Weddings in Procida, Italy

Off the coast of Naples lie the Flegree islands, and among them is Procida. Less than 4 kilometers long, its population about 10,000, Procida has been a vacation spot since ancient times, where the rich citizens of Rome used to spend their holidays.

On the approach to Procida from Naples by ship, the first visible landmark is the ancient home of the Avalos family, former Spanish rulers of the island. The Avalos Palace appears a solitary structure, but behind it spreads out the Terra Murata, the Walled Lands. The Terra Murata was the only inhabited portion of the island in days past, when the Middle Ages islanders built their houses next to each other to form a defensible town. Travelers can walk the streets of the Walled Lands, seeing such historical interests as the gate of Mezz'Omo ("half man"), the Piazza d'Armi (Army Square) and the De Iorio Palace, once used as a woman's orphanage from before the 17th century.

Many examples of Procida architecture were demolished in the Fifties due to landslides, but one prime example remains to be seen; the House of Belvedere with it's irregular arches and external stairway. Also remaining is the Benedictine Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo (Saint Michael the Archangel), which was founded in 1206, converting an ancient religious structure that had stood since the 5th century. It is commonly believed this site has religious significance stretching back even further, and that here once was a temple to Neptune the Agriculturist. In the Romanesque structure of the Abbey is an oil painting depicting San Michele rousting the devil, and the initials that adorn it suggest it to be the work of the famous Neapolitan painter Luca Giordano.

During the Spanish reign of the 16th century the Procida islanders began to move out of Terra Murata, carving caves in the cliff face to shelter boats, and then building homes nearby in the area that come to be known as Corricella. The village is surrounded on most sides by a sheltering cliff, and a long sheltering ridge of rocks blocks the south-eastern wind, protecting the area so well that even the dead of winter is mild in Corricella.

The prominent dome of a church, Our Lady of Grace, stands out as an identifying landmark in the village and is visible from nearly everywhere within Corricella. From the church's square, known as Piazza Dei Martiri, the road descends to the marina, known as Via San Rocco, named after a small church built as a gesture of thanksgiving when the town was spared from the bubonic plague.

Another feature immediately noticeable by visitors to this Procida village is the way each house leans against the neighboring house, blending the lines and making the entire town seem to be one sprawling structure. Individual homes can be picked out, however, thanks to the distinct and varied colors used to paint the delicate volcanic rock, called tufa, they are constructed from. The many colored buildings of Corricella provide a contrast to the towns of neighboring Italian islands like Capri, which are often filled with whitewashed, uniform structures.

You can also visit the small cove Chiaia, which in the Neapolitan dialect means "beach." Overlooked by cliffs that contain gardens and the terraces of inland villas, Chiaia holds two sand beaches, neatly divided by a group of rocks. The smaller beach, closer to Corricella, can be reached by a path carved in the volcanic tufa, and from which can be enjoyed a view of Terra Murata. The larger beach has only one street leading to it, the Via dei Bagni, which means "Baths Street," and indeed, both beaches of Chiaia are for bathing only.

From Procida there are sailing tours available that will take you to many other exotic islands, such as nearby Ischia, Capri and Ventotene, and Santo Stefano with many shipwrecks to explore.

The main tourist center of Procidia is the seafaring village of Chiaiolella, whose name suggests a delicate beach, and whose restaurants, bars, bathing spots and beaches provide a lot of the activity available on Procidia. The old center of the village is topped by the Church of San Giuseppe, or Saint Joseph. Inside and over the main altar hangs a wooden statue of San Giuseppe from the 17th century. Nearby, outside the cove that shelters Chiaiolella, is the Cristoforo Colombo (Christopher Columbus) promenade, which provides services to tourists and vacationers who often meet here, next to the sandy beach. There are many choices for the receptions for weddings in Procida, as well as activities for the duration of their guests stay.