This is how Ischia was described by the prince of laughter Totò in 1957 when he composed the song “Ischia mia” which was later made famous thanks to the voice of Giacomo Rondinella.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of spending a weekend in Ischia with a group of fellow bloggers, on the occasion of a project aimed at bringing visibility to this island on social media.
The event was organized by BSO Group with the participation of various Ischia operators who, by hosting us in their facilities, literally made us “fall in love” with this island.
BSO Group has been able to present to us bloggers a project as bold as it is familiar to our world: a blog.
What differs BSO Blog from others?
BSO Blog is a community of travel experiences, of food and much more, in which selected bloggers have the possibility to make their knowledge converge freely and without any kind of editorial pressure. For those of us who work in this field for several years, we know how fragmented this world is today and how often there is “competition” between different bloggers, especially when they are part of the same niche.
Bso Blog has the intent to overcome these obstacles, to put together different points of view and different experiences creating a showcase where the reader can space in various sectors and above all get a different idea of the same experience. Not a small thing if you think about it.
In this article I will tell you how it went in Ischia.
3 days in Ischia with BSO Blog
Day 1
Living in Naples, getting to Ischia was quite simple even if traveling in Business class by Freccia Rossa as other bloggers have done, I would have been just as pleased.
Transfers and organization in general have been impeccably managed by Imperatore Travel World, an agency that has been committed for twenty-eight years in taking care of thousands of Italians in all its nuances.
Arriving at Molo Beverello, we all gathered in the brand new Alilauro lounge with #Volaviamare, a hub where travelers can ask about different destinations and relax in a modern and comfortable place before departure. It’s a shame to have spent only a few minutes in their “office overlooking the gulf” before boarding a hydrofoil boat that took us to Ischia in about 45 minutes. Arrived on the largest of the islands in the Gulf of Naples, thanks to the transfer organized by Imperatore Travel World, we reached the Garden & Villas Resort while another group of bloggers headed for the Miramare Sea Resort.
Garden & Villas Resort
The Garden & Villas Resort is located in Forio and is one of those facilities that you won’t forget.
A corner of paradise in the countryside where you can find hospitality, relaxation and good food in a single puzzle.
As soon as I arrived in the resort, I felt a sense of almost surreal relaxation, I felt surrounded by the scent of “Mediterranean scrub” and the song of cicadas, a more unique feeling that Ischia was rare at this time due to the strong influx of tourists. The structure is charming, cared for in every detail and very clean. Although not in the immediate vicinity of the sea, it allows you to reach the beach of San Montano by foot (a shuttle service is available to accompany visitors at certain hours).
The strong point of this structure is the extreme attention to the enhancement of the territory. From breakfast to dinner you are served local products of Mediterranean cuisine, that is, grown in a vegetable garden inside the resort itself that you can also visit. Everything you will taste then will come from cultured products and “put on the table”.
All accompanied by an extremely friendly staff that made our stay at the Garden & Villas Resort superlative.
The brand new SPA and swimming pool deserve a positive mention.
Thermal Gardens Aphrodite Apollon
After a lunch at the pool at the Garden & Villas Resort we went to the Thermal gardens of Aphrodite Apollon in the Sant’Angelo area, one of the most peaceful and most preferred villages of Ischia.
Aphrodite Apollon is in an enviable position. It is located in a pedestrian area just 30 meters from the Maronti beach and overlooks the Baia delle Fumarole.
This thermal park, made available for guests of the Hotel Miramare and those of the Apollon Club, covers about 7000 square meters rich in vegetation and boasts thermal pools with water of different temperatures.
I had the opportunity to spend two days at the Apollon Club and in addition to the thermal park that relaxes my mind and body, I delighted my taste buds at the Apollon alle Fumarole restaurant.
Excellent furniture and service with a view that I reaffirm is enviable.
From the varied and abundant breakfast made up of products of every kind and suitable for every taste (fabulous the fresh ricotta) to the candlelight dinner in front of the unique spectacle of the sea of Sant’Angelo: everything was perfect.
The pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven is also worth a note as well.
Day 2
Cantine di Crateca
The second day in Ischia we were welcomed by the Castagna family in their winery: the Cantine di Crateca.
Crateca is an old inactive crater, now covered with chestnut and oak trees, located between the municipalities of Casamicciola Terme, Forio and Lacco Ameno.
The guided tour of the vineyard that lies about 2 hectares at 250 m of altitude was fascinating and interesting. I was very intrigued by the guided tour, the reason why a rose is planted at the beginning of the rows.
Certainly not for beauty or to “aromatize” the wine, but the rose acts as a sentinel and is called a “spy plant”. Since the rose is a more delicate plant than the vine, it acts as a thermometer as it shows the symptoms of any mineral diseases or deficiencies first. In this way the vine grower can check the health of the row, foreseeing any problems and favoring a rapid intervention.
How much maintenance is reserved for a vineyard that is, without a shadow of a doubt, an essential aspect for winegrowers but, indirectly, also for those who like to taste good wine.
For some it is the most boring aspect linked to oenology for others, as for the Castagna family, it is the cornerstone of this “subject”.
After the guided tour we had the opportunity to taste not only the excellent wine (available on their website) but also typical products of the Ischian cuisine with a pleasant view of Lacco Ameno.
Thermal Gardens Poseidon
After the memorable lunch at the Cantine di Crateca we headed towards a real institution in Ischia when it comes to spas: the Poseidon Gardens.
The largest thermal park on the island of Ischia boasts over twenty pools with temperatures ranging from 28 ° C to 40 ° C.
Inside this park you could spend a whole day without realizing it: swimming pools (three with sea water), sauna, relaxation areas and refreshment points. Not to mention reserved access to Citara beach.
The entrance fee is € 33 and it is worth to enjoy this spa park at least once if you are in Ischia.
Ristorante Lo Scoglio
After a day spent in the vineyards and relaxing at the spa, we concluded with a dinner at the Lo Scoglio restaurant in the Sant’Angelo area.
A suggestive location, with a magical atmosphere and enlivened by pleasant music.
A combination of flavours and aromas of fresh fish accompanied by an excellent Ischitano Biancolella wine.
Day 3
The third and last day in Ischia was an opportunity to return to the thermal baths of Aphrodite Apollon and try again the cuisine of the Apollon Alle Fumarole restaurant.
In the afternoon I had to leave the group early because leaving for another trip.
Because of the objective of this project I suggest you also read the other articles of bloggers who participated like me in the presentation of the BSO Blog.
Thanks to these days spent in Ischia, I was lucky enough to get to know the reality of BSO GROUP and I hope there are other opportunities to be able to grasp the multiple aspects and objectives of this project.
Giorgio, Antonio, Teresa, Lorenzo, Giulia and Aytan welcomed us in a very familiar way, making us all feel part of something great that is about to be born.
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