The island of Ischia, at the northern end of the Bay of Naples, is easily reached by ferries and hydrofoils from Naples in as quickly as an hour.
Visitors arrive in Ischia Porto, the largest town on the island that offers plenty of hotels and shopping. Most of the better hotels are along the beach in Ischia Ponte, connected by a bridge to a castle on an offshore island.
If the value of the dollar is making you sick about your summer trip to Italy this year, head to the island of Ischia to soothe your aches and pains. Valarie D’Elia has more.
Popular with German tourists and Italian families in the summer, Ischia is not as pretty or dramatic as neighboring Capri, but it has something much deeper then sheer beauty to offer -- bubbling hot springs from the core of the earth. Volcanic in origin, Ischia is covered with thermal springs, rumored to cure just about anything that ails you.
Most visitors short on time spend the day at a thermal resort paying for a day pass that covers entrance to the pools and the use of lounge chairs and the beach. Spa treatments can be added for an extra fee. If you have more time, you can take a bus around the 22-mile loop that circles the island or hop on a boat for a trip around the perimeter.
For more info on Ischia, go to www.italiantourism.com.