Monte Epomeo

Ischia


To anyone of average fitness, an ascent of Ischia’s slumbering volcanic peak is practically obligatory. The views from the rocky summit are superb. And, if that’s not enough, a rustic restaurant sheltered beneath a precipitous crag lures hikers with what is possibly the best tomato bruschetta in the viewable vicinity (which, on a clear day, is a long way).

The quickest way to climb Epomeo is from the village of Fontana located on the island’s southern flank. The route (signposted from a bend in the road where the bus stops) weaves up a paved road, diverts onto a track and finishes on a steep-ish path. Total distance: 2.5km.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Ischia attractions

1. Cappella di San Nicola di Bari

0.02 MILES

The little church near the top of Monte Epomeo is the 15th-century Cappella di San Nicola di Bari, which features a pretty majolica floor. The adjoining…

2. Casa Museo

0.95 MILES

The good news is that this museum is well signposted and has a car park. The bad news is that it's on a perilous corner on Ischia's mountain road between…

3. Giardini Ravino

1.52 MILES

The vision of local botanist Giuseppe D’Ambra, who has collected plants since the 1960s, this 6000-sq-metre garden pays homage to the not-so-humble cactus…

4. Museo Angelo Rizzoli

1.62 MILES

This pint-sized museum encased in the larger Museo Archeologico di Pithecusae pays homage to the man who turned humble little Lacco into a celebrity…

5. Museo Archeologico di Pithecusae

1.62 MILES

Housed in the elegant Villa Arbusto, former home of local celeb Angelo Rizzoli, the Museo Archeologico di Pithecusae enjoys a heady historical location…

6. La Mortella

1.84 MILES

A symphony of plants, La Mortella (the myrtles) is the former home and gardens of the late British composer William Walton (1902–83) and his Argentine…

7. Spiaggia dei Maronti

2.02 MILES

Long, sandy and very popular, this beach was a favourite landing spot for pirates, who would bury their loot beneath the sand. Reach it by bus from Barano…

8. Baia di San Montano

2.06 MILES

Just outside Lacco Ameno and wedged between two headlands, this gorgeous bay is the place for warm, shallow, crystal-clear waters. It's situated in front…