Skip Burano: Procida, the Most Authentic Colourful Island in the Mediterranean

Procida: the island of colours that needs no Instagram filter

Burano, with its brightly coloured houses lined along the canals, is one of the most photographed destinations in Italy. But the small island of the Venetian lagoon has become an overcrowded stage where thousands of daily visitors compete for the same angles for the perfect shot. Procida, in the Gulf of Naples, offers the same chromatic spectacle but with a profoundly different soul: here the colours were not restored for tourists, but tell centuries of seafaring tradition.

Why Procida beats Burano

The fundamental difference is that Procida is a real island, with a living resident community and an intact social fabric. It is not a tourist appendage of a large city, but a world unto itself.

- Authentic scale: Procida's 10,000 inhabitants live on the island all year round, not merely to serve tourists. The shops sell what residents need, not souvenirs.

- Italian Capital of Culture 2022: the recognition brought cultural investment without altering the island's character, thanks to thoughtful and respectful management.

- The sea: Burano has no beaches. Procida has enchanting coves such as La Chiaia, La Chiaiolella and the beach of Il Postino.

- Reasonable costs: sleeping and eating on Procida costs noticeably less than on Capri or Ischia, its more famous neighbours.

Marina Corricella: the colourful heart

Marina Corricella is the oldest and most photogenic fishing quarter on Procida. The pastel-coloured houses — pink, yellow, sky blue, orange — climb from the harbour up the hillside in a mosaic that looks hand-painted. Il Postino with Massimo Troisi was filmed here, and the atmosphere today is the same as in the film: nets spread out to dry, cats curled up on doorsteps, the smell of tomato sauce drifting from windows.

Unlike Burano, where visitors pass quickly along a prescribed route, in Corricella you can sit at a table in a harbour-side restaurant and spend hours watching the boats, without feeling like part of a tourist conveyor belt.

What to do on Procida

Procida can be explored on foot or by bicycle in a day, but it deserves at least two nights to absorb its rhythm. Start from Marina Grande, the arrival harbour, and climb towards Terra Murata, the fortified village at the top of the island that offers the finest view in the Gulf of Naples. Here you will find the Palazzo d'Avalos, a former Bourbon prison in the process of restoration, and the Abbazia di San Michele Arcangelo.

Then head down towards Chiaiolella, the island's largest beach, overlooking the islet of Vivara, a nature reserve reachable by a walkway. Between swims, explore the alleys of Casale Vascello, a sixteenth-century courtyard-fortress that is one of the most evocative corners of the island.

Where to eat

Procida is a fishing island and its cuisine reflects that identity. At Ristorante La Lampara in Corricella, enjoy pasta with sea urchins or mixed fry with a view over the harbour. Trattoria da Giorgio at Marina Grande is the right place for an aubergine parmigiana prepared the traditional way. For dessert, seek out the lingua di Procida, a puff pastry shell filled with lemon custard cream: it is the island's emblematic sweet and the Bar Dal Cavaliere pastry shop makes it to perfection.

How to get there

Procida is reachable by ferry or hydrofoil from Naples (Molo Beverello or Calata Porta di Massa) in 40–60 minutes, or from Pozzuoli in 30 minutes. Connections are frequent throughout the year. The island is small and pedestrian-friendly: leave the car in Naples.

When to go

April and May are perfect for exploring the island without excessive heat. At Easter the Processione dei Misteri is held, one of the most evocative processions in southern Italy. September and October bring warm seas and a quieter island. In summer it is busier but still far more manageable than Capri or Ischia. Winter has a melancholy charm all its own: few tourists, welcoming locals and spectacular sunsets.