8 lesser-known Italian islands for a foodie trip

Whether you’re searching for some late-summer sunshine or are one of those enviably organised people who’s already looking ahead to next year, a week on an Italian island is hard to beat. And while Sicily, Capri and Sardinia are popular for good reason, sometimes the best trips are the less obvious ones. Boats, beaches and bowls of pasta… Here are some of our favourite isles for a foodie escape.

8 lesser-known Italian islands to visit

Ponza

Ponza is the ultimate Roman getaway. A couple of hours from the capital by train and ferry, it’s the perfect island to tack onto a long weekend in the Eternal City. There are three ways to get around small but mighty Ponza: scooter, e-bike and boat. Water taxis will get you to all the major beaches, but we loved hiring a bike and zipping up and down the hills to get to the best, smaller beaches such as Cala Gaetano and La Caletta. It’s also the ultimate way to work up an appetite – La Marina at Cala Feola beach is one of the best on the island. Book in advance and you might snag one of the tables on the rocks. It’s just the place to enjoy bottarga pasta while the waves lap at the restaurant.

In the main town, some of the best dining spots are Restaurant EEA, Oresteria and Lanterna da Silverio. That said, one of our favourite meals was on board a five-hour boat tour, which took us around the island and over to neighbouring Palmarola. There are no hotels here, but O’Francese is the island’s one (cash-only) restaurant, right on the sand. We saved our stomachs for the captain-made tuna and tomato pasta back on the boat, which we ate while bobbing about in the sea.

Where to stay: Villa Laetitia is a gorgeous boutique hotel owned by one of the Fendi sisters. Overlooking the main port (every bedroom has a sea view), this is a sumptuous boutique option, complete with tiled floors, striking beds and lovely design details, such as branded crockery and pretty linen curtains.

Pantelleria

One thing to know about Pantelleria: there will be capers. A small volcanic island that’s closer to Tunisia than it is to Sicily, its closest neighbour, water here is precious. The upside of this are some perfect growing conditions for capers. There’s a whole museum dedicated to them, they’re served in everything from seafood pasta to chocolate and caper gelato (yes, really) and they’re also the butt of a joke in Luca Guadagnino’s excellent film A Bigger Splash, which is set on Pantelleria. There’s much more to the island than that, of course.

There’s the pancake-flat Lake of Venus, where you can bathe and cover yourself in the shore’s mineral-rich mud. There’s a great ceramics scene (look for De Simone) and plenty of amazing walks (the trek up to Montagna Grande is worth it for the views, and you break it up with a spell in the Grotta di Benikula – a natural cave sauna). Pantelleria’s beaches span from natural thermal pools to rocky bays with umbrellas and sunbeds. And the food is fantastic – some of our favourite restaurants included Il Principe e Il Pirata (The Princess & The Pirate), La Nicchia and I Giardini dei Rodo, with its pretty, lantern-filled courtyard. You can get a ferry here from Sicily or for a standalone holiday there are direct flights from Milan and Rome.

Where to stay: Tenuta Borgia is the striking, design-focused villa where A Bigger Splash is set. If you want to access the famous swimming pool, you’ll need to book exclusive use, but we loved our stay in the smaller two-bedroom dammuso, which had a huge terrace overlooking the sea and a smaller pool. Best of all, it’s completely private (you’ll be given the exact address moments before arriving), so it feels like a true escape.

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Ischia

Part of the region of Campania, Ischia is a short ferry ride away from Naples. Known as the ‘green island’, it’s a place of natural beauty and hot springs. If you like hiking, this is the one for you: Mount Epomeo is the island’s highest point and offers incredible views, and there’s another beautiful walk up to Madonna di Zaro, a site of pilgrimage. For something gentler, Sant’Angelo is an utterly charming pedestrian-only village. A former fishing port, its distinctive colourful houses line the seafront and make for postcard-perfect photos.

For the best experience of those famous hot springs, head to Le Fumarole beach, which has volcanic steam vents. Elsewhere, Maronti beach is one of the largest stretches of sand on the island. Given its proximity to Naples, Ischia’s food takes on a Neapolitan flair. For an authentic trattoria experience, book into Peppina di Renato – which dates to 1979 – for potato and gorgonzola pizza, panzanella salad and ‘pomodoro piccante’ rigatoni. And you can’t come here without trying the local dish, a rabbit stew called coniglio all’Ischitana. Some of the best is served at Trattoria Il Focolare.

Where to stay: Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa is part of the same group as Il Pellicano in Tuscany and La Posta Vecchia near Rome. As at Il Pellicano, the famed hotel that’s ruled Italian hospitality since the 1970s, you can expect relaxed yet impeccable service, bold design and a gorgeous spa.

Procida

Like Ischia, Procida is a Phlegraean island – and we suggest a double header. You might recognise Procida as the backdrop to the Matt Damon and Jude Law adaptation of The Talented Mr Ripley. Either way, if you thought Ischia’s Sant’Angelo was pretty, you’ll be struck by the cobbled village of Coricella, whose port is dominated by eye-catching houses and churches (some of these look a little lived-in, but that all adds to the charm).

One of the harbourside restaurants, La Locanda del Postino, was also in the film and still makes an impact today, serving the likes of local prawns, tuna tartare and marinated anchovies. Girone in Marina Chiaolella is another top spot, and is the best place to try the local delicacy of ricci di mare (sea urchin). As the entire island is just four square kilometres, you won’t need a car. Instead, visitors tend to walk from village to village and beach to beach, working up an appetite for their afternoon gelato. One of the best beaches is Chiaia, which has a beach club as well as public areas for swimming and sunbathing.

Where to stay: Given its size, there isn’t a huge amount of choice on Procida. La Suite Hotel is one of the best on the island. Guests can dine among olive trees, there’s a pool to dip into and Il Pozzo Vecchio black-sand beach is a 10-minute walk away.

Elba

Picturesque Elba is in the Tyrrhenian Sea and the largest of the Tuscan archipelago. Once famous for harbouring Napolean during his exile in the 1800s, it’s known today for its beautiful sandy beaches, clear waters and mountainous terrain. These clear waters have made it a hotbed for snorkelling and diving, but anyone wanting to enjoy the waters even just for swimming will love the cape of Sant’Andrea, a bay with crystal-blue waters, golden sand, small shells and a series of inlets that have created natural swimming pools. The bay’s other feature are its dramatic granite rock formations rising from the sea.

On the food front, expect classic Tuscan dishes with an island twist. Publius in Poggio offers the likes of braised tuna in chianti wine with polenta or cocoa ravioli filled with cinghiale (wild boar ragu) and a parmesan sauce, while Osteria del Noce in the old hilltop village of Marciana serves grilled octopus by candlelight. Elba’s not the easiest place to get to – from the UK you’ll need to fly to Pisa, get a bus to Piombino, then a ferry over to the island – but the final destination is worth the journey.

Where to stay: For one of the best views on Elba, book one of the balcony suites at Hotel Ilio. These rooms are just a few metres away from the dramatic Sant’Andrea coastline. The suite’s private terrace is a lovely spot to watch sunrise and sunset on the island.

Salina

Part of the Sicilian archipelago, Salina is the second-largest Aeolian island and an ideal add-on if you’re headed to Sicily (it’s a two-and-a-half-hour ferry away). Recognisable for its twin volcanic peaks, Salina, like Pantelleria, is famed for its capers, but also for its olives, figs, citrus and Sorsi di Malvasia sweet wine. These ingredients define many of the local delicacies: ‘u pani cunzatu is a slice of bread topped with caper pesto, almonds, grilled aubergines, caperberries, tomato, mint and ricotta, which is baked in the oven. Fig and almond granitas are a daily must during the hot summers.

Nni Lausta is one of our favourite spots to soak up the flavours of Salina – if it’s not too hot, grab a table on the buzzy terrace. A famously verdant isle, Salina’s highlights are best taken in from a boat. As you make your way around, you’ll get to admire Fossa delle Felci, a towering old volcano, the pretty bay of Semaforo di Pollara, and Punta Lingua, a lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the island.

Where to stay: Owned by the Caruso family, Hotel Signum is resplendent in limestone walls and warm Aeolian colours. With terraces looking over to neighbouring Panarea and Stromboli, the hotel is also home to a lovely spa and Signum, which holds a Michelin Green star for sustainability.

Lipari

Another Aeolian island that’s worth a stay in its own right is Lipari (to get there, hop on a ferry from Sicily or Naples). The largest of this cluster of islands, Lipari is a UNESCO World Heritage site and there is real history here. Chiostro de Normanni is part of the first Benedictine monastery built in Sicily, while the imposing castle of Lipari is a neolithic wonder with a great museum. For the best views – and sunsets – head to Quattrocchi (‘four eyes’), where huge cliffs plunge into the water, sea stacks rise from beneath the waves and visitors can gaze across to the other islands.

Two of our favourite restaurants are Trattoria del Vicolo and Filippino. The former serves traditional Aeolian dishes such as busiate pasta with swordfish, aubergine and mint or risotto with pumpkin flowers and clams. Filippino has an atmospheric location on the main town square. Over 100 years old, it’s a heritage spot serving modern interpretations of classic rustic dishes – think cuttlefish black risotto with Volcano ricotta foam, followed by a pink white chocolate foam.

Where to stay: La Settima Luna is 50m from the beach, and makes the most of its location with a terrace and pool that offers panoramic views of the water below. Modern and minimalist, the hotel has white-washed walls inside and out, adding to the Mediterranean feel.

Vulcano

As its name suggests, Vulcano is one of the most volcanic islands in Italy. It’s a raw and rugged place where black-sand beaches meet deep-blue seas. Many of the attractions around Vulcano centre around this volcanic activity: some of the best ways to immerse yourself in island life are hiking to its ancient ‘Grand’ crater (worth it for the view alone) and soaking in the thermal mud baths of Laghetto dei Fanghi (you’ll soon get used to the island’s sulphurous smell). There are also lots of fun ways to get around: bikes, kayaks, quads and Mini-Mokes are all available for hire.

One of the best restaurants on the island is Il Cappero (which, you guessed it, means ‘the caper’). Earlier this year, it earned Michelin and Green stars for its simple but expertly executed dishes, which tend to only feature two ingredients. More Michelin-worthy food can be found at I Tenerumi, which is similar in style to Il Cappero, but fully vegetarian. The easiest way to get to Vulcano is to take a flight to Catania or Palermo on Sicily, then transfer to Milazzo for a one-hour ferry to the island.

Where to stay: Therasia Resort is perched above the sea. It’s a great example of Aeolian architecture, with columns, reed roofing and arches facing the water. All the bedrooms use natural materials – such as lava stone, terracotta, cedar and olive wood – that add a sense of earthy richness to a stay. The resort is also home to an incredible spa, with natural pools and treatments that maximise the island’s minerality.