Senza soluzioni di continuità, concludiamo, con questo numero di dicembre-gennaio, un intenso anno di lavoro dedicato alla promozione della nostra straordinaria isola d’Ischia.

Abbiamo dato alle stampe, dal mese di aprile ad oggi, undici numeri di IschiaNews&Eventi, il nostro magazine in italiano ed inglese, per una tiratura totale di oltre 150.000 copie.

Un successo editoriale unico nel panorama della stampa turistica italiana ed estera, grazie soprattutto alla grande qualità dei contenuti, delle fotografie, della grafica e della stampa che ci hanno consentito di diventare un punto di riferimento e di conoscenza dell’isola, anche grazie all’omonimo giornale telematico con il quale seguiamo da vicino la vita ischitana.

Dopo il numero di ottobre dedicato al termalismo, a novembre abbiamo dato alle stampe un numero speciale dedicato a Vinischia e siamo stati, con grande orgoglio, i promotori del ritorno sull’isola della nazionale azzurra di spada, allenata dall’olimpionico napoletano Sandro Cuomo che, per il secondo anno consecutivo ha scelto Ischia come primo step di preparazione per le Olimpiadi di Londra 2012.

It is an old story, that one of the wine on the Ischia Island! It is a story of identity of an area that has its roots in the Mediterranean Sea, with the Greek colonists from Euboea, in the tenth century BC. They landed at the San Montano Bay to found their city, bringing with them the plant of the vine that, in the rich volcanic soil of Ischia, rooted beautifully. No one knows for sure if Ischia was the first Greek colony of the West, but without doubt the most northern. From the very beginning, Pliny tells us that because of the industry of clay pottery derives the oldest name of the island: Pithecusa, the vases island. And not by chance that a vase, a small skiphos, as archaeologists call it, the most important archaeological find of the necropolis of Pithecusa that dates back to the eighth century BC, was discovered in Lacco Ameno by the archaeologist Georgio Buchner. This is the so-called Cup of Nestor, engraved with the oldest written text found in the West:

"Of Nestor ... the good cup to drink from, but whoever drinks from this cup, will quickly be taken by the desire to love the beautiful crowned Aphrodite".

Another summer is over between lights and shadows! And now it continues with the autumn at the spa, wondering how to revive tourism on the island in search of that quality of life that vacationers, still numerous, would like to find. Meanwhile, in this season many people arrive to Ischia to immerse themselves in these waters for restoring strength and vigor of body.

Suggestive is the tale of the myth that gives origin to the numerous healing thermal waters of Ischia.

The mythology tells about a conspiracy against Zeus, ideated by Gaea, who triggered against the Titans, the giant monsters, born from the blood of Uranus, who had enormous snakes for legs. From Campi Flegrei, where they lived, began their ascent to Olympus, hurling rocks and burning trees. The monsters would have won the battle if Zeus had not called for help a mortal, Hercules, semi-divine hero who, with cunning, defeated them, chaining each under a volcano from which they continue to erupt their anger: Enceladus under Etna and Typhon, the most terrible monster, under Ischia.

In 1864, exactly on June 19th , Giuseppe Garibaldi from Caprera, abroad a British ship, Duke of Sutherland- owned, who was his great friend and admirer, reached Ischia, docking at Casamicciola, and on a mule, he went to Piazza Bagni. He established his residence in Villa Manzi, near the famous Gurgitello's source to heal his injury sustained at Aspomonte.

On the island, the General alternated his cures at the Stufe di San Lorenzo in Lacco Ameno and Terme Manzi in Casamicciola Terme, where he stayed until June 23rd before moving to Sentinella, at the Grand Hotel Bellevue - Villa Zavota . Garibaldi remained until July 19th and held several political meetings with his supporters that reached Ischia, focalizing about future actions for the liberation of Rome and Venice in order to realize, finally, the dream of the Unification of Italy.