From up there, the island looks like a small world in miniature. It is glimpsed in full, and the gaze goes beyond. To the Pontine Islands on one side, to Vesuvius on the other, to the blue sea that blurs into the horizon. After all, “Epopon” (or “Epopos,” depending on interpretation) would mean “I aim,” “I look.”
Nomen omen, the climb up Epomeo is one of the most extraordinary experiences for those who want to fully grasp the identity of Ischia. A non-prohibitive trekking route embellished with an anthology of the island’s botany, geology and rock culture.
The Epomeo Museum, which enriches the visit to Mt.
Today it is even more valuable because the hermitage complex, just a few meters from the top of the mountain, houses the Epomeo Museum, carved entirely out of the green tufa: inside have been
reconstructed, with extreme care, the ancient spaces dedicated to the spiritual retreat of the hermits and, for a brief period during the 1500s, of the Poor Clare nuns, while a permanent photographic exhibition traces the popular culture and tradition of the last century of the small hamlet of Fontana, and the pretty little church attached recounts the island’s ancient devotion to St. Nicholas.
Bagged bean, a bridge between the past and the future
Above all, Epomeo is a crossroads of stories, many of them exciting, some accompanied by an aura of mystery and fascination: here, according to legend, there is a door leading to the Hollow Earth and the Kingdom of Agarthi.
On the other hand, there is no doubt that the ascent to Mt.-which exalted German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is a regular of the climb, and which remains one of the most extraordinary experiences narrated by the writer Erri De Luca (“Only up there did I learn that I was a resident on earth,” he recounted) – both a real “must” for travelers and tourists on the island of Ischia.
Backpack and legs on your shoulders, you walk along an ancient cattle track carved into the rock, which then becomes a mule track, passing through a lush chestnut grove: in summer the coolness is assured, in autumn the foliage ensures an extraordinary spectacle, on fine winter days the walk reconciles you to life, and in spring it is an idyllic explosion of scents and colors.
In short, going up is a must. Some did it out of a spirit of adventure, like the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen: at one point, after a few too many drinks, the ground seemed to shake under his feet.
The intoxication of country white wine? Macché, it was a very slight earthquake. Because under Epomeo is the giant Typhoeus, legend says. More prosaically, the mount gradually lowers.
And there are those who have gone up to isolate themselves from the world, in the ante-smartphone area of course: this is the case, for example, of the Poor Clare nuns, who moved there in the 1500s and did not have to resist for long, eventually opting for the Aragonese Castle.
And this is especially the case with an iconic character, Joseph of Argouth , who in the 1700s commanded the military garrison stationed on the island and who, following a vow to St. Nicholas, became a hermit friar, along with 12 companions. After all, whether out of a religious vocation or a need for detox (even digital, why not?), Epomeo is the best of all possible solutions.
Mount Epomeo hike: instructions for use
The hike to the summit of Epomeo is challenging, but not prohibitive. It is necessary to
Be well equipped, with layered clothing and sports shoes, equipped with a water bottle. The route from the small square in Fontana rather easy (total duration 4 hours), but it is also possible to approach by private car a few hundred meters. There are two restaurants along the route-one of which is right next to the summit-and a refreshment stand: realities that transfer the identity soul of the place to patrons, focusing heavily on earthy cuisine. And if the route to Epomeo fascinates you, don’t stop: there are must-see itineraries, such as the one that starts from the village of Campagnano and
crosses Piano Liguori by lapping the Sgarrupata, a journey suspended between sky and sea in the municipality of Ischia. Unmissable.
