Ischia Ponte

The village at the foot of Aragonese Castle

If I think of Ischia Ponte, I think of warm bread and my grandmother.

After getting her hair done, we would stop here to buy bread and then sit beneath the Castle to eat a sandwich before going home to prepare lunch. They are simple memories, but over time they have become inseparably connected to this place.

I have always gone to Ischia Ponte. When I was a child, my mum and dad would bring me here to eat a zingara at La Virgola. As I grew older, I started coming for the same reasons so many islanders still do today: a coffee, a walk, some bread to take home, a few errands, or simply the desire to spend some time outside.

I think this is one of the best things about Ischia Ponte. If you want to experience it like a local, you can simply stay here. You don't necessarily need a plan. There is enough to do to spend several hours without feeling that you need to go somewhere else.

Coffee at Cocò

One of my habits whenever I pass through Ischia Ponte is to stop at Cocò.

The coffee at Cocò is rich and intense and, as far as I'm concerned, I have never had it burnt. But the coffee isn't the only reason I come here. At Cocò, you always meet someone. Someone comes in, someone leaves, someone stops just long enough for a quick hello, while someone else starts talking and stays for a few more minutes.

From the outside, these things might seem unimportant. For us, they are simply part of the day.

You have a coffee, say hello to someone you know, exchange a few words and then keep walking.

And very often, the next walk leads towards the bread.

The bread you buy at the source

In Ischia Ponte there is Boccia's minimarket, right next to the bakery where the bread that has always been a reference for us islanders is made.

It is the bread used to make zingara, the bread that belongs on our Sunday tables and that also has the advantage of keeping for longer without immediately becoming dry.

I prefer to buy it directly from the source, especially when I can get it while it is still warm.

And this is where one of my favourite snacks begins.

Take a piece of warm bread, add some mortadella and a few slices of spicy provolone. The heat from the bread slightly melts the cheese and softens the mortadella. You don't need much else.

Then take the sandwich and sit on the benches along the waterfront, facing Aragonese Castle.

A beer goes very well with it.

Even in the morning.

It is a humble snack, made with simple things, but perhaps that is exactly what makes it so good. Here, it is often the simplest things that become the best ones.

Ischia Ponte when the island wakes up

If you have the chance to arrive very early, I recommend seeing Ischia Ponte at sunrise.

It is a moment I particularly like because the village has not yet taken on the rhythm of summer. The sun begins to rise over the mainland, the cool night air slowly gives way to the warmth of the day and Ischia Ponte begins to move.

The fishermen's boats arrive at the pier and the older men come down to buy fresh fish. Someone goes to get bread, someone else stops to greet someone they know.

And almost everything happens on foot.

It is very different from the scene you will find a few hours later, when visitors arrive and the streets begin to fill.

If you want to see a more everyday side of Ischia Ponte, I think it is worth setting the alarm.

Don't stop at the Castle

Memories are part of Ischia Ponte too

There are places that I simply cannot look at without thinking of a particular period of my life.

In Ischia Ponte there is the island's first yoghurt shop, and for me it is connected to my high-school years. During study breaks, we would take our scooters and come here for yoghurt with chocolate.

Today I might walk past it and think about how much time has gone by.

These things are difficult to explain to someone visiting for the first time, because they are not the kind of information you find in a guidebook. But I think these little habits are exactly what create the relationship a person has with a place.

For me, Ischia Ponte is also this: the place where I came as a child with my mum and dad, where I now come for coffee or bread, and where I can stop with my grandmother before going home.

In summer, there is always a reason to stay

In summer, Ischia Ponte changes pace. The restaurants and cafés are open, there are more people in the streets and it becomes natural to stay longer.

It might be an ice cream, a walk along the waterfront, an aperitivo or simply a few minutes sitting and watching the sea.

Luciano's ice cream is the most famous in the municipality of Ischia and is definitely worth trying.

The walls along the pier are also part of everyday life here. After coffee, young people stop to smoke, chat and watch the people passing by. It is a simple scene that happens every summer and, for those of us who live here, it is completely normal.

If you want something to eat, I wouldn't necessarily look for the most famous place. I would look for the place that gives you the best feeling, where you feel comfortable. You could stop at Ciccio or Cocò a Mare, depending on what you feel like eating and what time of day it is.

In the evening, if you want to continue your day, Kiwi remains a little must for us islanders.

Ischia Ponte for a special evening

Of course, there is another way to experience this place.

If you are here as a couple and are looking for something more romantic, you could start with an aperitivo on the terrace of Aragonese Castle, when the light begins to change and the sea opens up in front of you.

Then you can continue the evening on the Castle itself, with dinner at Il Monastero restaurant.

It is a very different experience from the mortadella and spicy provolone sandwich eaten on the waterfront benches.

But perhaps that is exactly the beauty of it.

The same place can be experienced in completely different ways depending on the time of day, the company you are with and what you feel like doing that day.

How much time should you spend in Ischia Ponte?

I wouldn't tell you to come to Ischia Ponte with a precise plan.

It depends very much on what time you arrive.

If you come early, you can see the village as it begins its day, have coffee at Cocò and go and buy some bread. If it is still warm, you could even do as we do and eat it in front of the Castle.

During the day, you can walk around, explore the inner streets, visit the Castle and leave yourself some time to simply watch what is happening around you. Bring your swimsuit, because at Ischia Ponte the sea is much more a part of the day than you might imagine from looking at a map. There are several places where you can climb down onto the rocks, swim and sunbathe. You can arrive in the morning and, without having to organise anything special, spend the whole day here: a swim, a few hours in the sun, a walk, lunch, an ice cream and then back to the sea.

In summer, especially, don't be in a hurry to leave.

Ischia Ponte is one of those places where you might arrive to do one thing and still find yourself there several hours later.

And perhaps this is the advice I would give you above all: don't necessarily look for what you are supposed to do. Look for the place where you feel good.

A coffee without rushing, a walk through an alley, an ice cream, the fish arriving at the pier, warm bread, a sandwich eaten in front of the Castle.

They are all very simple things.

But if you're lucky, at the end of the day you'll realise that you spent several hours in Ischia Ponte without ever feeling the need to look at your watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I see in Ischia Ponte?
In Ischia Ponte, take time to walk through the historic village, head towards Aragonese Castle, explore the smaller streets and buildings and spend some time by the sea. Cartaromana and the views towards the Castle are also part of the experience of this area of the island.

What can I do in Ischia Ponte?
The best thing to do is to experience it without rushing: walk through the village, have a coffee, visit Aragonese Castle, stop by the pier or on the rocks and, during the warmer months, bring your swimsuit for a swim. Ischia Ponte can easily be enjoyed as a full-day destination.

Where can I eat in Ischia Ponte?
Ischia Ponte has several restaurants and trattorias. Rather than choosing only based on reviews, it can be worth looking at the history of a place and the kind of cuisine it offers. Among the places that are part of life in the village are Ciccio and Cocò.

What are the best restaurants in Ischia Ponte?
There is no single best restaurant for everyone. Ischia Ponte has different places with different cuisines, atmospheres and relationships with the local community. If you are looking for an experience connected to the village itself, consider places that have been part of island life for years.

Is Ischia Ponte close to Aragonese Castle?
Yes. Aragonese Castle is the symbol of Ischia Ponte and stands on the island connected to the village by a stone bridge. Walking towards the Castle is one of the most characteristic experiences in the area.

Where can I swim in Ischia Ponte?
In summer, you can swim from the rocks and along parts of the waterfront. A little further on, you can also reach Cartaromana Bay and the rocks of Sant'Anna. Cartaromana is particularly known for its views of Aragonese Castle.

How much time do I need to visit Ischia Ponte?
A few hours can be enough to see the Castle and walk through the village, but Ischia Ponte is also worth an entire day if you want to combine sightseeing, swimming, lunch, coffee and time by the sea.

Gabbiyaah

Gabbiyaah is Francesco D'Ambra, a restaurateur, photographer and storyteller from Ischia. He grew up on the island and has always experienced it through work, family, the sea and the people who live here. Through The Ischia Guide, he tells the stories of places he genuinely knows, local habits, food, beaches and those corners that are often missing from traditional guidebooks.

He doesn't simply want to tell you what to see in Ischia, but how to experience the island — through the eyes of someone who was born here, works here and continues to discover something new about it every day.

Gabbiyaah is the name he uses to tell the story of his Ischia.

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