Giardini Poseidon Terme

What to expect

Giardini Poseidon is the big one on Ischia. The park covers about 6 hectares of terraced gardens climbing the slope behind Citara Bay, on the west coast south of Forio, and it runs down to a 500 m sandy beach. Pools are scattered across the terraces among Mediterranean planting, with stone paths and steps linking them. Some sit in the open with sea views, others are indoors.

The springs here are volcanic and rise anywhere from 68-185°F20°C to 85°C at the source. The water is cooled and piped into the pools, which the operator sets at fixed temperatures. The idea is to start in the coolest thermal pool and work up, with short stays in the hottest ones. Each pool has a posted maximum time, from 20 minutes in the cool pools to 8 minutes in the hottest.

On top of the thermal pools there is a Kneipp circuit of alternating hot and cold basins, a Japanese-style pebble walk, a natural steam grotto cut into the rock, a sauna, a 33 m seawater pool for swimming and a children’s area. A wellness centre of about 500 m² sells massages, mud treatments and medical consultations. Three restaurants and bistros feed you during the day.

It is a full-day place. Most visitors claim a sunbed, then move between pools, beach and lunch until late afternoon.

The pools

The operator counts 20 pools in all. The ones you will spend most time in:

Pool	Temperature	Notes
Adriano	82°F28°C	Coolest thermal pool, start here; water gym at 10 a.m.
Aphrodite	90°F32°C	Waterfall and adjustable jets
Ischia	93°F34°C	Raised area for limited mobility
Arethusa	97°F36°C	Sea view, waterfall
Ariadne	100°F38°C	Sea view, 8-minute limit
Apollo, Artemis, Ludwig, Efesto (Kneipp)	104°F and 59°F40°C and 15°C	Alternate hot and cold
Japanese pool	104°F and 59°F40°C and 15°C	Pebble floor, hot and cold lanes
Natural steam grotto	113°F45°C air	About 5 minutes per round
Asklepio (indoor)	86°F30°C	Raised area, gentle exercise
Armonia (indoor)	95°F35°C	Waterfall, hydromassage
Olympia	82°F28°C	Seawater, not thermal, 0.6-2 m deep
Tortuga and Medusa	86°F30°C	Heated seawater children’s pools

Every pool is drained each evening, half an hour before closing, and refilled for the next day.

Prices and booking

The 2026 price list, valid for the whole season from April 18 to October 31:

• Full day: €50
• Afternoon: €45 (1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; from October 1, 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
• Evening walk: €8 for the last hour, gardens only, no pools
• Children: free up to 3, half price from 4 to 11
• Multi-day passes (non-consecutive days, named): €45 a day for 3-12 days, €42 for 13-22 days, €40 for 23-30 days, with afternoon versions €5 cheaper
• Wristband deposit: €5, refunded at the exit

Entry includes all pools, the sauna, the beach, showers, changing rooms and free lockers on the wristband. Two people get one umbrella and two sunbeds wherever they find space. A reserved “Exclusive” sunbed costs €55 a day, and VIP terraces for 4 to 12 people cost €145-155 per person. Packages bundle entry with a massage, a mud mask or a €50 lunch voucher, from €75 to €135.

Rentals: a private cabin is €10 a day, a beach towel €5 and a bathrobe €10-15 (the operator’s pages differ), each with a cash deposit. Food, drinks and treatments are extra. You may bring only small snacks and fruit, and nothing may be eaten around the pools.

Pay at the ticket office, which opens 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., or book sunbeds, terraces and treatments online.

Getting there

Ischia is reached by ferry or hydrofoil from Naples or Pozzuoli. Most boats land at Ischia Porto or Casamicciola, on the north side of the island. The park is on the far west coast, at Via Giovanni Mazzella in the Citara area of Forio, roughly 2 km (1.2 miles) south of Forio’s centre as the crow flies.

From the ports, take a taxi or an island bus towards Forio and ask for Citara. Taxis and buses wait at the main ports. If you rent a car or scooter, the park has a large covered car park; spaces are limited in summer, and the fee is waived on weekdays in April, May and October.

Inside the park you walk on paved paths and stone steps between terraces. The operator advises non-slip sandals and warns against heels.

When to go

The park opens only from mid-April to the end of October. In 2026 that is April 18 to October 31. Hours shorten from October 1.

May, June and late September are the sweet spot: warm enough for the beach, cooler air for the hot pools, fewer people. July and August are busy, especially on weekends, and the hottest pools feel like hard work in the midday heat. The Poseidon Beach Club, with its own sunbeds and umbrellas, runs only in high summer (June 13 to September 13 in 2026). October is quieter and often still warm, but closing time moves to 6 p.m.

Arrive at 9 a.m. if you want a good sunbed.

Rules and etiquette

• Swim caps are compulsory in all pools, and you must shower before getting in.
• No children under 12 in the thermal pools. They have their own pools and the beach.
• Swimsuits on. Nudism is not allowed. Topless sunbathing is accepted on the beach only.
• No pets, even small ones.
• No ball games. Smoking only in marked areas.
• Watch the time limits posted at each pool.
• No overnight stays. The park is day use only.
• Pregnancy: the operator advises against thermal baths in the first trimester and against saunas and whirlpools throughout. A medical visit is optional but recommended if you have a chronic condition.

Where to stay nearby

You cannot stay in the park, but hotels and guesthouses line Citara Bay and the hill above it. Forio, a short ride north, has the widest choice, with a harbour and plenty of restaurants. Lacco Ameno and Casamicciola, on the north coast, are closer to the main ferry ports. Many Ischia hotels have their own thermal pools and sell discounted Poseidon tickets, so ask when you book.

Safety notes

• Respect the time limits. The 100°F and 104°F38°C and 40°C pools and the 113°F45°C steam grotto are hot enough to make you dizzy. Get out, cool off and drink water.
• Slippery steps. Wet stone paths and stairs are the main hazard. Wear non-slip sandals.
• Sun. Most of the park is open to the sky. Use the umbrellas in the middle of the day.
• Health: if you have heart or blood pressure problems, ask the park’s medical service before using the hottest pools.

Nearby stops worth adding

The free hot rock pools of Sorgeto Bay are a short drive south, near Panza. On the north coast, Negombo at Lacco Ameno is a smaller thermal park on San Montano Bay, and Castiglione Terme is near Casamicciola. In Sant’Angelo, to the south, are the Cavascura rock baths, and Nitrodi in Barano offers spring-water showers in a garden.