Discover Procida – an Island in Italy

Procida is an island around 40 minutes by ferry from Naples in Italy. You may recognise its iconic colourful buildings or if you’re a fan of Italian films, it’s where Il Postino (The Postman) is set. It also features in the American film, The Talented Mr Ripley.

If you’re looking for an Italian island getaway that’s still quite rustic and not too expensive, then Procida is the place for you. But is it worth staying here or just going for a day trip?

We spent four nights in Procida and one night in Naples with a day trip to Ischia, one of my favourite islands. Procida is quite a small island so if you do want to stay then three or four nights is plenty. If you’re planning to use it as a base to explore the other islands by doing day trips, then definitely stay longer.

We stayed in Marina di Chiaiolella, which is the fisherman’s village and the prettiest part of Procida (in my opinion anyway). It was the perfect location as there are some wonderful restaurants and it was just a 10 minute walk to the main marina area where there are lots of shops, restaurants and bars – and where the ferries depart from.

Marina di Chiaiolella is also a lovely spot to enjoy an aperitivo while the sun goes down and take in the view of the boats and Terra Murata, which is the oldest part of the island. Terra Murata is an historical and cultural fortified centre where you not only get an amazing view, you can see canons dating back to 1799. It’s also where you’ll find Palazzo d’Avalos, which dates back to 1563 and later became the Royal Palace. In the 1800s it then became a prison until it closed in 1988.

To be honest, a long weekend is plenty of time to explore Procida and what it has to offer – particularly if you’re not a fan of the beach (and to be really honest, the beaches aren’t that great either!). They certainly aren’t as lovely as the beaches along the Amalfi Coast.

You could easily spend just a day exploring the island if you’re only interested in doing a day trip from Naples or one of the other islands. If you’re a foodie however, then I suggest staying a bit longer. We were really surprised at how fantastic the food was. Every single restaurant we ate at did not disappoint. Just look at this bruschetta!

I love the food from the Campania region of Italy and Procida certainly spoiled us when it came to eating. I would absolutely recommend every place we ate at (and that does not happen often!). The restaurants we ate at were: il pescatore and La Lampara which are both in Marina di Chiaiolella, La Medusa which is in the main marina, La Conchiglia (where they’ll collect you by boat if you wish) and Vivara which is on the main beach.

My husband had one of the best pastas he’s ever eaten in his life at Vivara. He scored it a 9 (usually a 7/7.5 is the max he scores). We went for dinner on our first night and enjoyed the food so much that we went back for lunch a couple of days later and enjoyed a very yummy seafood risotto.

If you’re looking for the best view of Procida, then head toward Terra Murata where you’ll get a panoramic view of Marina di Chiaiolella. For an even better experience, head there at dusk – it’s breathtaking! There is also a great view from the La Lampara restaurant too.

Terra Murata was built on the highest point of the island because it was the fortified centre of Procida during Medieval times. Within Terra Murata you can visit Palazzo d’Avalos, which was built in the 1500s and later became a Royal Palace. In 1830 it was then converted into a prison, which only closed recently in 1988. Another place to see is the Abbey of San Michele, which dates back to the 11th century!

So is Procida worth staying a few nights? In my opinion, yes! Even if only for the food. If you do decide to just come for a day trip, you’ll have lots to keep you occupied and definitely have lunch so you can try the food for yourself!

We stayed in an AirBnB, which I wouldn’t recommend as it wasn’t that nice. Usually when we stay in an AirBnB they are really lovely but sadly this one wasn’t. il Pescatore, where we had a lovely meal, has a very modern hotel right in Marina di Chiaiolella called San Michele and that will definitely be my choice next time we visit!

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