Ischia -- an Italian island for those seeking the road less travelled.

Ischia isn't exactly off the beaten path, but it's much less popular than its glamorous neighbor, Capri. But no less beautiful.

Reached by a 45-minute hydrofoil ride from Naples, Ischia is only 18 square miles. There are several up-market resorts on the northern end of the island, near the town of Lacco Ameno.

We stayed at Mezzatorre, with a package we purchased through Luxury Link. The views, public areas, and facilities are all wonderful. But this property isn't for everyone. First of all, the location is kind a remote. There's a free shuttle to Lacco Ameno, but you'll have been there and don't that in about 15 minutes. And it's a steep walk from the restaurant to some of the rooms.

The remoteness didn't bother us. In fact, we enjoyed being away from it all. The pool is great. And if you get too warm, you can cool off with a dip in the Mediterranean. The breakfast buffet is wonderful -- think house-made Italian salumi -- and the view of Vesuvius across the Bay of Naples is breathtaking.

The main town of the eastern side of the island is Ischia Porto, which is well worth exploring. We walked all the way there from Mezzatorre, which was a real hike. But we saw almost all of the eastern coast, including local businesses the tourists never see.

In Ischia Porto, there's an offshore Aragonese castle dating from 474 B.C., a popular swimming beach, and lots of restaurants with ocean views. For a sneak peak, you can rent The Talented Mr. Ripley, much of which was filmed here.

We had a lovely lunch right on the water at Ristorante Alberto. As the only diners, we were treated like dear friends who'd been absent too long, and served impeccably fresh sea bass, pasta, and great local wine.

Forio is the hot spot on the north end of the island. It's about a ten-minute cab ride from Mezzatorre, and we found it charming. The main drag has a lively passeggiata in the evening, and there are lots of shops selling specialties of the region -- lemons, San Marzano tomatoes, honey, herbs, jams, pasta, oils, candles, and soaps. Two of the best shops are Serpico d'Ischia on Piazza Matteotti and Nu' Poco e' Ischia.

We had an absolutely stellar dinner at Umberto a Mare, also in Forio. When we were unsure what to order, the waiter suggested that we trust the chef to prepare four or five courses for us, based on the best available ingredients. We did, and each course was better than the last. All seafood, all fresh, all brilliantly prepared. The views are tough to beat too.

Since volcanic, thermal waters put Ischia on the map, no visit is complete without some spa action. Most of the better hotels have facilities so arranging treatments is a snap.

Ischia is a great choice for those who want an uncrowded, low-key Mediterranean getaway.

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