Boat tour in Procida: beaches and villages to admire on the Oscar-worthy island

It was 1996 when Massimo Troisi's film "Il Postino" won an Oscar, and Procida entered the world's collective imagination for its medieval villages and unique panoramic scenery.

The small island is wedged between Naples and Ischia, a more than valid reason to take a boat tour and admire the Gulf in all its splendor. An inflatable boat rental service is the ideal solution to browse the wonders scattered along the coast and be embraced by the colorful hues of the harbor area, but that's not enough, because there are plenty of things to see on land as well.

Boat tours in Procida

As just mentioned, this is the best way to admire the beauty of the island and also to take a swim on the various small beaches that offer enchanting scenery. From the sea, it is possible to admire the medieval center Terra Murata, the bay of Chiaiolella, the seaside village Marina Corricella and the lighthouse. 

Marina Grande

Marina Grande is the face of the island, the postcard we all know, the main area of Procida where all ships dock. This part is dominated by Palazzo Montefusco, a building dating back to the 12th century. A few steps from the port are restaurants, clubs and bars, while going up to Via Roma you enter the heart of the island, where there are stores and architectural beauties, such as the Chiesa della Pietà.

Terra Murata and the Avalos Palace

Arriving in this village located in the center of the island, we go back in time to the 16th century, and here is a fort built to protect residents from attacks by sea: we are about 100 meters above sea level.

The view offers a unique glimpse of the Gulf of Naples with the island of Ischia on the horizon. Terra Murata also includes the Palazzo d'Avalos, which until 1988 was a penitentiary.

Vascello House

This area, too, represents with its architecture the medieval memory of the island among farmhouses and dwellings that form an inner court, created in the 16th century to protect the population from Saracen attacks.

Casale Vascello is the gateway into the medieval time machine, and it is possible to reach this area only through two narrow passages, which were closed in cases of attack.

Marina della Corricella

This is the oldest port on the island and it is here that some scenes from Il Postino were filmed, those in the tavern when Troisi woos Mariagrazia Cucinotta and plays table soccer with her.

It is also possible to eat in the same osteria featured in the film, where there are some memorabilia from the set, such as the letter carrier's bag, bicycle and many photos hanging on the walls. This part of the island features architecture with Arabic overtones, the "Vefi," balconies that are covered by arches to ward off the chaos of the harbor.

The beaches of Procida

There are several coves and bays on the island, Pozzo Vecchio beach holds the setting for other scenes from Il Postino, Chiaia beach is the perfect place for a sunset dinner by the sea, while Chiaiolella and Ciracco beaches offer sunshine until late in the summer and it is possible to bathe in clear waters.

In short, if we think that we are talking about an island of only 4.26 square kilometers with a population of about 10,000, and that in addition to all the things to do and see that we have pointed out there are many more, we cannot do otherwise than to say that Procida is an island to be Oscar-worthy.