Although not very large, the port of Forio plays an important role in the development of the island. Forio, in fact, has many hotels, pensions and b&b, and so the availability of fast connections with Naples increases the appeal of the accommodation facilities and decongests the ports of Ischia Porto and Casamicciola Terme. These aspects are particularly evident during the tourist season and the exclusive village of Sant'Angelo (municipality of Serrara Fontana) also benefits from them.
With its hydrofoils, the Alilauro company makes daily connections with the mainland. It's not possible to board cars and scooters. During the winter months the races are few (on average 3 or 4) but they progressively increase from Easter to October. The biggest increase, of course, is in the months of June, July and August. The hydrofoils that depart from Forio take from 60 to 80 minutes to reach Naples.
The port of Forio offers various services, including ticket offices (in summer also those dealing with sea excursions: Capri, Sorrento, etc.), bars, newsagents, restaurants and car and scooter rental. Bus stops (towards Ischia and Sant'Angelo) and the taxi rank are also in the area.
Last but not least, the Bourbon Pier, so called because it was built at the time of the Bourbons. Recently renovated, this pier is the space reserved for the local fishing fleet and small fishing boats. Very suggestive.
Small historical note. Until the 1950s, the port of Forio was one of the hubs of the island of Ischia for the marketing of wine with the mainland. The barrels were loaded onto the boats which then continued on to Naples.
The port of Forio can be reached by bus, taxi and by car and scooter (useful info for those who are already on the island).
Bus: from the station in Piazza Trieste and Trento in Ischia Porto several buses leave for Forio. The most frequent lines are: Left Circular (CS), Line 1 and Line 2. The Right Circular (CD) also reaches the port of Forio with a single difference compared to the lines mentioned above: instead of reaching the port of Forio through Casamicciola Terme and Lacco Ameno, the CD line arrives in Forio, first crossing Barano d'Ischia and Serrara Fontana. The municipality of Forio also has some internal lines that connect the different hamlets of the country (by extension Forio is the largest municipality on the island of Ischia). Tickets can be purchased at newsagents, bars and tobacconists. Tickets can almost always be purchased on board. Ask the driver before getting on.
Taxi: the distribution of taxis on the island of Ischia is widespread: from the parking areas near the ports to those in front of the hotels, tourists can rely on a valid public service. Each municipality on the island of Ischia has its own taxi tariff, so transit from one municipality to another is intended as an extra-urban route.
Car: the port of Forio can also be reached by car and scooter. For parking it is necessary to know the ZTL (Limited Traffic Zones) timetables and the rates for parking on the blue lines (if free parking area - "white lines" - is not available).
The Alilauro company has two ticket offices in Forio: one in via Cristoforo Colombo, at the corner with via Filippo di Lustro (the road that leads to the historic center of the town). Another, at the beginning of the pier leading to the hydrofoil terminal.
In addition, on Corso Francesco Regine, about 200 meters from the Alilauro ticket office, there's the Medmar ticket office, for those wishing to travel by ferry to Naples or Pozzuoli (departing, however, from Ischia Porto or Casamicciola Terme).
Various catering activities are located along Via Cristoforo Colombo, the road that runs alongside the port of Forio. There is also a bakery, a fruit and vegetable shop, bar and scooter rental nearby.
Those arriving by hydrofoil in Forio can immediately start their visit . In fact, via Cristoforo Colombo, the road that runs alongside the port, has undergone an intense development in recent years: bars, pubs, pizzerias and restaurants attract many visitors, to the point of representing a more than valid alternative to the nightlife of Ischia Porto.
Not only via Cristoforo Colombo. The neighboring streets (Via Cesare Calise, Via Filippo Di Lustro, Piazza Medaglie d'Oro, Corso Francesco Regine and Via Matteo Verde) also offer various ideas: in addition to bars, pizzerias and catering activities, there are boutiques, clothing stores, pottery and souvenirs.
Special mention for churches: at the end of via Cesare Calise, at the corner with Piazza Medaglie d'Oro, there is the Church of San Gaetano , famous for its dome, an essential element of the skyline of Forio. A little more than a hundred meters away, however, there is the Basilica of Santa Maria di Loreto, with an adjoining museum set up by the archconfraternity of the same name.
Last, but only for display reasons, the Civic Museum of the Torrione and the Chiesa del Soccorso. Both monuments, whose popularity goes beyond local borders, are easily accessible from the Bourbon Wharf. In fact, one of the characteristics of the fishermen's pier of Forio is the presence of a series of side streets that lead to different points of the historic center. These alleys, in addition to being once inhabited by fishermen (the road leading to the Soccorso is called, precisely, Rione dei Pescatori), also provided shelter for goiters with whom you went by sea.