Procida Island, Italy

Procida Island is a colorful and romantic alternative to Portofino. With just a short ferry ride from Naples, you can be transported to a quaint little fisherman’s village, with virtually no tourists!

During our visit, it felt as though we had the island to ourselves as we perused the local shops and eateries that align the cobblestone roads, interrupted only by an occasional Vespa passing by. In the tiny corner shops and hidden gems in the nooks between old bricks you will find cute souvenirs, and clothing. While you won’t find fast paced nightlife or skyscrapers, you will find the perfect pastel backdrop and old school charm, for cute couple photo opportunities.

The view from Terra Murata is unrivaled, where fishing boats dot the turquoise water, along the port where the houses are painted various pastels to welcome the fishermen home, each day. You can also visit the old churches, beautifully rustic, and full of culture (but without air conditioning!). Palazzo d’Avalos, is a prison, hundreds of years old, which sits atop Terra Murata. It’s been made into a museum that was a little too morbid for our liking, but even the outside held an eerie yet entrancing energy, that some may enjoy.

There are several small public beaches where locals will happily point you to a changing room, and the best places to grab a bite or a drink!

At every turn you’ll smell the most delightful scents of fresh baked goods and pizza! Be sure to have a slice of pizza, try the local fish and indulge in the limoncello spritz or lemon flavored Italian ice, made from the gigantic local lemons there. We recommend that you try every dessert you find, but save room for at least two slices of the limoncello cake!

Make sure to get back to the ferry port a few minutes early, because we learned the hard way that departure schedules, are more like “guidelines”. We did not mind much though, as even sitting at the ferry port, Procida is a delight to all of your senses.