Ischia is often overshadowed by its flashier neighbour Capri across the bay - but that's exactly how regulars prefer it! It's the Bay of Naples' volcanic sibling, laced with thermal springs and chestnut forests, and moving at a noticeably slower pace. The quietest corner is the tiny fishing village of Sant'Angelo and, set right on the edge in a mountain of volcanic stone, is the Miramare Sea Resort & Spa. The work of Neapolitan architect Giuliano dell'Uva, it's a rare piece of contemporary design on an island more often done up in terracotta and tile and a private beach, sea-view rooms and access to a proper thermal park are the perfect finishing touches.
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Architect Giuliano dell'Uva's vision is ever-present in the honey-toned volcanic stone, clean lines, sea-facing terraces and colours pulled from the water below. At the main restaurant, Il Mare, you'll find freshly-caught seafood and harvests from the island's volcanic soil, and dinner on the al fresco terrace is hard to beat. The cocktail bar is a proper post-dinner destination (regulars ask for Genaro). A fitness centre and spa & beauty area cover wellness basics, but most guests make the short hop to the thermal park for the main event.
Happily, every room at the Miramare Sea Resort & Spa faces the sea. There are four categories from Superior and Deluxe Sea View rooms through to Junior Suites and the roomier Deluxe Suites, but all have the same soft, calming palette of whites, marine blues, polished stone and natural wood. Private terraces or balconies come as standard and they are generous enough for morning coffee with the bay laid out below. The Deluxe Suites add a proper lounge space, though you certainly won't feel cramped in any of the rooms.
Sant'Angelo has plenty to offer. Take a taxi boat to Sorgeto Bay for free volcanic pools that bubble straight up into the sea, or catch a hydrofoil across to Capri for a proper day out. On land, the climb up Mount Epomeo, Ischia's extinct volcano, rewards with views over the whole Gulf. Nearer to home, there's the thermal park, a tennis court on the property, and a concierge to arrange boat charters along Ischia's rugged southern coastline.
That private beach, reachable only via the hotel's pathways.
Walk 20 minutes along the cliff path to Fumarole Beach, where volcanic steam rises through the sand. It's hot enough that locals still cook eggs buried in foil parcels!
The thermal park is at Miramare's sister property rather than on-site, so factor in a short walk each way. Sant'Angelo is also car-free – you'll arrive at a drop-off point and finish on foot or by golf cart.
A tiny island with a big following of those in the know.
