La Dolce Vita. Dolce far niente. Italians have many ways to describe the “sweet” way their lifestyle and the beauty of the culture and their cuisine make you feel. Italy has always been a draw for travelers, but lately it seems that everyone we know is heading to “the boot” to rediscover the popular well known sites as well as those places which have already been discovered by Italians but are just beginning to make their way into our Instagram feed. Have you seen Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy?” I have no doubt this has fed the recent demand to explore Italy.

In August, I ventured to Italy to visit Rome, a favorite place which I hadn’t visited for years, but also got to spend time on the Amalfi Coast and stay on the delightful island of Ischia.  Thanks to Mr. Tucci, we opted to skip the busy island of Capri and explore this more laid-back, lesser known sweet spot. I am so glad we did, and I realized that Ischia has so much to offer, including a volcano, centuries-old stunning castle, thermal spas, wineries, beach clubs, and fantastic boutique shopping.  The slower pace of life in Ischia is so appealing, and I often hear it described as the Capri from 30 years ago, before it became very popular.  With the recent attention, I have a feeling that Ischia is going to give Capri a run for its money in terms of tourist popularity. Until then, I encourage you to make a plan to hop in one of Ischia’s thermal pools with an aperol spritz in hand and enjoy the “dolce far niente” that this special island encourages.