Procida really does empty out in winter. Between November and March a wide slice of the restaurants and hotels pull the shutters down or open at weekends, and anyone arriving in January finds a beautiful island half closed. The Tirreno Residence is the only address in this selection that states a year-round opening, and that is the main reason it deserves a page.
It stands at via del Faro 34, at the Chiaiolella, in a green and quiet area, eighty metres from the sea. It is not a hotel but a residence: studios and one-bedroom flats with a kitchenette, a minibar and a TV. From 50 EUR a night, the lowest figure among the properties we have verified on the island.
The kitchenette changes the sums
The difference between a residence and a hotel, at Procida, is not the level: it is the budget. With a kitchenette you make breakfast yourself, and at least one meal a day stops being an item of expenditure. Over a week’s stay for two, at the prices of the island’s fish restaurants, that is hundreds of euros.
There is also an advantage that concerns families: with small children, being able to prepare something in the room at your own hours is worth more than half a star extra. And there is the advantage for anyone staying a long time: the studios and one-bedroom flats are designed for stays, not for one night.
That said, do not expect hotel services. We have no verified information on breakfast included, cleaning or check-in and check-out times for this property: they are all things to ask about on the phone before booking, and on a residence they are sensible questions.
The three solariums
The property states three panoramic solariums over the bay of Naples. It is the service that makes up for the absence of a pool: from this side of the island the sun goes down towards Ischia, and the sunset over the bay is watched from above without moving.
On what exactly you see from each terrace we have no verification, so I am not promising you Corricella or Vivara from the sunlounger. Ask when you book, as with everything else on the island.
Eighty metres from the sea
Eighty metres is eighty metres: here you go out in your swimsuit. The Chiaiolella beach has dark volcanic sand, shallow safe water, beach clubs and bars along the front, and above all direct road access — no stairways, unlike the Chiaia, which is paid for with about 180 steps.
A little to the north there is the Ciraccio beach, longer and more solitary. The sources argue about which of the two is the longest on the island: visitprocida says Chiaiolella, other portals say Ciraccio. It is not a question that changes the day. What does change the day is the afternoon mistral on the Ciraccio, which lifts the sand: with a strong wind, better to stay at the Chiaiolella.
From the little harbour the footbridge also starts for the Vivara reserve. You get in only on a guided visit booked online and with walking boots, Monday it is closed, and in October a single slot at 09:30 is left, Friday to Sunday: if Vivara is the reason for the trip, read the page on the guided visit first.
Why it matters off season
The year-round opening is this property’s real argument, and it is worth explaining. At Procida the stated good months are May, June and September; from November to March the island goes back to being what it is for the rest of the year, that is a village of fishermen with a school and two bars open.
Anyone coming in that period finds low prices, beautiful light and no crowds; they also find the Abbey of San Michele closed to visits, because the opening service runs from Holy Week to All Saints, and half the restaurants shut. With a kitchenette, that problem is got round.
There is one exception to mark in the calendar: the Processione dei Misteri on Good Friday, which in 2027 falls on 26 March. It is the day the island fills up out of season, and sleeping on the spot is the only way to be there at 07:30 when the procession sets off. The picture month by month is in when to visit Procida.
How you get here
From the landing at Marina Grande you cross the island on the L2 route, which reaches the Chiaiolella; failing that there is the taxi. Via del Faro is on a road, on the flat: the cases climb no steps, and that is a substantial difference from the high villages and from Corricella.
In summer the movement of non-residents’ vehicles is restricted and the rules change from year to year: before you think about bringing your car on the ferry, read getting around Procida. The island is a little over three kilometres long and almost everything can be done on foot; the sailings and the connections from the mainland are in ferries to Procida.
Who it suits
It suits anyone travelling on little, anyone staying several days, anyone with animals — they are admitted — and anyone coming off season. It also suits anyone who wants a simple seaside holiday, on the flat, with no steps.
It is a poor fit for anyone after hotel service or a postcard view: neither is here, and the price says so. If the budget stretches to a bit more and you want to stay in the area, the Hotel Crescenzo is on the little harbour with family rooms and a pizzeria downstairs. If instead you want the Procida of the photographs, you sleep up on the hill or inside the village: the full comparison is in where to stay at Procida.