Customers are transported to the port where they will meet their guide. The guide arranges ferry tickets and informs guests of meeting point prior to boarding. The boat journey takes approximately 1 hour. On arrival customers will start a part of the island tour as far as Mortella Gardens, with a guided tour on route. The route takes in some of the oldest villages on the island. Through beautiful scenery with fabulous views we reach Forio where customers have free time to enjoy the fabulous Mortella Gardens.

One of England’s most important contemporary composers, Sir William Walton, spent much of his life in Italy. He particularly loved the area around the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast where he found inspiration for much of his early music. In 1949, he and his wife Lady Susana purchased property on the hill of Zaro, in an attractive corner of the island of Ischia, where they could get away from London city life and where William could start work on his lyric opera “Troilus and Cressida”. Naming the site “La Mortella”, after the wild myrtles found growing there, they built a house carved into the native volcanic rock.

The garden, started in 1956, was created on the site of a gigantic stone quarry, and designed by English landscape designer Russell Page, containing many beautiful and innovative concepts. Extending over an area of 16,000 square meters, this beautifully landscaped garden with pools and fountains has thousands of unusual, rare specimens of Mediterranean climate plants from around the world. Sir William Walton died in 1983, Lady Susana still lives at La Mortella. There is the option at La Mortella for customers to buy snacks and drinks for lunch. These snacks are very limited and offer very few choices.

Following the visit to the gardens, the guide will meet up with the customers at a designated time and place and the “coach tour” of Ischia continues taking in another part of the island before eventually arriving at Ischia Porto in time for the boat back to Sorrento.

This tour is provided on a reserved basis prior to departure. Passengers must contact the local sightseeing company upon arrival to reconfirm their tour.

Duration:
Approximately 10 hours

Meeting point:
Outside the restaurant Antonino Esposito in Piazza Marinai d’Italia 2 (Sorrento pier)

Ending point:
initial meeting location

Departures:
From 8:30am Thursdays only

Not Included:
meals, gratuities