Filming locations in Bay of Naples

If Positano gave The Talented Mr. Ripley its glamour, the Bay of Naples gave it its lived-in soul. The film's fictional Mongibello drew on Procida, the smallest island in the bay, whose pastel fishing harbour of Marina Corricella supplies exactly the unspoilt, working Italy the story needed.

Corricella is the picture you came for. A car-free crescent of faded ochre and pink houses curving around the water, it is the antithesis of the polished resort, and it stands in for the everyday Italy that anchors Ripley's sun-soaked menace. The harbour is best walked slowly, camera in hand, with a stop at one of its waterside tables.

Getting here is half the charm. Procida is reached by hydrofoil from Naples in under an hour, and the island is walkable end to end, so leave the car behind. Once ashore, everything radiates out from the harbour on foot.

Two detours reward the climb and the crossing. Hike up to the Terra Murata citadel for the classic view down over the coloured houses, and remember that Ischia, the larger spa island, is only a short hop away if you want to make a longer day of the bay.