Sorgeto: Where the Sea Is Warm and Bubbles Rise Among the Rocks of Ischia

Ischia is famous for its paid thermal parks, but few people know that on the island there is a beach — if you can call it that — where thermal waters spring directly into the sea, naturally heating the seabed and creating visible bubbles among the rocks. The bay of Sorgeto, on the island's southern side, is reached by descending about two hundred steps on foot or by water taxi from Sant'Angelo: a small rocky cove where the sea is warm year-round thanks to underwater springs.

The Bay's Microclimate

In certain spots of Sorgeto bay, the water temperature can exceed 50 degrees Celsius near the spring vents, dropping to bathable levels of 35-40 degrees where it mixes with the open sea. Bubbles rise visibly from the seabed, stirring small whirlpools of warm sand. In winter this feature becomes spectacular: the water steams in the cold air, and you immerse yourself in a sea that looks wintry on the surface but is tepid below. Access is free and open, with no ticket booths or fences.

Getting There: Two Hundred Steps or a Water Taxi

From Panza, a hamlet in the municipality of Forio, a stairway of about two hundred steps descends to the bay. The descent takes about ten minutes, the climb a bit more. Alternatively, a water taxi from Sant'Angelo (a few euros each way) takes you directly to the bay in minutes. There are no facilities in the bay: no bar, no umbrella rentals. Bring water, food, and essential reef shoes for the uneven seabed, plus a towel.

Sorgeto as an Alternative to Paid Spas

Ischia's thermal parks cost on average between twenty and forty euros per person. Sorgeto bay is free. The experience is different — wilder, less comfortable, without loungers or showers — but arguably more authentic. The locals of Panza and Forio have been coming here for generations. The bay is quieter off-season: in July and August the stairway gets crowded, but in the shoulder months it remains one of the most singular places you can find on Italian coasts.