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| Marina di Corricella in Procida |
Guide to visiting Procida island in Italy
A story to discover Procida the smallest, authentic and colorful island of the Gulf of Naples.Just 4 km long, the volcanic Procida suddenly appears with its colorful houses that are reflected on the sea, the lemon trees and the narrow streets that reach a fortified village at the highest point of the island (91 meters above sea level).
Chosen as the Italian Capital of Culture 2022 Procida has the charm of places where time seems to have stopped and some of these are described in the words of writers and poets - as in the novel "The island of Arturo" by Elsa Morante - or in movie locations such as "Il Postino: The Postman" by Massimo Troisi.
Chosen as the Italian Capital of Culture 2022 Procida has the charm of places where time seems to have stopped and some of these are described in the words of writers and poets - as in the novel "The island of Arturo" by Elsa Morante - or in movie locations such as "Il Postino: The Postman" by Massimo Troisi.
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| The entrance of the Marina Grande harbor in Procida island |
Procida is easily accessible by hydrofoil or ferry in less than an hour from Naples.
The arrival in Marina Grande, the main port of the island, called by its inhabitants Sent ‘Co (Sancio Cattolico) is already a dip in the typical local architecture and the bright colors of the houses that overlook the seafront.
The custom is historically the desire of fishermen to recognize their homes even from a distance.
On the square of the port overlooks Palazzo Montefusco a building of the twelfth century, once the summer residence of the king, also called Palazzo Merlato because of the splendid battlements that characterizes it.
Head left along via Roma between the shops of typical handicrafts, restaurants appreciated by locals and tourists, and the wooden crucifix of 1845; not far away you see the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà (18th century) with its yellow and white facade and high baroque bell tower.
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| Church of Santa Maria della Pieta at Marina Grande in Procida |
Being relatively small island, you can choose to discover it on foot as we did or by bike (in the square of the port taxi and bus).
From the Marina Grande it is easy to reach the area of Terra Murata with the splendid view over the Corricella (you will find two cannons waiting for you) and a Belvedere that ranges from Capo Miseno, to the Sorrento peninsula up to Capri.
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| La Corricella view from Terra Murata |
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| Viewpoint of the Bay of Naples in Procida island |
Terra Murata is a fortified village, the oldest on the island, dating back to the Middle Ages when the population chose to take refuge on the promontory to defend themselves from the incursions of pirates and enemies.
The place was naturally defended by walls overlooking the sea and was later several times fortified with walls and watchtowers.
In a dominant position is Palazzo D'Avalos built in the sixteenth century by the D'Avalos family, feudal lords of the island from the time of Charles V until the 1700s.
In 1830 the spaces around the large courtyard were transformed into a prison with cells for the prisoners and sentry boxes for the sentries.
The penitentiary was definitively closed in 1988 and now the monumental complex has been reopened with the possibility to carry out suggestive guided visits in order to know its history.
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| Palazzo D'Avalos, view from the sailboat cruise |
Not far from the castle is the Abbey of St. Michael founded in 1026 and only later, at the end of the fifteenth century, dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel patron saint of the island.
Destroyed and rebuilt several times, its current appearance dates back to the '500.
There are numerous works of art present in the church such as the precious coffered ceiling in gilded wood (seventeenth century) with in the center the painting “St. Michael defeats the rebel angels” of 1699 or the four paintings of the painter Nicola Russo, student of the most famous Luca Giordano near the high altar dated to 1690.
Of particular interest is the canvas depicting the apparition and miracle of "Saint Michael that protects the island of Procida" from a Saracen raid, as it gives an image of the island at that time.
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| Abbey of St. Michael in Terra Murata, Procida island |
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| Wooden ceiling of the Abbey St. Michael in Procida island |
In front of the Abbey, in the Palace of Culture (Ex Conservatory of orphans) is housed the Museum Casa Graziella historical reconstruction of the house of Graziella, protagonist of the novel of the same name that tells the love story between the writer, Alphonse De Lamartine, and a young inhabitant of the island, and she’s inspired by a real-life character.
Piazza dei Martiri is a crossroads between the villages of Marina Grande, Terra Murata and Corricella.
The square is dominated by the Baroque Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and was formerly called Sèmmarèzio, that is Santa Maria.
The church holds a picture of the Madonna delle Grazie enriched with gold and silver at the behest of the inhabitants of Procida for the miracle of having freed the island from the plague.
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| Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Piazza dei Martiri, Procida |
In the square road signs indicate the nearby "casali": represent the first urban settlements born outside the fortified city consisting of a set of multi-storey houses grouped around an internal courtyard; the houses were accessed through very narrow passages that could be closed in case of attacks.
The most famous defensive architecture of this type is Casale Vascello.
Probably a couple of days are needed to fully experience the island with its atmosphere punctuated by slow rhythms. One of the places where you can capture its most intimate essence is definitely Marina di Corricella.
We descend into the small fishing village along roads and stairways paved with stone blocks.
The eye-catcher is extraordinary: the houses are characterized by a thousand colors and have climbing stairs to reach the upper floors and the typical balcony covered by an arch called vèfio.
The small port is occupied by crowded networks, boats and countless restaurants where you can taste the typical dishes of the island’s cuisine.
In this marina there is the inn where the film "The Postman: The Postman" was shot.
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| San Rocco alley in Procida island |
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| Marina di Corricella in Procida island |
What is the most beautiful beach in Procida?
The coast of Procida is sometimes shallow and sandy, at other points rocky and overlooking the sea with beaches, bays and coves, to see from the perspective of the sea in a tour of the island by sailboat we can organize for you.
Beyond Corricella there is the beach of Chiaia a wide arch of volcanic sand reachable through a ramp of about 200 steps from the nearby church of St. Antonio; famous is the beach of Pozzo Vecchio in which some scenes of the film "Il Postino: The Postman" have been shot.
Then there is the long strip of dark sand that includes the beaches of Ciraccio and Chiaiolella; the location of this stretch of coast facing west makes it a magical place to enjoy the sun at sunset behind the island of Ischia.
On the left a bridge connects Procida to the small island of Vivara.
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| Sunset at the Vivara island bridge |
Where to sleep in Procida?
Do you want to sleep in Procida? Contact us!
We have a network of trust hosts and will advise you on the best accommodation, the best apartments, villas and hotels where you can feel the real warm Italian hospitality!
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| View of Corricella from a quality apartment for rent in Procida |
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| Preparing the sailboat to enjoy a daily excursion in Procida |
If you are a sea lover we can recommend boat tours and sailboat cruises and excursions provided by our partners with whom you can navigate the Bay of Naples and its beautiful islands.
If you love cycling we can organize a guided bike tour, even with e-bikes to admire every corner of the island.
If you want to explore the island on foot, you can join one of our tours made with our authorized guides.
Our guided tours give you the opportunity to live the tourist experience without hassle to save time and optimize your travel.
Please feel free to contact us at my@best-time-italy.com, we will be happy to help you in case you desire to take part in our customized guided tours in Procida island or are looking for inspiration to plan your next travel experiences to Italy.
This is a 4K video recorded in occasion of one of our explorations of the Procida island.
Do you still have doubts with which guides you want to visit the island? ;)
SKIP THE LINE BOAT TICKETS TO PROCIDA
Are you looking where to buy the skip the line boat tickets to Procida island? Check out the rates and reserve the ticket using the form below: we are affiliated of Direct Ferries.
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