Procida and Marina Corricella

Procida is the island for travellers who find Capri too glossy and Ischia too large. Only a few square kilometres in size, it lies between Ischia and the Campi Flegrei coast, and it has stayed a working island of fishermen, sailors and lemon growers, with tourism layered lightly on top. Its emblem is Marina Corricella, the oldest fishing village on the island and one of the most photographed harbours in Italy: houses painted pink, yellow, blue and white, built in a tight amphitheatre up the cliff with arches, domes and outside staircases, boats pulled up below and nets drying on the quay. There are no cars along the waterfront; you reach it by steps from above or by sea, and the pace is set by the fishermen mending gear and the waiters setting out tables for lunch. Above Corricella rises Terra Murata, the walled medieval citadel on the island's highest point, with the Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo and the vast Palazzo d'Avalos, a Renaissance palace later used as a prison, whose views over Corricella and across the sea to Ischia and Vesuvius are worth the climb on their own. Elsewhere the island unfolds in lanes walled with lemon gardens, small beaches such as Chiaia and Ciraccio, and the second harbour of Chiaiolella in the south. Procida was Italian Capital of Culture in 2022, and film fans know Corricella from Il Postino and from scenes in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Food is a highlight: fresh fish, the island's sweet lemons dressed as a salad, and lingue di bue pastries filled with lemon cream. Fit: couples, photographers, slow travellers and families who want a gentle island day with short walks and swims.

Why go: Procida offers the Bay of Naples at its most authentic. There are no grand hotels or designer boutiques, just a lived-in island that happens to be beautiful. Day-trippers come and go, but even in summer the island feels calmer than its neighbours, and outside the peak months it can feel almost private.

How to do it well: take a morning ferry from Naples, land at Marina Grande (Marina di Sancio Cattolico), and walk up through the lanes to Terra Murata for the views. Descend to Corricella for lunch by the water, then walk or take a local bus or micro-taxi to the beaches on the south side for a swim and the sunset at Chiaiolella. Comfortable shoes matter: the island is hilly and stepped. In summer, book lunch at the popular harbour restaurants and carry cash for small shops.

Practicals: ferries and hydrofoils run all year from Naples (Molo Beverello and Calata Porta di Massa) and from Pozzuoli, with crossings of well under an hour; Procida is also an easy hop from Ischia. Car rules for visitors are restrictive, so leave the car on the mainland. Choose Procida as a day trip or for a night or two to see Corricella after the last ferry leaves; check return ferry times carefully, as winter sailings are fewer.