Forio has the best beaches on Ischia, and that means some of the best beaches in the Bay of Naples. Citara is the long sandy stretch that most visitors head for, backed by the Poseidon thermal gardens and with the Punta Imperatore promontory at its southern end. It gets busy in August, but outside peak season it is an excellent beach with clear water and the right angle for afternoon sun.
Beyond Citara, the beaches around Forio reward those willing to walk or take a water taxi. Cava dell'Isola, north of town, is smaller and calmer, with the dark volcanic sand typical of the island's west coast. Spiaggia di Chiaia, cut off from the road by cliffs, has a different atmosphere entirely — reached by a path hacked into the rock, it stays quiet even in summer.