Mountains & Parks of Ischia

After a fresh lot of rain the night before, there is no better place to visit than Mount Epomeo. The horizon is at its clearest and they say you can see all the way to Rome, which may be a stretch however Capri, Naples, the Neapolitan Riviera and the entire gulf glisten before you, not to mention the spectacular bird's- eye view of the island itself.
In the verdant woods which coat the slopes of Mount Epomeo, the fresh air lingers throughout the day. In autumn, after the refreshing rainfalls following the scorching summer months, fresh woodland berries are found as well as mushrooms sprouting by the pathways.
Mount Epomeo is the island's highest peak, towering at approximately 780 metres above sea level. Often mistakenly referred to as the island's volcano, Epomeo is actually a mount created by seismic activity and volcanic uplift.
The true crater mouth of Ischia's most recent volcanic activity is to the north-east at Mount Rotaro, in the countryside of Casamicciola.
Mount Epomeo is the ideal starting point for walking expeditions exploring the island’s environment; following are a list of key treks, known as sentiero, or pathways, around the island, offering stunning panoramas and a chance to discover the flora of the island and also historical points of interest.



Volcanic History

The island of Ischia is part of a much larger volcanic field that incorporates the areas of Flegrei and Vesuvius on the Neapolitan mainland.
The horst of the Mount is the most dominant of Ischia's tectonic uplifts, while the flatter area lies between the districts of Casamicciola, Barano and Ischia Ponte, though the island has numerous eruptive centres and pyroclastic formations. Ischia's geomorphology is divided into two, the old cycle and the young. Of course in human life terms "young" is still reasonably old, stretching back 55,000 years.
The old cycle refers to the period before the green tuff flow that is the foundation of Mount Epomeo. Explosive and effusive volcanic activity from 150,000 to 75,000 years ago formed the areas of Carozza and Scarrupata of Barano.
The lava domes of Punta Imperatore, Capo Negro, Punta Chiarito, Sant'Angelo, Punta della Signora, Capo Grosso, La Guardiola, Monte Vezzi, Castello d'Ischia and Monte Vico all emerged during the later part of this old cycle.
The young cycle, on the other hand, refers to those phases that created the green tuff flow and onward. The formation of Pigniatello, Epomeo and Citara were the earliest. Following various lava flows and explosive eruptions, the Zaro scoria cone and the complex of Mounts Rotaro and Montagnone-Maschiatta emerged.
The most recent volcanic eruption was that of Mount Rotaro in 1301 A.D, on the north-east side of the island. Since then Ischia has suffered several earthquakes and tremors, considered minor in geo-physical scope but resulting in human deaths nonetheless.
The worst of these conglomerated in the 1800s and in 1883 the area of Casamicciola was almost completely destroyed and the death toll mounted to 1784. The 20th and 21st centuries, however, have so far corresponded to a period of peace and calm.
The only signs of Ischia's continuing volcanic claim is in the beneficial thermal springs and fumaroles thermal font fissures, that escape its crust, conveying pleasure and health to the island's inhabitants and visitors alike.
An interesting DIY tour of Ischia's geological sites has been compiled by two physics students, R. Scandone and L. Giacomelli, from the University of Rome Tre. A two to three day tour, it begins at Ischia Porto and ends at the Fondo d'Oglio crater.


Parks

Did a fairy just flit behind that pine tree? Is that a sea captain sleeping behind a cactus? Perhaps the imagination is running free but in Ischia's Faiano pinewood children of all ages can play at Peter Pan and Tinkerbell in the wild jungle gym.
Faiano pineforests and Ischia's many varied parks, gardens and woods.
Epomeo's chestnut forests and Frassitelli's acacia woods are longer walking expeditions, with beckoning aromas calling out for a stroll after lunch through the town of Ischia, and into the Falanga, a forest rich in animals and marine fossil finds.

Faiano Pinewood

After Ischia's last lava flow, in 1302 A.C., the north-eastern area of the island was so barren it became known as the 'Arso', or burnt area. Five centuries later, a court botanist was employed to 'green up' the area and the pine forest of Faiano is part of his labour of love.
It is the biggest of the island's pinewoods and a fresh oasis of tall trunked pines, perfumes and shadows. It's a great area for children to play.
Faiano's rope nets and climbing equipment, suspended between the trees, is just the entranceway to its pinewood. It is equipped with a jogger's circuit and it is lovely and cool for long, comfortable walks.
On its edge it offers a postcard picture of the Aragonese Castle, the islands of Vivara and Procida and the Neapolitan coast.

Bosco della Falanga

The Falanga forest is a wide chestnut forest perfect for collecting nuts and searching for porcini mushrooms while keeping an eye open for the wild rabbits and falcons.
There are also some excellent examples of the stone houses dug out of the tuff rock, as well as old rainwater basins and ice storage wells.
The Falanga is just next to the Frassitelli woods, from where you can launch into a longer trekking expedition up towards Mount Epomeo or else down to the district of Forio.