This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Off the coast of Naples in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and still far from the summer crowds, the volcanic island seduces with its thermal and seaside areas, but also with the abundance of its agriculture.
An almost deserted beach in Sant’Angelo, from which a gentle steam escapes here and there. This is not a daydream. It is barely 10 a.m. and the wonders of southern Ischia are revealed from the sand of the Fumarole dei Maronti shore as the sun, already powerful, surrounds a sky adorned with a few clouds. Piano piano. These enchanting emanations, however, have nothing supernatural since they are linked to the numerous underground volcanic activities. It must be said that, since Antiquity, precisely since the VIIIe century BC BC, when it was colonized by the Greeks, the largest of the Phlegrean Islands archipelago (which includes Capri and Procida) arouses fascination. The richness of its thermal waters continues to make its reputation throughout Italy and the whole world. Made up of just over 60,000 inhabitants, the population ischitana quadruple during the high tourist season.
You only need to stroll through the tiny, and even steeper, streets of the fishing village of Sant’Angelo to see that spa resorts are legion. The preferred means of transport is walking, with the exception of a few Piaggio scooters which occasionally transport visitors, food and construction materials. What better remedy for daily jogging than to relax in the multiple spas, often located within hotels and inns, on the coast at the end of the day? And what aboutaperitivo offered in port establishments! La Conchiglia, with its terrace overlooking the sea, and the traditional Dal Pescatore are the only ones open before the arrival of summer visitors. They offer a breathtaking view of the point of Sant’Angelo, which rises before our eyes like an immense protective rock. In this pretty corner of the country which smells of orange blossom and salty air, idleness takes precedence. There is no doubt about it.
The green island
The relief landscape and mild climate of Ischia have also earned it the nickname “green island”. Although you can enjoy delicious Venus pasta (these little white clams) almost everywhere, seafood products are neither its fame nor part of its main economy. In fact, agriculture is king there. Olives, citrus fruits, nuts, cereals and other fruits and vegetables make its inhabitants happy. Just like the grapes, which make Ischia wine a very nice surprise.
You have been warned, you should never be in a hurry in Ischia. After around fifteen kilometers traveled in three quarters of an hour aboard a taxi, between Sant’Angelo and Barano d’Ischia, located in the heart of the island, the Tenuta del Cannavale estate unfolds, grandiose. The view of Vesuvius and the Neapolitan metropolis is immediately moving. Then, Gennaro and Anna Manna begin to tell the fascinating story of their wine. The brother and sister from Forio, in the west, took over the farm in 2016 with a view to natural and sustainable agriculture. Together, they carefully choose their vines and harvest the grapes manually. They opted for a winemaking process without adding chemical substances which is done in traditional amphorae called qvevriimported straight from Georgia.
Around bruschettas with lacto-fermented tomatoes from last year and pasta with broccoli picked the same day from the garden, Gennaro and Anna offer their biodynamic white vintages with enthusiasm and extreme kindness. First there is the new addition to their range, Insula Felix Pet-Nat, a delicately refreshing, finely bubbled elixir made from the native Falanghina grape variety and aged in stainless steel vats. As for Insula Maior, made from the also local biancolella grape variety, it is perfect foraperitivo, especially in such a postcard setting… Finally, Insula Felix (falanghina) is perfectly suited to the meal with its character and floral notes. In other words, Tenuta del Cannavale wine contains all the best that Ischia has to offer: a lot of generosity and the unexpected.
In this regard, when she shows the owner around, Anna has no shortage of anecdotes about the place, about her island. However, one last detail appeals to the visitor. It is an enclosure… The farmer opens the door and, surprised, a rabbit and her two babies are resting at the bottom of a large hole. In Ischia there is no hutch. The rabbits are raised in this way and can dig tunnels as they please, before being slaughtered to cook a rabbit in the oven.ischitana (coniglio all’ischitana), the traditional Sunday dish. And we haven’t finished falling under the spell of Ischia!
The island in a few essentials
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.