Ischia's volcanic geology feeds 103 hot springs across the island, making thermal bathing the defining experience. From the vast Giardini Poseidon with 22 pools on Citara beach to the atmospheric Negombo at San Montano bay and natural free pools at Sorgeto, the choice is unmatched in the Mediterranean. Sant'Angelo's car-free village with its sandy isthmus, candle-lit restaurants and nearby Sorgeto hot springs at night make it one of the most romantic spots in southern Italy. The evening passeggiata along Ischia Ponte with the illuminated Castello Aragonese reflected in the water is unforgettable. Beyond the spas, Ischia offers the hike up Monte Epomeo (789 m) through chestnut forests and vineyards, the botanical wonder of La Mortella gardens created by William Walton, and the Epomeo DOC wines produced on volcanic terraced slopes. An island for the senses, not just sunbathers. The Castello Aragonese is one of the Mediterranean's most dramatic medieval fortresses. Lacco Ameno's Museo di Pithecusae holds the famous Nestor's Cup, one of the oldest Greek inscriptions ever found, from an 8th-century BC Greek colony on the island. Classical concerts at La Mortella add a cultural dimension.