Italy is a dreamy holiday destination all year round but, in spring, its islands are the place to be.
Temperatures hover in the comfortable low-20s, flowers are blooming and summer crowds are at bay.
You have probably heard a lot about the big islands of Italy, such as Sicily and Sardinia, but the country’s long Mediterranean coastline is filled with endless smaller gems.
Here are the best little island havens in Italy to escape it Easter.
Capri, for a taste of the high life
There is a reason why the world is rich and famous flock to Capri. This is also the reason why the small island off the coast of Sorrento was favored by the Roman emperors.
From its steep cliffs rising from the impossibly blue sea to its elegant houses draped in bougainvillea, perfectly manicured gardens and exclusive restaurants, this Bay of Naples idyll offers a taste of high life.
Traveling to a budget? You can visit Capri on a day trip from Naples within an hour by ferry.
Ischia, for sanctuary from Naples
When the hardness and toughness of Naples prove too much, the island of Ischia offers a sanctuary.
The largest of the islands of the Gulf of Naples, the volcano The outcrop is a microcosm of what Italy does best: soft beaches, healthy food and laid-back attitudes.
There is a lot of ground to cover but make sure you take the time to visit Ischia’s thermal spas for some much needed rest and relaxation.
Procida, for pastel perfection
In its pastel-painted and sun-drenched houses, narrow streetsit’s surprising that Procida is still one of the Bay of Naples’ best-kept secrets.
Usually swarming with the visitors in August, the rest of the year, the small island is reclaimed by the locals.
While beaches are lacking, there are plenty of bars and restaurants, particularly around the main port of Marina Grande.
Aeolian islands, for volcanic activity
This archipelago of rocky islets off the northern coast of Sicily is still bubbling with volcanic activity.
The aptly named Vulcano is home to an active volcano and is worth a day trip to bask in its heat mud bath.
Lipari, home to most of the islands’ residents, is a showpiece of treasures from ancient times, from the archaeological museum to the 16th-century Lipari Cathedral.
Stromboli, itself home to a volcano, is also home to designers Dolce & Gabbana vacation home.
Egadi islands, for unplugging from the world
One more island chain off the coast of Sicily, the Egadi, or Aegadian, Islands are a cluster of three small volcanic islands. The trio remains one of Sicily’s best kept secrets to all but the Italian recoveries.
These islands wrote the book on slow life; there is little to do but rest and unplug from the world as you gorge yourself on plates of local pasta, glug carafes of red wine and spread out in your own sandy cove.
Pelagie islands, for an ocean escape
From Greek for ‘of the sea’, the Pelagie islands – located between Tunisia and Malta – drift away from the rest of Italy.
They can be accessed by boat or plane via Lampedusa Airport but, due to their distance from Sicily and the mainland, they continue to disappear from the radar of most visitors to Italy.
That said, they boast some of the best beaches in the country. Lampedusa’s Isola dei Conigli, or Rabbit Island, has been voted one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The islands are also home to the endangered loggerhead turtle.
Tremiti islands, for going back in time
Used as a penal colony for millennia, Puglia’s Tremiti archipelago is now an off-grid haven complete with secluded coves, clear waters and sleepy country lanes.
Take a boat from Termoli in eastern Italy and you’ll reach the larger of the five chains. islands, San Domino. Visiting the laidback island or its neighbor San Nicola (where most of the population lives) is like stepping back in time.
Elba, for the other side of Tuscany
Lying between Corsica and the mainland, Elba is famously where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his first exile. It is also the third largest of the Italian islands after Sardinia and Sicily.
Despite being in the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is unusual Tuscan running away This little offshore idyll has snorkelling, beautiful beaches and thermal baths that tempt you away from all the rolling hills and cypress tree alleys of the region.
