L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES Procida, the prettier little sister to Capri and Ischia ELIZABETH SALTHOUSE F o r g e t C a p r i a n d I s c h i a . There is another island in the Gulf of Naples that's a prettier and more authentically natural beauty just minutes away by boat. The ancient Greeks loved it. As did the patrician classes of the Roman Empire. You might even recognise it from Il Postino or The Talented Mr Ripley. But if you haven't been yet, add Procida to your travel wish list! Pastel-painted cottages line the coastline, tumbling down to the waterfront where fishing boats sell the morning's catch straight from the deck. Narrow lanes that have barely changed since the middle ages criss-cross the little island between crescent bays, sandy coves and craggy clifftops. And lemon-trees dot the land with their citrus per- fume. Add in the fact that it's only an hour from Naples, nes- tled in between Ischia and the mainland and crucially almost untouched by commercialism and you have a truly perfect hol- iday hideaway. But Procida's magic extends m u c h f u r t h e r b a c k t h a n i t s seafood tavernas, beautiful vis- t a s a n d s u n - d r e n c h e d c h a r m might suggest. This is an island w r a p p e d u p i n G r e e k m y t h , entangled in Roman legend and steeped in feudal history. T h e f i r s t G r e e k s e t t l e r s arrived around 1600 BC. They nicknamed the archipelago the "islands of monkeys" after a s t o r y f r o m m y t h o l o g y . A n d b e l i e v e d t h a t M i m a s , a l e g - endary giant killed by red hot missiles during a cosmic battle with the gods, was buried under Procida or Prochyta in Greek. Next the Romans arrived, claiming the island and again invoking stories of gods and g i a n t s t o e x p l a i n t h e c r a g g y appearance. But instead of Zeus, t h e R o m a n s b e l i e v e d t h a t Jupiter, the father of the gods, created the island when he threw a boulder into the sea during his fight with the giants. Patrician Romans looking for a beautiful seaside getaway loved it. The island continued to pass b e t w e e n d i f f e r e n t h a n d s throughout the centuries. From the Normans to the Sicillians to the French its people endured countless changes, even taking refuge in the fortified castle on occasion. Pirates also attacked and one legend tells of desperate locals calling on St Michael the archangel for help. Luckily the saint appeared armed with his sword, ready to take on the marauders who fled. And the islanders have celebrat- ed their redemption with a pro- cession for St Michael on the 8 t h M a y e v e r y y e a r s i n c e . Procida is also famous as having one of the oldest Good Friday processions in Italy, when hood- ed locals faithfully carry wooden s t a t u e s t h r o u g h t h e s t r e e t s accompanied by a slow, solemn, ominous beat of a drum. B u t w h a t t h e G r e e k s a n d Romans and many generations after them sought to explain with myth and folklore we can now attribute to the island's fiery vol- canic history. Procida's semicir- cular bays, coves and caves are the remnants of four volcanic craters that have been eroded by the sea rather than godly battles. And luckily for us the island now lies dormant so we need not a p p e a s e g o d s o r u n d e r w a t e r giants; seaside life ticks along to a much more tranquil tempo. I n f a c t w h a t g e o l o g y a n d n a t u r e c r e a t e d i s a n a t u r a l l y beautiful, authentically Italian island. And despite being just 1 . 5 m i l e s s q u a r e , m o d e r n Procida has lots of little delights for the visitor. From the northern ferry port it's a short walk to the old water- front of Marina Grande, scat- tered with the nets and parapher- nalia of a functioning fishing vil- lage. Quayside trattorias and bars offer tasty refreshments, without breaking the bank. And then its time to start exploring; the best way is on foot as the narrow streets lend themselves much better to pedestrians than cars. Turning east from the harbor, you can lose yourself in the mul- ticolored Terra Murata walled medieval town, perched on a hill overlooking the bay. Key attrac- tions include the 15 th century Palazzo D'Avalos, that's served as a defensive castle, military s c h o o l a n d p r i s o n o v e r t h e y e a r s , a n d t h e 1 1 t h c e n t u r y Abbazia di San Michele. Continuing clockwise it's a short stroll down to Procida's m o s t p i c t u r e s q u e v i l l a g e , Corricella, tucked cozily into one of the island's old craters. I t ' s a n a b s o l u t e l y g o r g e o u s vision of pastel paintbox hues, so the fishermen can identify their flat-roofed homes from the sea, and probably the most pho- togenic spot on the island. Think Positano or Portofino with more c h a r a c t e r a n d w i t h o u t t h e designer shops, tour groups or steep hills! M e a n w h i l e , c a r r y i n g o n round the coast you come to the southern beaches and steep vol- canic cliffs where Il Postino was filmed in 1993-4. Alternatively, cross the narrow waist of the island to the sandy beaches of Procida, beautiful and colorful island in the Mediterranean sea, near Naples, italy. View of La Corricella harbour.— Photo by ronnybas the west coast known only to savvy Italians. Or why not wan- der the lanes, stopping to admire t h e l e m o n - i n s p i r e d c u i s i n e . Recipes, including lemon salad infused with chilli oil, are made from the local limoni pane or p i t h y , s w e e t b r e a d l e m o n s g r o w n a l l o v e r t h e i s l a n d . Delicious! Ultimately, Procida is a quin- tessentially Mediterranean par- adise; colorful, natural and gen- uinely unspoilt. Visitors merge in easily, strolling past fisher- men repairing their nets or old men gossiping in the little piaz- zas. And life continues with ancient processions, cliff top views and rainbow-lined lanes that haven't changed in cen- turies. If you're visiting Naples make sure to add Procida to your list, you won't be disap- pointed!

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