Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
IL FOCOLARE: A SLOW FOOD WONDER
Tucked away in the hills above Casamicciola Terme is one restaurant verified foodies cannot afford to miss -
Il Fo-
colare
(
081 90 29 44; Via Creajo al Crocefisso, Barano d'Ischia; meals €30;
12.30-2.45pm Fri-Sun,
7.30-11.45pm, closed Wed Nov-May).
Forget
spaghetti alle vongole
(spaghetti with clams) - this proud Slow Food stalwart celebrates all things turf.
Indeed, it's one of the best spots to savour the island's legendary
coniglio all'Ischitana
(a claypot-cooked local rab-
bit with garlic, onion, tomatoes, wild thyme and white wine), a dish that needs to be booked two days in advance.
If you haven't pre-ordered the rabbit, don't fret - the daily menu brims with beautiful, seasonal dishes, from
tagliatelle al ragù di cinghiale
(ribbon-shaped pasta with wild boar ragout) to a sublime
antipasto misto,
where you
might get anything from
rotolino di zucchini
(fried, bread-crumbed zucchini filled with buffalo mozzarella) to
ter-
rina di parmigiano tartufata con i funghi
(think porcini-mushroom crème brûlée).
To get here, catch bus 16 from Piazza Marina in Casamicciola Terme and ask the driver to let you off at the res-
taurant (it's the last stop). During the summer high season, the last bus back to town departs at around 12.50am.
Information
Ischia online
(
www.ischiaonline.it
)
Good all-round website including sights, restaurants and hotels.
Tourist office
(
www.infoischiaprocida.it
;
Via Sogliuzzo 72;
9am-2pm & 3-8pm Mon-Sat, plus 9am-1pm Sun Jul-
Sep)
Getting There & Away
Regular hydrofoils and ferries run to/from Naples. You can also catch hydrofoils direct to
Capri (€18) and Procida (€8.20).
Getting Around
The island's main bus station is in Ischia Porto. There are two principal lines: the Circo
Sinistra CS; Left Circle), which circles the island anticlockwise, and the (Circo Destra CD;
Right Circle), which travels clockwise. These buses pass through each town and depart
every 30 minutes. Buses pass near all hotels and campsites. A single ticket, valid for 90
minutes, costs €1.90; a daily, multiuse ticket is €6; and a two-day ticket is €10. Taxis and
microtaxis (scooter-engined three-wheelers) are also available.
Help the island avoid congestion and pollution by not bringing your car. If you want to
hire one (or a scooter), there are plenty of rental firms, including
Fratelli del Franco
( 081 99
13 34;
www.noleggiodelfranco.it
;
Via A de Luca 127)
, which hires out cars (from €30 per day), scooters
