Overview
The island of Nisida is part of the Phlegraean archipelago and since 1936 it has been connected to the mainland by a long pier. It is volcanic in origin and forms part of a maar, an ancient crater partially filled with water.
Its seabed preserves remains from Roman times, including an ancient pier, now submerged due to the phenomenon of bradyseism. Its name is Greek, meaning small island, but in the Middle Ages it was also known as Gipeum or Zippium.
In the classical era, Lucio Licinio Lucullo built a villa here that became famous for the sumptuous parties the host held for his guests. In the Middle Ages it also housed the monastery of Sant'Arcangelo de Zippioera, while in the fifteenth century, Joanna II of Anjou, the queen of Naples, converted a villa into a defensive castle and built the coast guard tower.
Under the Bourbons, the island became a game reserve. Since 1934, it has been the site of a juvenile detention centre and is therefore not accessible to tourists, but you can get a splendid view of it from Parco Virgiliano in Posillipo or sail alongside it in a boat.
Nisida, Italia
