Archaeological Itineraries

The Archaeological Island: A Journey to Ischia's Most Ancient Sites
A millennia-old history. The island of Ischia has been known since ancient times as Pithecusae (from the Greek Pithekoussai), and is considered by many scholars to be the first Greek colony in western Italy. According to archaeological sources, Pithecusae was founded by Greeks from the island of Euboea around the 8th century BC (around 770 BC). In 1952, the German archaeologist Giorgio Buchner began important excavations that revealed the wealth of this settlement: pottery fragments, Egyptian scarabs, amphorae, and other objects demonstrate that Pithecusae was a lively maritime emporium with connections to the Aegean, the Near East, Carthage, and Etruria.

Among the most famous finds is the "Cup of Nestor," a kotyle discovered in the necropolis of San Montano (Lacco Ameno) and dated around 725 BC. Three verses in the Euboean alphabet are engraved on the rim, alluding to Nestor's Cup from the Iliad. Thanks to these objects, we now know that the Greek language and culture spread early in Pithecusae, so much so that the "Cup of Nestor" is considered one of the oldest Western poetic texts.

By the 4th century BC, Pithecusae gradually ceded its primacy to new colonial centers: around 740 BC, the colony of Cumae arose on the Campanian mainland, linked to the expansionist thrusts of Magna Graecia. In the following centuries, the island—renamed Aenaria by the ancients—enjoyed a more peaceful past during the Roman era. The main evidence of that period includes tombs with modest grave goods, marble votive reliefs (from the Sanctuary of the Nymphs), and the remains of the submerged Carta Romana foundry.

It's also impossible not to mention the sulfurous thermal springs of Nitrodi, known since ancient Roman times for their therapeutic properties. The waters, located in the hamlet of Buonopane (in the municipality of Barano), became renowned (indeed, a true cult center) between the 1st century BC and the 3rd century AD.

Overall, the island's archaeological finds tell a long story, from the first Neolithic settlements to the Hellenistic-Roman world, which the Pithecusa Archaeological Museum (housed in the Villa Arbusto in Lacco Ameno) exhaustively illustrates.

Archaeological Ischia Itineraries
Monday: Start the day at the Villa Arbusto Archaeological Museum in Lacco Ameno, spending a couple of hours exploring the museum's rooms displaying the main finds from Pithecusa. Excursion to the San Montano Valley, home to the remains of the archaic necropolis. Here, you can see the burial mounds and imagine the ancient Greek funerary rituals.

Tuesday: Visit Casamicciola Terme up to the Castiglione hill. From here, in addition to the beautiful view, you can delve deeper into Ischia's antiquity, recalling Buchner's discoveries from the 1930s. Although there is no museum on the site today, it's worth admiring the site and then returning to the museum to see the Castiglione finds again. Visit the ancient Belliazzi baths.

Wednesday. Visit the ancient village of Ischia Ponte and the Aragonese castle: the route will recall the island's most ancient roots (Hiero of Syracuse settled here in the 6th–5th centuries BC). Aboard transparent-bottomed boats, you'll visit the submerged city of Aenaria in the Roman Carta Bay, with the Guevara Tower.

Thursday: Tour of the island by sea, stopping at Sant'Angelo, visiting the characteristic fishing village and the hill of San Michele, up to the fumaroles where you can still admire the remains of the Roman baths.

Friday: Excursion to Forio d'Ischia, among the watchtowers and Saracen alleys, the Torrione, Palazzo Biondi, Palazzo Covatta, and the Church of Soccorso overlooking the sea. Stroll along the Bourbon pier.

Saturday: Bourbon itinerary with a visit to the Church of San Pietro, the Royal Palace with its gardens, and the Pagoda Park, all the way to the lighthouse.

Guided tours daily, including admission to the Aragonese Castle, Diocesan Museum, Aenaria, Villa Arbusto, and a boat tour of the island.

€300 + VAT per person for the week

A MINIMUM GROUP OF 10 PEOPLE IS RECOMMENDED