Procida is the smallest of the islands in the Bay of Naples and the least performed. It covers less than two square miles, so a day on foot covers most of it, and its harbour villages look like fishing ports rather than sets. In 2022 it was named Italian Capital of Culture, the first island to hold the title.
Arriving at Marina Grande
Boats land at Marina Grande, the working port, where the first sight is the lined-up pastel houses and the church dome on the hill. Ferries run from Naples and nearby ports, so it works as a day trip, though the island rewards an overnight when the last boats have taken the day visitors home.
Corricella, the postcard
Marina di Corricella is the oldest fishing village on the island, built like an amphitheatre above the water, and the view most people mean when they say Procida. Houses in ochre, pink and blue step up the hill; fishing boats sit below; restaurants set tables almost at the water's edge. Fresh fish is the standard order here.
Behind it, the beaches vary. Chiaiolella is the shallow, easy one. Chiaia is reached by boat or a long staircase of 186 steps. Pozzo Vecchio is the cove where scenes of Il Postino were filmed in 1994.
Terra Murata, the walled top
At the island's highest point, Terra Murata is the old fortified town, reached by a steep climb with views back over the gulf. Palazzo d'Avalos, begun in 1563, has been a noble residence, a royal palace under the Bourbons and a fortified prison in turn. On Good Friday the Procession of the Mysteries leaves from here.
What to eat
Fish comes first: fried anchovies, grilled catch of the day and a salad of lemon that began as a farmhands' dish. Lemons are the island's signature, found in a pastry called lingua di bue, filled with lemon cream, and in gelato paired with basil. Rabbit, cooked the Procida way, is the land dish.
When to go
The sea is warm enough to enjoy for much of the year, and the mild climate makes spring and autumn the quiet, comfortable months. Midsummer days bring the crowds from Naples; early mornings and evenings are when the harbour belongs to residents.
