Procida

Procida is the smallest of the three main Gulf of Naples islands, covering just 4.1 square kilometres and lying approximately 3 kilometres from the mainland at Pozzuoli, Campania, Italy. Unlike Capri's international glamour or Ischia's thermal spa resorts, Procida has preserved an authentic working fishing village character that has made it a favourite subject of artists and filmmakers for decades; parts of Il Postino (1994) and The Talented Mr. Ripley were filmed here. Named Italian Capital of Culture 2022, the island has received increased attention while retaining its unpretentious local atmosphere. The main port, Marina Grande (also called Sancio Cattolico), is an animated fishing harbour ringed by multi-storey houses in mustard, terracotta, and soft pink. Marina Corricella, on the island's western flank, is a smaller, completely car-free fishing quarter where the coloured buildings rise directly from the water's edge with no roads between them—arguably the most perfectly photogenic fishing village in Italy. The island's interior rises to Terra Murata, the ancient fortified citadel at the island's highest point, crowned by the former Bourbon prison and the Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo with its outstanding treasury and views across the island and gulf. The beaches—Chiaiolella on the south coast and Ciraccio further west—are the cleanest in the Gulf of Naples islands, with good water quality and fewer people than Ischia or Capri. The island is small enough to explore entirely by scooter or bicycle in a single day, and the local restaurant scene centred on langoustines and fresh fish is exceptional.