Good evening from Ischia where darkness has descended at the end of the last weekend in August. A sad occasion for many as this for many people signals the end of their summer holiday, particularly the Italian visitors of whom there are always so many at this time of the year. In effect the island will now slow down a bit and the dynamics during September will be somewhat different with fewer people around but it's one of the best times of year to visit for exactly those reasons. It's been hot today and even now at 8:30pm it's still 28° Celcius (82° Fahrenheit) while the outlook for tomorrow and the week in general is very positive indeed, lots of sunshine and similar temperatures to those of today. Today's photo comes from Maronti Beach & I'll be back tomorrow. Ciao :-)

Buona sera everyone, the sun's just packed up and gone for the day and we're left with twilight and the metronomic sound of the crickets as they chatter away. It's been a hot, sunny day but cooling down a bit now after sunset. Right now at 8pm it's 26° Celcius (79° Fahrenheit) and tomorrow will be hot again, hovering around the 30°C (86°F) mark. Things are looking very positive for next week too, even if perhaps slightly cooler by a couple of degrees. As mentioned yesterday tonight's sagra is Buonopane in Festa in Barano. Apart from the food and wine that's on offer there's also the fascinating spectacle of men hitting each other with sticks while wearing funny hats which is always a pleasure and the subject of today's photo. Back with more tomorrow, ciao :-)

Evening everyone, it's been another really hot day here in Ischia on what is due to be another very busy weekend. With August almost over we're expecting a large influx of visitors, hoping to squeeze the most out of the last few days of their holiday or simply to get away in the sunshine for a few days. Right now at 5:45pm it's 29° Celcius (84° Fahrenheit) and due to be even hotter on Saturday and Sunday. The long list of August events continues, tonight in Ischia Ponte there's a religious tribute to San Giovan Giuseppe della Croce the patron saint of Ischia and tomorrow in the village of Buonopane there's one of those food, wine and music-filled sagras to enjoy. For details of both events click on Silvana's Blog page. Today's photo is from Testaccio and I'm back tomorrow. Ciao :-)

It's getting hot again folks! We're just coming up to 7:30pm and it's still 29° Celcius (84° Fahrenheit) and the final weekend of August is shaping up very nicely indeed. There's no sign of anything toward for at least the next seven days and temperatures should stay somewhere around what we've had so far today. Last night saw the procession through the streets of Ischia where the brilliantly organised Festa di Sant'Alessandro displayed a huge cast wearing an incredible variety of beautiful costumes from the different eras of Ischia's history. Whether it was a Roman centurion, a belly-dancer or one of the horses leading the Aragonese army, everything was spot on so well done to all involved. Today's photo comes from Ischia Porto and I'll be back tomorrow, ciao :-)

Ciao ragazzi! It's been another beautiful day in Ischia and a bit hotter than expected too. Right now for example at 6:30pm it's still 28° Celcius (82° Fahrenheit) with tonight's minimum set to be around 23°C (73°F). As alluded to yesterday, today is a special day in the Ischian and the Italian calendar when Sant'Alessandro is celebrated. In Ischia this means La Festa di Sant'Alessandro which is a parade that starts by Castello Aragonese and ends in Ischia Porto by the church that bears the Saint's name. The parade consists of a massive cast of "extras" who dress up in clothing from different eras pertaining to the island's history and really is quite a spectacle so I better get my skates on otherwise I'll miss it!Today's photo comes from Lacco Ameno and I'll be back tomorrow. Ciao :-)

Evening all. We're just a couple of minutes away from sunset here on the west coast of Ischia at the end of what's been a very pleasant day. We've had sunshine pretty much all day and the only thing of any note has been the sea which has been a bit rough. Right now at 7:45pm it's 27° Celcius (81° Fahrenheit) and that'll drop to about 23°C  (73°F) by midnight. Tomorrow looks like it might be a bit cooler with some cloud around mid-morning but sunny apart from that and then from Thursday through to the weekend looks great with temperatures set to rise again. Tomorrow sees one of the most colourful events of the year which is also today's photo, La Festa di Sant'Alessandro which I can highly recommend if you're here. Back with more tomorrow. Ciao :-)

Hello everyone. It's an unexpectedly cloudy, cooler day today and right now at 4pm it's 27° Celcius (81° Fahrenheit) with a fairly stiff breeze making conditions out at sea a little less than perfect. The rest of this week does seem to be a lot better and come Thursday there should be a little boost in temperatures, back up into the 30's by the weekend before cooling down again. Last night Forio saw the fantastic Enzo Avitabile concert where the whole square outside Chiesa del Soccorso was packed as the audience stood in awe watching the group of 15 performers including a set of drummers with eye-catching energy levels and no little skill. Today's photo is about as iconic as you can get with a micro-taxi sitting in front of Castello Aragonese. Back tomorrow. Ciao :-)

Afternoon folks and welcome to another gorgeous day in Ischia. Right now at 2:30pm it's sunny and 29° Celcius (84° Fahrenheit) which will cool down this evening to a minimum of 22°C (72°F). There still doesn't seem to be any sign of anything different for at least the next seven days although there may be a slight drop in temperatures as we get into the beginning of September. Tonight sees a truly great performer on stage as musician Enzo Avitabile and his group bring their energy to the square in front of Chiesa del Soccorso in Forio. The music is based on folk traditions but with Avitabile's own twist of percussion which makes an unforgettable spectacle so don't miss that if you're here! Today's photo comes from close to Maronti Beach and I'll be back tomorrow, ciao :-)

Evening everyone. It's a moment after sunset and a short while before darkness falls on what's been another fine, hot day in Ischia. Right now at 8pm it's 25° Celcius (77° Fahrenheit) and that'll slip by a few notches as we get through the evening with a minimum of 23°C (73°F). Tomorrow and the whole of next week are all looking very settled, hotish with temperatures in the mid to high twenties but still not the really sweltering stuff we had in July. The festival season in Forio continues and tonight will see a group of local chefs preparing traditional Ischian recipes up near Chiesa del Soccorso with tonight's musical feature some kind of revivalist disco (I must confess I don't know what that really means). Today's photo also comes from Forio and I'll be back with more tomorrow. Ciao :-)

Afternoon folks. It's that time of the week when you can turn your attention away from work and towards the weekend although I know some of you will have been doing that since Monday morning! Things are all nice and calm on the weather front here in Ischia, it's been hot again without ever being stifling and right now at 5pm it's 29° Celcius (84° Fahrenheit). We're in for another great evening too with a minimum temperature of 23°C (73°F) and plenty going on around the island as well including the latest Pizza Sagra in Forio which I would urge anybody who's interested in some genuine, modern Italian culture to go and take part in. Today's photo comes from the Ark-shaped Ristorante l'Arca in Serrara Fontana and I'll leave you in peace until tomorrow. Ciao :-)