You

You
may or may not have heard of Procida, a tiny island off the
coast of Naples, but you’ll almost certainly have seen pictures of
it. The 17th-century fishing village Marina Corricella appears on
the cover of countless Italy guidebooks, impossibly picturesque
with its candy-coloured houses and narrow streets. It’s also the
backdrop for Anthony Minghella’s 1999 adaptation of The Talented Mr
Ripley, where Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow’s stylish escapades
reignited a love for all things La Dolce Vita.

The vision of Procida Minghella must have seen when he chose the
location for Dickie Greenleaf’s charmed existence has hardly
changed. Dayboats still come in and out, bringing fresh catch to
waterside trattorias, and fishermen still sit on street corners
smoking and drinking coffee.

The rest of the island, though less iconic, bites deeper with
its rich tapestry of lemon groves and crumbling hamlets, giving way
to tastefully designed hotels and gelaterias. Covering just five
square kilometres, Procida is easy to explore by foot in a single
day. That said, the real magic comes after the boatloads of
visitors have returned to the mainland and the sun begins to set
over the Bay of Naples.

Beyond the picture-postcard images of this tiny island lies a
beating cultural heart; one which has earned Procida the title of
Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2022. The victory was announced by
Italian Minister for Culture Dario Franceschini, who paid tribute
to the theme of La Cultura Non Isola – “Culture Doesn’t Isolate.”
The proposal that won Procida the honour, and €1 million from the
Italian government, includes 44 creative projects, 240 local
artists and 8 renovated cultural spaces over the course of the
year. Ahead of the action, we share with you some of the best
places to soak up that balmy southern Italian lifestyle.