Giardini Eden, a dream place
125 steps to reach the Eden and all down (40 727 Latitude, longitude 13,960 for those who want to skip them and get both feet from the sea). Difficult to count because the attention would be captured by the view. There is sometimes the sea, Torre Guevara to the left, terraces, swimming pools, Sant’Anna rocks, Capri winking farther, with the Sorrento Coast and Vesuvius, while imposing the Castle framed from every perspective from the remains of the Roman walls that lie in that bastion of history has marked this side of the island.
Wherever you turn your gaze, beauty surprises you.
At Giardino Eden luxury is kept by simplicity made of an environment that invites you to wear fancy dress and flip flops for the pool and bask in one of the tables that overlook the sea. 7 and 7a are the most coveted, let this be known if you do not want to give up the best, along with the Rock which is transformed from a platform of sun a day, to an intimate location at dusk. If the VIPs can boast private islands to spend the holidays, you could give to your partner and a true gourmand dinner at this place in the middle of the sea, for snubbing once the eighty seats of the "mainland".
The lazy will probably grant the pleasure to get to Eden by a boat or from Mandra from Ischia Ponte feeling of conquering a slice of heaven, spoiled by the Directorate that offer this service with the dusk covered. Others will leave this shore with difficulty, staying in one of its rooms. There is in fact a spacious apartment, four Standard bedrooms, two Comfort and Superior rooms with a view or balcony. 7 will be the number on which to focus this time, we say to new customers, while you know who book the same solution for years, so much so that among the regular guests of creating neighborly relations.
If attention is not towards the sea, the fleeting glance meets the blue and white striped cushions and furnishings arranged in an ordered chaos of memories and tradition, with ladders, fenders, barrels, lamps and a boat that has become a natural aquarium accepting shellfish of all kinds.
The restaurant’s menu gives attention to the catch in a refined way respecting the flavors, but this year also features the rabbit on reservation, with the option of course to please vegetarians and coeliacs.
Umberto Regine takes care wisely of the gastronomy thanks to the historical experience in the noble family restaurant “Umberto a Mare” in Forio, while three years ago advising the kitchen of the restaurant “Al Monastero” on the Aragonese Castle. In fact, the menu that alternate at lunch and dinner here, offering food of friendship that can choose to have in common with these realities.
The day at Giardino Eden is punctuated by the sweet idleness, but time flies even for those who work.
If you’re an early riser you may encounter Ugo wear a linen shirt as colorful as his humor and strong personality who knows how to remember. It’s always him after the bath, to receive friends at the pool under the palm trees that he planted more than forty years ago with his wife Hildegard, intent on sipping his “champagne”, water and lemon juice.
Ugo Germani imagined Eden when he was still a wasteland. He noticed the ad “For Sale”. It was the year 1968. «One evening there was a monk sitting. “Simo good evening - he tells us. You are looking at the Paradise?” I asked him. “If Heaven exists has this appearance”, he replied. He had already decided. If I could make it so I would have it called so».
This property belonged in fact to nine brothers emigrated to America, and three remained in Ischia. It seemed an impossible challenge, but Ugo remembered the close acquaintance with the American Ambassador and his wife, to whom he had taught water skiing, when he worked with many of the clients of Regina Isabella for excursions by sea. He went to Rome and presented him with a basket of Ischian fish. Excited at the memory, the Ambassador was able to find all the brethren.
It is nice to know that the world has gone from Giardino Eden, and Ugo was happy to learn about the world through these people. There are Onassis and Jackie who have reached Ischia to the death of Rizzoli to visit his property. If he had been more careful Ugo would still retain the note written by the lady to thank him for the hospitality and a bunch of flowers received, but he is so, a real Neapolitan. The charming wife, Hildegard, of German origin, to take over the organization and administration of this great little company, as he has always been devoted to the reception, so that customers have asked of him, even when management is related to third-party.
«I never gave weight to these characters, were to come into our lives and want to be with us. Indelible the knowledge of Picasso. If I think I threw all the sketches that he worked when went by boat because they were moved... well I’d be a millionaire! Once I even invited Laurance Olivier in the countryside to eat the rabbit. “If you like good, if you do not like is good too” I said. He decided to postpone the meeting with the press of two weeks».
Even the daughters of Ugo and Hildegard, Sandra and Nadia, remember the "sweet life" that sparked the evenings at Eden, keep the photos with Jack Lemmon and Billy Wild, indelible memories of the period of Maradona, the Agnelli family, and more recently the Princess of Monaco. In particular, Nadia tells of the arrival of the Countess Mimosa. «He swam lying on her mat. Yacht moored in the harbor in the bay and was “escorted” by the butler who bore the mat with her dog, holding the umbrella in the other hand. Needless to say the scene captured the attention of everyone present. Eden stopped. Dad accompanied him to the place, he sat down, ate a slice of watermelon, leaving 50.000 £ of tip and left».
Ugo for Sant'Anna, that this year will liven accurate mirror of water in front of the Castello Aragonese, prepared tables just on the sea. Involving the multibillion- Sacs for customers had invented a glass of water skiing, which was the most popular, with an awards ceremony after the traditional fireworks. The evening continued into the night with a swim in the pool, lots of champagne. For those wishing to replicate, even though times have changed, the Eden is ready to welcome you.