History

A corner of paradise in Forio d'Ischia where time seems to have stood still.

Within these walls, amid the scent of lemons and the sea breeze, the writer Truman Capote found refuge and inspiration, immortalizing the vitality of our family and the warmth of this place in unforgettable pages.

The History

Truman Capote stayed in Forio d’Ischia in the spring of 1949, as a guest at Pensione Di Lustro. This experience inspired one of his most famous travel reportages, which was later included in his celebrated book Local Color. Arriving on March 23, 1949, he stayed until June 13 with his companion Jack Dunphy. He stayed in Room No. 3. “The pleasantest pensione in Forio”, this is how the author defined Pensione di Lustro in his book, where he dedicated a few lines describing it as an affordable and charming accommodation, even though at the time it lacked running water and electricity.

From his book

“There is the pensione without running water; but the rooms are large, with balconies overlooking the sea, the food is good and all too abundant, the price advantageous. This is enough to make us decide to stay and overcome the language barrier: Gioconda speaks no English, and my Italian is… well, never mind.

Gioconda is nineteen years old and an extraordinary girl: she takes care of the whole pensione, cooks, makes the beds, cleans, washes the stairs, yet always finds the time to sit with us on the balcony shelling peas or explaining the town gossip to us. […]

In the evening, on the terrace of the pensione, we light Japanese lanterns. The fishermen come by, we drink the local wine, and everyone seems to have a wonderful time… From our bedroom, you can hear the murmur of the sea caressing the coast under the moon. Ischia is a strange and strangely enchanted place.”