India, June 24 -- There's something magical about Ischia, a volcanic island in the Bay of Naples. Perhaps it's the naturally occurring thermal hot springs that have been luring travelers since the days of the ancient Greeks. Or maybe it's the laid-back attitude, which contrasts with the vibe on its more glamorous (and more crowded) sibling island, Capri. Ischia still feels a bit retro, in a good way. Being there now, it's not hard to imagine what the island was like during the 1960s, when the protagonists of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels vacationed there.

I'll admit that I didn't fall in love with Ischia on my first trip 15 years ago, but on return trips, I fell under its spell as I visited its botanic gardens blooming with exotic p...