Procida

Walking in a dream ...

Nestled in the bay of Naples is where you'll find this hidden gem. Unlike the widely popular Isle of Capri, Procida has been rather untouched by tourism. That's not to say that there are no tourists, but the numbers are significantly less. I first heard about the island of Procida from a friend who visited last year. After seeing her incredible photos, I knew that I had to make my way there and experience the magical island for myself.

Getting to Procida

I based myself in Naples, which allowed me to have a great base to visit a number of places in the surrounding areas, including Capri and Mt Vesuvius.

Ferry services are operated by 2 service operators (SNAV and Caremar) and run frequently between Naples Molo Beverello and Procida. The ferry takes roughly 45mins to 1hr.

Frequency of the service alters depending on the season, so check here for the live schedule.

Once arrived into Procida I wandered around the harbour looking for a spot of lunch. Without having to look too far I found a quiet little cafe and started off my carb-loading weekend. Homemade gnocchi with fresh tomato and basil sauce accompanied by local white wine hit the spot exactly.

Best Photo Locations

Belly full and ready to explore I headed inland through the island's colourful, winding streets. I made my way to Terra Murata, a view point offering the iconic views over the Corricella marina. This view is second to none, and should be the top of your list for your visit to Procida. There are plenty of signs directing you to Terra Murata, so it's an easy spot to find.

From here I continued wandering through the streets, discovering beautiful view points and delightful rainbow houses. I made my way slowly down into the marina through a narrow stairway, which at points seemed like I was heading into a local's home. This is where I was able to capture some incredible views of the village. But in all honesty, it's impossible to take a bad picture here.

Gelato with a View

As a rule of mine, no trip to Italy is complete without a gelato a day. And today's gelato was enjoyed sitting on the harbour, day dreaming amongst the cotton candy coloured houses, basking in the sun’s rays and hearing the light waves rolling in. It couldn't have been more blissful. Chiaro di Luna bar gelateria artigianale, sits right on the harbour and the gelato was absolutely incredible, with actual lemon zest in their lemon sorbet!

There are buses that can transport you across to other areas of the island with beaches and smaller harbours. I opted to rather walk around and see what I discovered along the way. And I'm so happy I did. I discovered the wonderful Luigi Nappa's Art Gallery. Luigi, a local resident, showed me his beautiful artworks, including paintings, posters, ceramics and even scarves and dresses. The absolute talent shared his passion for art with me and helped me choose yet another artwork for my future home, if I ever stop living out of my suitcase. This is another place that you must visit in Procida, even if you don't buy art, his gallery surely is something special and Luigi himself is an incredible person to meet and share stories with.

Luigi Nappa Art Gallery

Via Roma, 50 – 80079 Procida (NA)

Tel. 081 8960561

https://luiginappa.com/

Of course, all good things must come to an end and it was time to head back to Naples. Having purchased my ticket at the port of Naples, I was only able to book a one-way ticket so I had to find the ticket office for my return journey. It's not located far from the port but I'll place the location here because it is a little hidden away.

So, if you're looking to visit somewhere rather untouched by the tourist trail, Procida should be jumping to the top of that list.