather than the perfect beach, Procida is the ticket.
ISCHIA, Napoli. August 5th, 2020. PICTURED: The port of Ischia bustles with charter boats of all sizes.
Ischia – a nice middle ground
Ischia, the biggest of the three islands, is a functioning city and commune, with fishing and agriculture, and other ways to stay afloat that doesn’t rely on tourism. The ferries which arrive and depart at Ischia port are usually loaded with automobiles, a testament to the broader society on the island.
Ischia is a nice middle ground between Procida and Capri for several reasons. The first is that the prices are about in the middle. There are expensive restaurants, gift shops, and boutiques, and there are cheaper ones.
The best part about Ischia in terms the tourist can understand are the beaches. With teal waters and long stretches of sand, Ischia is the best island if you are looking to spend day after day cycling between swimming, lying on the beach, and eating.
How to get there
Ferries depart to Ischia from the other islands and Pozzuoli, as well as Naples port. A two-way ticket could run you higher than €20 due to the presence of automobiles, and if you bring a car or a dog, the cost could be higher.
Price
As detailed earlier, the price is around a midway point between Procida and Capri. In some cases, they are higher, and in others they are lower.
1 pound of Ischia lemon-flavored coffee was surprisingly cheaper than a pound of coffee from Whole Foods Market, and a two-course seafood dinner on the beach for two without a drink was €40.
ISCHIA, Napoli. August 5th, 2020. PICTURED: Ischia is a proper town, and if you’re looking to stay for sometime, there is anything you could want in the shops.
ISCHIA, Napoli. August 5th, 2020. PICTURED: One of the finest hotels on the island repels the light from the glittering sea with its brick-red facade at the entrance to the Ischia port.
Is Ischia the island for me?
Ischia is perfect if you’re looking to stay on one of the islands of Naples for several days. Procida can be seen in a day, Capri might need two, but Ischia is big and has lots to do.
Hike to the top of the central peak above Ischia for a challenging hike through Mediterranean foliage. Bring a hat and water, and be prepared for the views, they are staggering.
Try lemon-flavored everything. Ischia, like Procida and Capri, are all famous for their lemons, and Ischia cooks and confectioners waste no time putting lemon on and in everything, from liquor, to coffee, to tobacco.
The Aragonese Castle of Ischia is stunning and appears like something out of the Count of Monte Cristo or Pirates of the Caribbean.
There are plenty of great seafood restaurants in town, particularly oyster bars. Look for a sign that says Ostricheria.
Capri, Procida, or Ischia: where you decide to spend your time will shape your perception of the other two, as they are all surprisingly different and original in their own ways. WaL
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Note: All photos are taken by Andrew Corbley, who retains exclusive rights to all. The unauthorized reprinting of this article or any of the images is strictly prohibited.
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