Prosecco and Promises

Travel Guide

Ischia

When one of the characters asks what she should see on the island, the responses come thick and fast:

There’s the harbour and the restaurants but apparently those aren’t a good idea as if Mama catches you eating anywhere else but at her house, there’ll be trouble. There is however, the shopping the spa and maybe the archaeological sites…well the island does hold a lot of history for Mia and she visits the Archaeological Museum

Ischia does indeed have an interesting history in its own right and the novel blends this in seamlessly with the story:

“Ischia has a rich history, and I enjoyed losing myself in it for a few hours. I traced how the island changed hands over the years, the different theories about its name, the myths associated with it…Ischia’s tory was that of a dangerous fire demon who fought Zeus, king of the gods, and he was imprisoned beneath the island explaining the occasional earthquake or rumbles from the mountains as he fights against his dark cell”

Hector’s Cup we are told was found on the island which dated back to the greek and was one of he first instances of pottery on the island.

Travelling on the island

The winding streets are quiet and the taxi driver makes his way aggressively through them. “Everyone on the island seemed to drive like it was their back yard”

Naples

“Naples was a world away from Ishcia. The streets hummed, and people walked aggressively down the uneven. cobbled pavements. Bright colourful tourist with baseballcaps and loud voices followed tour guides holding umbrellas or bottles of water or flags – anything, something – to follow. The Italians were loud too, chattering and arguing, maybe teasing. Sometimes it was hard to tell the difference. Everything was said with passion”

Wait until you see when they get to the underground caves and start to explore there! “Babies had been born in the catacombs during the war when it was used as a hospital…”