Ischia, Italy
This lush "green island" is neighbors with Capri and the Amalfi Coast, and offers
an incredible experience from boat trips, healing thermal waters, castle visits and mouthwatering cuisine.
This lush "green island" is neighbors with Capri and the Amalfi Coast, and offers
an incredible experience from boat trips, healing thermal waters, castle visits and mouthwatering cuisine.
Why do we love Ischia?
Do you love quiet beaches? Healing elements in nature? Vintage Italian glamour? These things are all present and thriving here. Ischia is an island that feels like you stepped back in time for a full dose of la dolce vita. While Capri is known as the blue island, nearby Ischia is called the green island for its abundance of Mediterranean plant life and verdant hillsides. It’s less well known (for now), so there’s no pushing past hoardes of tourists to enjoy the passeggiata, the shops and the rocky beaches. It has been known for centuries as a healing island because it has not only volcanic mud, but an abundance of thermal waters. You can get a taste of the glamour that made people like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton love the island, but you can also explore tiny local towns that give you a real feel for what it’s like to live in coastal Italy.
This island is so unique, it has been featured in movies like The Talented Mr. Ripley and My Brilliant Friend, in addition to old Italian cinema and even Cleopatra! It looks much like it did in the 50s, making it a perfect place to escape everyday life.
Where do we stay?
The iconic 5* Regina Isabella is located in a tranquil bay, surrounded by rocky outcrops and private beaches, and it houses a spa and thermal baths. “It epitomises the Italian art of living well, with an emphasis on style and beauty. Attentive personalised service is combined with Neapolitan colour and warmth. The Regina Isabella was built in the 1950s in the charming village of Lacco Ameno d’Ischia. The hotel’s founder was Angelo Rizzoli, the legendary publisher and film producer. He had long been fascinated by the island’s villages and by the tradition of thermal baths, and in 1956 he extended the historic Baths of Queen Isabella, constructing a hotel complex on the ancient Greco-Roman ruins. Within a few years, Ischia and the Regina Isabella Hotel became a centre of attraction for the international jet-set.”
Why take a wellness retreat to Ischia?
It’s the perfect setting. It used to be prescribed by doctors for wellness for its thermal waters and healing volcanic mud. Not only are there gorgeous beaches and caves to explore, but there are wonderful hiking paths, wineries and quaint villages in which to explore. You get to enjoy the same waters, food culture and shopping as Capri without the crowds. This is the perfect place to slow down and savor the sweetness of life.
FEATURED ISCHIA BLOG POSTS
We always love catching up on their journal for recipes, informative articles, city guides and so much more. On the blog this week we wanted to share a super simple face mask you can make at home with ingredients you probably already have on hand. Enjoy and take some time to pamper yourself naturally with ease.
We are so excited to announce a new retreat to our line up next year in Tuscany, YOGA + CREATIVITY + CUISINE! This retreat will be lead by our amazing guide Mindy Johnstone, you can read more about her HERE. Mindy sat down with us to tell us a little bit more about how this retreat came to be and what you can expect on this week of wellness, cuisine and travel journal creation.
Happy New Year, EPM family! We are so grateful to have the most wonderful team of leaders and guides for our retreats. We wanted to kick off the year with an interview with Mindy Johnstone, our collaborator joining us on many retreats this year including Costa Rica, Bali, Ischia, Amalfi and South Africa….
We visit so many places around the world, and many of them have featured prominently in film and/or tv. So we thought we would highlight some of them, in case you might not have put them together.
There are certain destinations in Italy that everyone knows. The Amalfi Coast. Venice. Rome. But when we started doing retreats in Ischia 8 years ago, no one was very familiar with this island. That’s chaining, but lucky for us, the secret’s not totally out yet!
Well, it's that time again. We have an anniversary to celebrate:
EAT.PRAY.MOVE has now held 75 RETREATS!
GUEST ISCHIA TESTIMONIALS
When it feels like signs are guiding us in a direction…they might be leading us to an adventure with Eat Pray Move! I was searching retreats online when I emailed an inquiry to one particular company (that I wasn’t super excited about) and instead of receiving a reply from that initial retreat, I heard back from Sarah, of EPM! I had unintentionally emailed a different retreat than I first thought, and when I read through the EPM website, I knew: this connection was no accident! I traveled to Ischia, Italy, and realized from day one, a unique quality of the EPM retreat was that our group was doing all of these crazy-fun & unique things that the owner, Erin, was choosing as something SHE would want to do! Like a friend with an inside connection on what to do on the local level! That element made me feel less like a tourist and truly let me experience things that kept me present, constantly absorbing, feeling, and remembering. Many of the attendees I’ve met were “return-retreaters” and I think that speaks to the amazing experiences we’re all having and sharing because of Erin’s vision. I’ve since traveled with EPM to Champagne, FR, and am planning on another trip to Italy!
I cannot thank you enough for the most unforgettable experience in my life. My trip with EPM was beyond my expectations. To this day, I still reminisce about every moment from that trip. To be honest...if I didn't have photos I would think that I had dreamt the entire experience. From the moment I sent you an email asking you dozens of questions about the trip to the mix up with the rug...you were gracious, kind and patient. Thank you. When I first arrived to Peacock- I couldn't believe my eyes. It was everything I had hoped for and more. From the Aladdin tents dressed in an array of bright and beautiful colors to the incredible gourmet cuisine. It was perfect. When I was taken to my room...I expected to meet my roommate. Only to find out that you had placed me in my own special room for my birthday. I simply couldn't believe the blessing I had received to stay in such a gorgeous room and to be treated with such love. I truly felt like a princess. I get emotional just thinking about that moment...walking into the Pavillion and seeing my room for the very first time. It simply brings tears to my eyes...happy one's at that. It came at a time in my life where I needed it so much- so thank you! It will forever be- the best birthday I could ever wish for! Every single moment of my trip was beyond my expectations and likely one of the most magical and memorable moments of my lifetime. My only regret is not having contacted you immediately after the trip to send you a wholehearted thank you for creating a memory and experience of a lifetime. I will never, ever forget my experience. Please accept my heartfelt thank you albeit delayed. Many, many thanks and much love and light and blessings to you!! I hope that all is well in your world.
My wife and I have participated on four EPM retreats. Each time we have been completely captivated by the experience. The locations are absolutely spectacular. The food and wine is local, healthy, fresh and delicious. The daily trips are personal, structured (but not overly so), enthralling, adventurous and chic. This is not your uncle’s travel guide tour. Erin offers an intimate and deeply restorative experience. It is invitation to form lifetime friendships with people who are curious, joyful and fun. Many times we feel like we are not only getting a sense for a place but being invited to peer behind the veil and see what is invisible to many travelers, all informed by Erin’s appreciative eye for beauty, story and style. Finally the yoga is inclusive and healing. I love the music, the settings, the flow and Erin’s ability to meet you where you are at in your practice. EAT.PRAY.MOVE is our first choice for international travel, personal restoration and inspiration. We highly recommend the experience!
WELLNESS + CULTURE + CUISINE [LUXURY] - Join us on this hidden gem of an island, Ischia, the “green” neighbor of Capri and the Amalfi Coast. In addition to yoga and hikes, we’ll taste mouthwatering cuisine and local wine and visit the mysterious castles, beaches, and gardens.
PRIVATE RETREATS - Contact us for a private group booking - from reunions, corporate team-building, or just a special occasion! Choose from our extensive list of locations, itineraries, and themes - and join us for a balanced and enriching adventure.
GIFT CERTIFICATES - Give the gift of wellness. Perfect idea for loved ones. Customize your amount and open for all retreat locations!
We are continually inspired by vintage travel posters, postcards and photographs. When we were rebranding last year, these tokens were our main inspiration. Not only for the color and type, but for the memory they provoke. We wanted to share with you a collection of a few from some of the locations we are visiting this year. Hope you enjoy and tha it inspires you to travel somewhere with us in the future!