Cartaromana Beach (Spiaggia di Cartaromana)

After getting lost in the many side streets that branch off from Via Cartaromana, we used the help of the locals to find our way back to the beach.

The place we're in is called "Belvedere Cartaromana," and it offers a stunning view of the Aragonese Castle against the backdrop of the Vivara Island, with the top of Michelangelo's tower visible on the right.

From the belvedere, a branch of Via Cartaromana led down to the beach, but as it turned out, it was hardly a street. It was a stone staircase, sandwiched between two slopes covered in lush greenery.

The beach itself was a narrow strip of sand, with a high cliff overlooking it.

There are signs on the rocky cliff warning of the danger of rockfalls.

The steep cliff wall is very picturesque and resembles a layered pie.

This structure was formed as a result of numerous eruptions, when lava flows flowed into the sea and layered on top of each other. Over time, the soft tuff was eroded by the sea, resulting in these unique shapes. These eroded layers indicate that the sea level has significantly decreased over the past 30,000 to 40,000 years since the island was formed.

They say that during the season, there's no room for a ball, which is easy to believe, as it's practically the only place on the eastern coast accessible to "savages," as all other beaches are located within hotel grounds. Currently, it's early April, and the beach is naturally empty. Cartaromana Beach is particularly popular among divers, as it often hosts archaeological sites. During the summer, you can reach this beach by boat from Porote di Ischia or Ischia Ponte. There are also buses from Ischia-Porto, routes C12 and C13. In fact, you can walk from the center in about forty minutes, if you know the way.