La Mortella Botanical Park – residence of the English composer Sir

William Walton, is one of the most beautiful private park in Europe and is enriched with picturesque volcanic rock formations, rare and exotic plants, splendid fountains and waterways.

La Mortella is divided into two parts: a lower garden, called The Valley, and an upper garden on The Hill, terraced with retaining walls.

The many areas of the garden are linked by a network of walks, paths, ramps and steps that climb the dry walls allowing the visitors to reach the upper hill, where they can enjoy breathtaking views of the Bay of Forio.

The garden spreads for about 2 hectares and has a major collection of exotic, rare plants that is constantly widened and developed, year after year.  The diversity and wealth of the collection is such that La Mortella can be considered a botanic garden.

Fountains, ponds, streams are scattered everywhere and allow the cultivation of a various array of water-loving plants such as papyrus, lotuses and tropical water lilies.

The garden has three tropical greenhouses: the Victoria House, the Orchid House and the Temple of the Sun.

Interesting garden features are the Thai House, a quiet  place of meditation surrounded by an Orient-inspired garden, with lotuses, peonies, bamboos and oriental maples; the Crocodile Pool, still in the Hill Garden is fed by a stream that runs among olive trees and agapanthuses; the Nymphaeum, a surprising formal corner emerging from the Mediterranean maquis, and William’s Rock, where the ashes of the late composer are kept.

Throughout the world garden lovers and plants men know and appreciate Lady Walton’s work and passion which produced this enchanted garden. Her genius and creativity are celebrated by an orchid hybrid that was created in 2005 by the Italian Orchid breeder sig.

The castle of enchanting beauty is located on the sea and connected to the typical village of Ischia Ponte thanks to a long pier, was for many centuries the residence of sovereigns and governors.

Castello Aragonese is a medieval castle located in Ischia Ponte and is perhaps the most iconic and intriguing of all Ischia’s sights.

It dates back nearly 2,500 years – in the early days after its creation, the site comprised of two watch-towers to guard against attacks from enemy forces, while the sea surrounding it offered its greatest source of protection from any potential raids.

Control of the rock-fortress changed hands between Neapolitan and Roman forces for many years with its strategic position in the region seen as vital for trade and protection of the island’s resources.

Pleasant walk and shopping in the enchanting hamlet of Sant’Angelo.

The bay is situated on a mountain, closed to traffic and rich in paths, ancient fishing

houses, characteristic places and the most elegant shops in the typical  “Positano Fashion”.

Sant’Angelo is a splendid fishing village, perhaps the most beautiful on the island.

It can be reached exclusively on foot; which contributes significantly to preserve this place, which seems to have remained unspoilt as it used to be, with the sea life being lived on the narrow jetty.

It is in an enchanting position, between two bays formed by a spit of sand.

The houses are still typical fishermen’s houses, which seem to fit into one another, in the typical whitewash of Mediterranean villages, separated only by winding narrow streets. In piazzetta Trofa the houses close into a circle giving life to the center of the bay.

But at night time the life of the fishermen gives way to the club and bar life, while the harbor becomes the mooring point for luxurious boats and the bay is transformed into the most fashionable and exclusive place on the island.

Exotic trees include palms, olives, and lemon and orange trees. Grape vines and flowering climbers cascade over the walls, pergolas, and terraces.

Perfectly situated in a sunny position overlooking the bay of Citara. Ravino Gardens is a botanical haven, the fruit of 40 years of passionate labor from its creator Giuseppe D’Ambra.  As a sailor in his younger days, D’Ambra sailed the world and it was from his experiences and adventures that his idea to create an environment that encapsulated all of the botanical wonders he had discovered on his travels.

The botanical garden itself has been meticulously designed to maximize both the visitor’s experience and to ensure its ongoing sustainability. Following a path of around 800 meters (also accessible to wheelchairs), the route around the park offers a fascinating array of diverse environments and scenery. Each living exhibit is precisely labeled in order to increase understanding of these rare and precious examples.

The collection of cacti and succulents is unique within Europe as it offers an outdoor environment from which the plants can be displayed, most of which can normally only be seen in carefully controlled indoor areas.