Capri takes the headlines, but the western half of the Gulf of Naples is where a boat day feels most your own. Ischia is a green volcanic island ringed by thermal springs, some of which rise straight into the sea. Procida is all pastel fishing harbours, and beside it lies Vivara, an uninhabited islet that is now a nature reserve. All three sit inside the Regno di Nettuno marine protected area, so the water is clear and the rules are real.
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Quick answer: Ischia and Procida by boat
- Best departure harbour: Ischia Porto, with Procida a short crossing away. On the mainland, Pozzuoli is the closest port.
- Best half day route: The Aragonese Castle and the bay of Cartaromana.
- Best full day route: Round Ischia, with lunch at Sant’Angelo and Sorgeto from the sea.
- Best months: June and September.
- Book ahead: Boat and skipper, lunch tables, Vivara guided visits, and July or August hotels.
Check prices and availability
Ischia’s sea view rooms go early for July and August, and many hotels close in winter. Compare availability before fixing boat dates.
Part of our Italy by boat series. For the other side of the gulf, see Capri by boat and the Amalfi Coast by boat.
Harbours and marinas: where boats leave from
Hydrofoils and ferries run to both islands from Naples (Molo Beverello and Porta di Massa) and Pozzuoli. Naples airport is roughly 20 minutes by taxi from Molo Beverello. Drive times are rough estimates.
- Ischia Porto: the main harbour, once a lake until Ferdinand II had it opened to the sea in 1854. Most charter boats and water taxis are here. Best for: the east coast and Procida.
- Casamicciola Terme: the second ferry port, around ten minutes by road from Ischia Porto, with fast links to Procida.
- Lacco Ameno and Forio: small harbours on the north west and west coasts, roughly 15 to 20 minutes from Ischia Porto. Best for: San Montano, Punta Imperatore and sunset.
- Sant’Angelo: a car free fishing village on the south coast; cars stay in a car park above. Water taxis run to the Maronti beach and Sorgeto. Best for: the hot springs.
- Procida: Marina Grande is the ferry port, Corricella the painted harbour below Terra Murata, and Chiaiolella faces Vivara. Best for: staying on Procida or lunch.
- Pozzuoli: the closest mainland port, with ferries to Procida in roughly 25 to 40 minutes. Around half an hour from central Naples in light traffic.
The best routes in detail
Times are our estimates for a fast motor boat or RIB in calm conditions. The wind decides which coast makes sense, so confirm with your skipper.
Route 1: Aragonese Castle and Cartaromana (half day, 3 to 4 hours, from Ischia Porto)
Run along Ischia Ponte to the Aragonese Castle, built in 1441 on an older fortification and joined to the island by a causeway. Just south, the bay of Cartaromana, with the Scogli di Sant’Anna rising from the water and the castle behind, makes an easy first swim stop. With time, continue to the Scarrupata cliffs, which lie in zone B (see the rules below).
Lunch: Ischia Ponte, below the castle.
Route 2: West coast at sunset (half day, 3 to 4 hours, from Forio or Lacco Ameno)
Swim first in the bay of San Montano, a sheltered sandy cove beside the headland of Punta Caruso. Head south past Forio and the white Soccorso church, along the bay of Citara to Punta Imperatore, the island’s westernmost cape, with its lighthouse on the cliff. The coast from here to Punta Sant’Angelo is zone B, so keep the speed down. Turn back for sunset off Forio.
Aperitivo: Forio or Lacco Ameno.
Route 3: Round Ischia (full day, 6 to 8 hours, from Ischia Porto)
Clockwise: the castle and Cartaromana, the Scarrupata, then the long Maronti beach and lunch at Sant’Angelo, ashore or by tender. After lunch, Sorgeto, a small rocky bay below Panza where hot springs mix with the sea, from warm to very hot near the vents. Water taxis from Sant’Angelo drop swimmers there, often simpler than bringing a private boat close in. Then Punta Imperatore, Citara, San Montano and the mushroom shaped rock off Lacco Ameno known as Il Fungo, before Casamicciola and home. You will pass sea caves, but the reserve allows only rowing boats inside grottoes.
Lunch: Sant’Angelo.
Route 4: Procida and Vivara (full day, 5 to 7 hours, from Ischia Porto or Pozzuoli)
The crossing from Ischia Porto takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes. Start at Chiaiolella and circle Vivara slowly: its western coast is zone A, closed to all boats, and the rest is zone B. In 2022 local press reported fines here for speeding and anchoring within 100 metres of the shore. Walking on Vivara means crossing the bridge from Procida with the reserve’s guides, booked online; visits run only on pre booked guided tours and are not always available, so check the calendar on the reserve’s booking site before planning around them. Continue to Corricella for lunch ashore, then swim off the east coast before heading back.
Lunch: Corricella or Chiaiolella.
Route 5: Two or three days from Pozzuoli or Naples
With a cabin cruiser or skippered yacht: Procida on day one, a night in Ischia Porto or Casamicciola, round Ischia on day two, then back to the mainland or on to Capri, around an hour by fast boat. August berths in Ischia Porto must be booked early; ask the harbour or your skipper.
Rules: the Regno di Nettuno marine protected area
The Regno di Nettuno was created by ministerial decree in 2007 and covers 11,256 hectares of sea around Ischia, Procida and Vivara. Its rules come from a ministerial regulation of 30 July 2009. We could not reach the reserve’s own website during research, so the points below come from that regulation, a 2023 notice from the managing body and Campania’s tourism portal. Ask your skipper or the reserve office for the 2026 position.
- Zones: A (no entry), B no take, B, C and D. According to Campania’s tourism portal, zone A is the western coast of Vivara and the Secca della Catena; zone B includes the east coast of Procida, the sea around Vivara, the Scarrupata and Punta Imperatore to Punta Sant’Angelo.
- Speed: in zones B and C, at most 5 knots within 300 metres of the coast and 10 knots between 300 and 600 metres; 10 knots in zone D. In zone B no take, only sail, oars, pedal or electric power are allowed. Approach mooring buoys at no more than 3 knots.
- Jet skis and water skiing: banned, except transit straight out to sea.
- Anchoring: never in zone A or B no take, nor on Posidonia meadows. In zone B, only with authorisation, dawn to dusk, for residents and those treated as residents. In zone C, with authorisation, with a daily cap for non residents from 1 June to 30 September.
- Treated as residents: the regulation includes guests staying more than two consecutive days in accommodation in the island councils and people hiring a boat from an operator authorised in the area.
- Mooring buoys: in zones B and C only at buoys or sites set up by the reserve, with authorisation. In buoy fields there is no anchoring, and swimming only near your own boat with the engine off.
- Fees: a 2023 summary of the reserve’s tariffs lists weekly zone C anchoring fees for non residents of 30 euros for small craft and 40 euros for larger boats. Yachts over 24 metres may anchor only in three zone C areas, off Forio, the Maronti and Lacco Ameno, at 150 to 500 euros a day by length. Check 2026 rates.
- Swimming: banned in zone A, free elsewhere. Coastguard summer ordinances also keep boats away from bathing areas; ask the skipper.
Sorgeto: our research turned up contradictory information here. A widely used anchorage app marks the bay as anchoring forbidden, while the regulation allows authorised anchoring in zone B for residents and those treated as residents. It was not clear to us which applies, so confirm with your skipper or take the water taxi.
We found no reserve wide closure for 2026, but rules and buoy fields can change at short notice.
Types of boat and what a charter includes
- Gozzo: the traditional wooden boat of the gulf, slow and stable, ideal for Cartaromana or Procida.
- RIB: fast, good for round Ischia or both islands in a day.
- Cabin cruiser or motor yacht: shade, a toilet and a cabin for families and the Capri link.
- Sailing yacht or catamaran: for a relaxed day or several days.
Usually included: boat, skipper, safety equipment, snorkelling gear and soft drinks. Often extra: fuel, lunch ashore, berths and buoys away from the home port, reserve fees and gratuities. Ask for a written list.
Without a licence: Italian rules allow engines up to 30 kW (40.8 hp) within 6 nautical miles of the coast. The reserve’s limits still apply, so a skipper is wiser for a first visit.
Routes at a glance
| Route | Departure | Duration | Highlights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle and Cartaromana | Ischia Porto | 3 to 4 hours | Aragonese Castle, Scogli di Sant’Anna | First timers, families |
| West coast sunset | Forio, Lacco Ameno | 3 to 4 hours | San Montano, Citara, Punta Imperatore | Couples, evenings |
| Round Ischia | Ischia Porto | 6 to 8 hours | Maronti, Sant’Angelo, Sorgeto, Il Fungo | The whole island |
| Procida and Vivara | Ischia Porto, Pozzuoli | 5 to 7 hours | Chiaiolella, Vivara, Corricella | Photography, long lunches |
| Two or three days | Pozzuoli, Naples | 2 to 3 days | Procida, round Ischia, Capri | Island hopping |
Best months, winds and practical tips
June and September bring warm water and fewer boats. July is busy and August is the peak, especially around Ferragosto on 15 August. May and October can be lovely, but more days are lost to wind, and many hotels open only from around April to late October.
Winds: a good skipper picks the lee side on the day: the south coast around Sant’Angelo when the wind is northerly, the north coast when it blows from the south. We could not verify reliable wind statistics, so trust the skipper’s forecast and favour morning starts for the Procida crossing.
- Bring: reef safe sun cream, a hat, a light layer, water shoes for Sorgeto’s rocks, cash for water taxis and a dry bag.
- Seasickness: choose a morning slot and a larger boat; take tablets before boarding.
- Booking: for July and August, book boat, skipper and lunch tables weeks ahead.
- August crowds: start early and save Cartaromana for late afternoon, when day boats head home.
Charlotte’s tip: book the boat on the island
If you are staying on Ischia, charter from an operator based in Ischia Porto, Forio or Sant’Angelo, and ask it to confirm in writing that it is authorised in the Regno di Nettuno. Under the regulation, boats hired from authorised local operators count as residents for anchoring in zone B, which can turn a quick look at a cove into a proper swim stop. Ask for a morning start, Procida first, and lunch at Sant’Angelo on the way back.
Where to stay near the harbours
All four hotels below are seasonal, so check dates before booking. For the mainland, see our Naples food guide and the Campania wine guide.
Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa, Forio
On a wooded headland above San Montano Bay, with its own small bay and pier, a thermal spa and a tennis court. Lacco Ameno is around ten minutes by car and Ischia Porto roughly 20 minutes. The hotel gives 2 April to 26 October 2026 as its season. More in our Mezzatorre review.
Best for: a quiet base for west coast routes.
Check rates at Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa
Regina Isabella, Lacco Ameno
The island’s classic grand hotel, on the bay of Lacco Ameno across from Il Fungo, with a medical thermal spa, private beach, pools, tennis and Indaco, which holds one Michelin star in the 2026 guide. Lacco Ameno’s harbour is on the doorstep, Ischia Porto about 15 minutes by car. 2026 dates are not published, so ask the hotel. See our Regina Isabella review.
Best for: spa, dining and a boat pick up in front of the hotel.
Check rates at Regina Isabella
Punta Molino Beach Resort & Thermal Spa, Ischia Porto
On the seafront between Ischia Porto and Ischia Ponte, a few minutes’ walk from the ferry harbour, with a private beach and jetty for guests arriving by boat, thermal and freshwater pools and a spa. Also listed as Grand Hotel Punta Molino. Opening dates were not published on the sources we checked; ask the hotel.
Best for: walking to the boat.
Check rates at Punta Molino Beach Resort & Thermal Spa
Miramare Sea Resort & Spa, Sant’Angelo
In the car free centre of Sant’Angelo above the bay, a short walk from the water taxis to Sorgeto and the Maronti. Guests have a private beach, a wellness centre, a tennis court and access to the neighbouring Aphrodite thermal gardens. Ask the hotel for season dates.
Best for: the south coast and hot springs.
Check rates at Miramare Sea Resort & Spa
Check prices and availability
Sleeping on Ischia saves the crossing and gives you the calm early hours on the water.
For a day in the city, see the best museums in Naples; for islands further north, Ponza and the Pontine Islands by boat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you anchor at Sorgeto?
The bay is in zone B, where anchoring is only for authorised residents and those treated as residents, and sources disagree on whether it is possible at all. The water taxi from Sant’Angelo is simplest.
Can you do Ischia and Procida in one day?
Yes, from Ischia Porto in a fast boat: Procida in the morning, Cartaromana in the afternoon. Round Ischia plus Procida is too much for one relaxed day.
Can you land on Vivara by boat?
Visits are on foot over the bridge from Procida with the reserve’s guides, booked online. The western coast is zone A and closed to boats.
Do I need a licence to hire a boat on Ischia?
Not for engines up to 30 kW (40.8 hp) within 6 nautical miles of the coast, but the reserve’s speed limits and zones still apply.
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