The little island of Procida prepares to shine as Italy’s Capital of Culture

The backdrop for the films Il Postino and The Talented Mr Ripley braces itself to balance tourism with tradition

Church bells chime and children play freely in the square named after the late actor Massimo Troisi. A restaurant serves fresh fish to the smattering of customers eating outside, and fishermen mend their nets. With clear blue skies, it seems like a typical afternoon in mid-summer.

But this is late January in Corricella, a 17th-century port in Procida, and the scene pretty much sums up the pace of life on what is the smallest and least known island in the bay of Naples.