Ischia
The vision of local botanist Giuseppe D’Ambra, who has collected plants since the 1960s, this 6000-sq-metre garden pays homage to the not-so-humble cactus. There is a diverse collection here, as well as other succulent plants, many of which are said to have homeopathic qualities. You can join a guided walk every Sunday at 11am; at other times, reserve in advance.
The gardens are also the site of concerts and art and craft exhibitions, and there are self-catering apartments to rent.
21.98 MILES
Naples' National Archaeological Museum serves up one of the world’s finest collections of Graeco-Roman artefacts. Originally a cavalry barracks and later…
22.36 MILES
Originally designed as a hunting lodge for Charles VII of Bourbon, the monumental Palazzo di Capodimonte was begun in 1738 and took more than a century to…
22.08 MILES
It's in this Masonic-inspired baroque chapel that you'll find Giuseppe Sanmartino's incredible sculpture, Cristo velato (Veiled Christ), its marble veil…
25.79 MILES
Herculaneum harbours a wealth of archaeological finds, from ancient advertisements and stylish mosaics to carbonised furniture and terror-struck skeletons…
Certosa e Museo di San Martino
21.25 MILES
The high point (quite literally) of the Neapolitan baroque, this charterhouse-turned-museum was built as a Carthusian monastery between 1325 and 1368…
22.12 MILES
Naples' oldest and most sacred catacombs became a Christian pilgrimage site when San Gennaro's body was interred here in the 5th century. The carefully…
5.23 MILES
There are castles and then there’s Ischia’s Castello Aragonese, a veritable fort-city set on its own craggy islet, looking like a cross between Harry…
22.39 MILES
Whether you go for Giovanni Lanfranco's fresco in the Cappella di San Gennaro (Chapel of St Janarius), the 4th-century mosaics in the baptistry, or the…
1. Chiesa di Santa Maria del Soccorso
0.89 MILES
This diminutive white church perched above the water in the town centre was originally part of a 14th-century Augustinian monastery; its side chapel and…
1.52 MILES
To anyone of average fitness, an ascent of Ischia’s slumbering volcanic peak is practically obligatory. The views from the rocky summit are superb. And,…
3. Cappella di San Nicola di Bari
1.53 MILES
The little church near the top of Monte Epomeo is the 15th-century Cappella di San Nicola di Bari, which features a pretty majolica floor. The adjoining…
1.7 MILES
A symphony of plants, La Mortella (the myrtles) is the former home and gardens of the late British composer William Walton (1902–83) and his Argentine…
1.95 MILES
This pint-sized museum encased in the larger Museo Archeologico di Pithecusae pays homage to the man who turned humble little Lacco into a celebrity…
6. Museo Archeologico di Pithecusae
1.95 MILES
Housed in the elegant Villa Arbusto, former home of local celeb Angelo Rizzoli, the Museo Archeologico di Pithecusae enjoys a heady historical location…
2.04 MILES
Among all those posh, dreamy (sometimes expensive) spas, it's nice to have access to something that's thermal and free. Located at the bottom of 300 steps…
2.09 MILES
Located on Ischia's northwestern tip, this secluded rocky spot is perfect for a solitary swim in clear, deep water. To get here, follow the walking path…