Marina Corricella, Procida

Marina Corricella is a traditional fishing quarter on the western side of the island of Procida in the Gulf of Naples, Campania, Italy, and is widely considered the most perfectly preserved and photogenic fishing village in Italy. Unlike Procida's main port, which accommodates car ferries, Corricella is a completely car-free settlement where the only access is on foot via steep paths descending from the upper village, or by water from the sea. The harbour forms a tight semicircle lined with fishing boats, nets drying on iron racks, and the stacked facades of houses rising four to six storeys directly from the waterside in an almost vertical wall of colour—mustard, terracotta, lemon, and faded pink, punctuated by vaulted arcades at water level used as boat storage (vaulte). The absence of cars means the quarter retains an authenticity and quietude that has made it a recurring film location: it was used extensively in Il Postino (1994) and The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). The working fishing community still operates from Corricella; mornings between 5:00 and 8:00 AM see fishermen returning from overnight trips to offload their catch at the small quayside market. A handful of simple seafood restaurants operate in the vaulted arcades at the water's edge, serving the daily catch in traditional Procidano style—particularly zuppa di mare (seafood soup) and the island's prized langoustines. Corricella is best viewed from the elevated pathway above the village, accessible via the steep path from Terra Murata, for the full panorama of the coloured facades against the sea.