Christmas and New Year
Christmas on the island of Ischia with food festivals, nativity scenes and outdoor festivities
There is plenty going on during the Christmas celebrations on Ischia: food festivals, outdoor festivities and nativity scenes. Nativity scenes are set up in various points around the island: there are several in Ischia Ponte and Forio, created by different groups. Each year, the Amici del Presepe association, Island of Ischia Section, publishes a brochure with the full itinerary that generally begins on 8 December and ends on 6 January.
Christmas is a festival of flavours and Ischia has plenty of mouthwatering delicacies to offer at its food and wine events: lots of outdoor food festivals take place all year round. One of the classics is the brunch on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve: on 24 December and 31 December, restaurants and taverns on the Riva Destra in Ischia serve lunchtime buffets with traditional specialities and plenty of good music. Meanwhile, in Ischia Ponte, Barano, Buonopane, and the squares in Forio and Casamicciola, fried salt cod accompanied by roasted chestnuts and plenty of wine is served at midday.
On New Year’s Eve, people countdown to midnight in the main square in Ischia, Forio and Casamicciola. There is dancing until dawn on the longest night of the year. Obviously those wanting to spend the evening in a nightclub are spoilt for choice. There are plenty of nightclubs on the island, as well as disco pubs that organise live music performances.
