{"id":894885,"date":"2026-03-27T05:28:55","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T10:28:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/27\/how-to-plan-a-wellness-weekend-in-ischia-italy\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T05:28:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T10:28:55","slug":"how-to-plan-a-wellness-weekend-in-ischia-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/27\/how-to-plan-a-wellness-weekend-in-ischia-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"How to plan a wellness weekend in Ischia, Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller <\/i>(UK).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Just an hour by ferry from Naples, Ischia rises from the Tyrrhenian Sea in a sweep of green hills and volcanic rock. For more than two millennia, travellers have come here for its thermal waters, drawn by springs rich in minerals and myth. Today, ancient spa rituals endure in cliffside baths, botanical hydrothermal parks and seaside rock pools, where hot volcanic currents bubble up beneath the waves.<\/p>\n

Day 1: Thermal beginnings & island orientation<\/h2>\n

Arriving on Ischia from Naples \u2014 just a 50-minute ferry ride away \u2014 feels like an instant change of pace. Where Italy\u2019s third-largest city buzzes with grit and energy, Ischia Porto on the island\u2019s north coast moves more slowly, its rhythm shaped by its long history as a wellness escape for Neapolitans.<\/p>\n

Bobbing yachts, little boutiques and lively restaurants edge the azure waterfront before giving way to beaches and the island\u2019s quieter, wilder corners. Hop in a taxi and follow the SP270 west towards the sheltered bay of San Montano and Hotel Della Baia, your base within the Negombo hydrothermal park for the next three days. Spread across 22 acres and founded in the 1940s by humanist-botanist Duke Luigi Silvestro Camerini, Negombo combines ornate botanical gardens with access to Ischia\u2019s legendary volcanic springs \u2014 naturally hot and famously rich in minerals. It\u2019s tempting to linger among Negombo\u2019s pools and soothing spa treatment rooms, but venture beyond the resort and spend the afternoon exploring Ischia\u2019s wider hydrotherapy tradition, praised as a medicinal aid since Roman times by the writer-naturalist Pliny the Elder. <\/p>\n

A 15-minute taxi ride to the west coast town of Forio leads to the whitewashed Chiesa del Soccorso and further thermal soaking at Poseidon Gardens Thermal Park, where seawater and volcanic pools look out over sandy Citara Bay. As evening falls, wander through Forio\u2019s pretty old town before tucking in to a plate of pasta laced with local seafood at traditional tavernas, such as Core a Core.<\/p>\n

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Ischia has plenty of bays were bathers can live out la dolce vita, whether that’s sunbathing or taking refreshing dips in the ocean.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Photograph by Regina Isabella<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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Hotel Regina Isabella offers various spa treatments rooted in the local, thermal traditions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Photograph by Pasquale Cuorvo<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Day 2: Nature, history & healing<\/h2>\n

For millennia, Ischia\u2019s thermal waters have shaped daily life on the island \u2014 it was first used by the ancient Etruscans in ritual and later by the Romans for their restorative powers. To understand the natural landscapes that make this such a potent place for wellbeing, begin with a guided morning hike up Mount Epomeo, Ischia\u2019s highest peak at 789m. The climb is steep in places, but the reward is worth it: sweeping views over green hillsides to the glittering sea, followed by a restorative lunch at Ristorante La Grotta da Fiore, a mountaintop spot carved straight into tuff rock. <\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve enjoyed a bird\u2019s-eye view of the island \u2014 and tried the local speciality, rabbit stew \u2014 spend the afternoon going deeper into its history with a visit to Castello Aragonese on the east coast, about a 30-minute drive away. Inhabited since the 5th century BCE and complete with a convent, prison and catacombs, this medieval fortress on a small islet is reached via a stone causeway. A guided tour brings its past to life, while summer concerts and festivals offer a glimpse of its modern identity. <\/p>\n

After a day on your feet, reward yourself with an evening at Sorgeto Bay, another of Ischia\u2019s thermal highlights. Tucked into the south coast, around 40 minutes from the Castello, this natural hot-spring cove is warmed by volcanic currents that heat the rock pools to perfect bathing temperatures. It\u2019s free to visit, and picnics are encouraged \u2014 locals even bring eggs to cook in the hottest pools. Uncork a bottle of Ischia-made wine and you\u2019ve got all the ingredients for a simple, satisfying al fresco dinner.<\/p>\n

Day 3: Mud, markets & Mediterranean living<\/h2>\n

Having already dipped your toe into Ischia\u2019s thermal water, a deeper immerision awaits in Lacco Ameno, a historic spa town on the north coast, under 10-minutes\u2019 drive away. Known for its fango (mineral-rich mud) treatments, made from the island\u2019s volcanic soils, it\u2019s the place to experience Ischia\u2019s traditional therapies at their most indulgent. At glamorous hotel Regina Isabella, treatments involve getting smothered in bentonite clay that\u2019s been aged for six months in the local thermal waters to boost its curative properties \u2014 said to aid everything from detoxification to easing sore muscles and joints. You\u2019ll emerge feeling blissfully Zen, ready for a gentle wander through the town\u2019s pastel boutiques, a lounge on Il Fungo beach or a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Pithecusae. The latter is filled with Grecian pottery, Roman anchors and stories of ancient spa culture. <\/p>\n

After enjoying grilled fish for lunch at a casual seafront spot such as Le Canzoni del Mare, head back to Negombo to enjoy its spa facilities and golden beachfront for the afternoon. Hop between thermal and seawater pools, drift under warm waterfalls and unwind in salt caves designed to benefit lung health. Then, once Ischia\u2019s restorative magic has worked its charm, round off your final day with a boat ride from Forio along the island\u2019s dramatic coastline \u2014 sipping wine as the sun sets and taking one last plunge into the shallows. <\/p>\n

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Published in the Islands Collection 2026<\/i> by National Geographic Traveller<\/i> (UK).<\/p>\n

To subscribe to\u00a0National Geographic Traveller<\/i>\u00a0(UK) magazine click here<\/a>. (Available in select countries only).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Just an hour by ferry from Naples, Ischia rises from the Tyrrhenian Sea in a sweep of green hills and volcanic rock. For more than two millennia, travellers have come here for its thermal waters, drawn by springs rich in minerals and myth. Today, ancient spa<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":894886,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3430,29221],"tags":[5354,19318],"class_list":{"0":"post-894885","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-weekend","8":"category-wellness","9":"tag-weekend","10":"tag-wellness"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/894885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=894885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/894885\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/894886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=894885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=894885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=894885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}