Campania - These attractive holiday apartments for rent lie in a spectacular seaside castle on Ischia.
Great for trips to Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Vesuvius and Pompeii, this is a dream holiday rental venue, in your own castle above the water.
The Castello Aragonese is easily the most impressive historical monument in Ischia. It stands on a volcanic rock connected to the island by a bridge built in 1438 by Alfonso of Aragon. The Castle, overlooking the vast vista of the sea, was originally built as a castrum in 474BC by Gerone of Siracusa and, after a long period of abandonment, reached its golden age during the fourteenth century. Under the Aragonese dynasty, it became a political, cultural and spiritual centre of notable interest. The Renaissance court of the noble poet Vittoria Colonna, saw the peak of the castle's splendour. Her court raised the Castello to heights of unheard glory. It breathed new life into the place, and the arts and sciences flourished as never before - even Michelangelo was enticed here. But the decline had already begun in the 15th century and continued for more than 100 years.
This unique spot now contains three holiday apartments and a hotel. This is a most impressive Italian holiday location. While the majority of holiday-makers are banished to the foot of the fort and can only admire it from a distance, you have the privilege of residing within and gaining an insight into the private rooms of the castle! There is nothing to compare with this: the castle walls house churches, courtyards, antique archways, terraces, gardens and arcades with outstanding views of the sea, the peninsula, the harbour of Ischia and the wide horizon in the distance ... breathtaking.
You will need to take the lift from the bottom to the top part of the castle, around 80 metres above sea level, where the apartments are situated. The three units are full of light, functionally furnished and decorated in friendly colours. They are separate from one another and each has its own entrance. All are different. Enjoy the view while watching the seagulls circling above you ... you feel nearer to Heaven here than anywhere else.
The apartments start with the 25m² Minore, sleeping 2. Apartment Minore has a living room with double bed and wall cupboard, dining area and fitted kitchen separated off in a niche, and a bathroom with shower. The apartment has been decorated in shades of light blue. A glass door provides views through the treetops across to the sea and the bay.
Apartment Maggiore sleeps 2 over 35sqm. It has a living room with double bed and wall cupboard. Three steps and a low balustrade lead to the dining area, where a window offers panoramic views. There is a fitted kitchen in the entrance area, a bathroom with shower, a small balcony of some 3.5m² and with a view of the sea. The apartment has been painted in shades of corn yellow and has four windows. The glass wing doors in the dining area provide particularly pleasant views across to the sea and the nearby bay.
Apartment Campanile sleeps 4 over 90sqm. It has a living room with sofa suite, fitted kitchen and dining area, 2 double rooms with air-conditioning, 2 bathrooms with showers, and a large (35sqm) terrace with a panoramic view. This apartment has been decorated in attractive and matching Mediterranean pastel tones. It is especially spacious, comfortable and tastefully furnished: white walls, arched doorways, low steps, antique terracotta tiles and hand-painted terracotta fresco, with lovely oil paintings in delicate colours decorating the walls (the owner is an artist). This apartment has a Mediterranean flair and southern atmosphere. The views from the terrace are outstanding.
Reservations are from Saturday to Saturday only. Weekly rental of Minore is EURO €1630, of Maggiore €1730 and Campanile €2180 (please check prices at time of booking). Domestic help is available on request at €8 per hour, and babysitting at €11 per hour. Pets are not allowed. There is a security deposit of €250 per apartment, and heating(if required is €10 per day per apartment. An additional bed for Campanile and Maggiore, or a child's cot, is available on request at €100 per person per week. Final cleaning is €50 per apartment.
Included in the price are the following: a change of bed linen once a week, bath and kitchen linen twice a week, water, electricity, gas; maid service every Wednesday and Saturday; arrival and departure transfer from Naples (airport/train station/hotel) by taxi to Naples harbour and from Naples harbour to Ischia by hovercraft, and from Ischia harbour to the Castle Aragon and back on departure; food starter pack consisting of bread, milk, jam, mineral water, coke, coffee, tea, a bottle of wine and some fruit; a tour of the Castello.
After a long day on the beach, why not relax in the Cocò restaurant. This small wooden hut has been around since the 1950s and is just below the Castello, at the end of the causeway. They provide an excellent Spaghetti alle Vongole and, after a couple of glasses of wine, it is comforting to know that your apartment is so near ... just a brief walk back home across the water through the mild summer evening. Wander along the boardwalk, with the tang of salty sea water in your nose, hop into the lift and travel upwards; then fall asleep to the sound of waves and awaken to the greetings of the gulls.
The appealing (yet simple) little Gondola baths lie at the wonderful sandy beach of Maronti, in the south of the island. A small hot water pool is situated right on the coast with a natural sauna carved out of the rock. Hot steam rises up from the earth - so hot that you feel the need to cool off in the sea during the winter. This is a place to forget the rest of the world. The hot baths, loved by the Romans, explain why the Ischian coast is so popular with visitors from all over the world. Last but not least, the hot springs explain the special climate on the island - they provide mild weather all year round.
