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| Spotlight On |
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Delightful islands of Italy
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The Pontine Islands - Latium
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| Ponza, Palmarola, Zannone,
Ventotene, Santo Stefano, the small island of Gavi and the solitary rock of
la Botte are the most extraordinary group of islands in the Tyrrhenian
sea because of the variety of their coastlines, the colours of the rocks, the attractive villages and the small
ports in pure Mediterranean style. The islands (Province of Latina) are very close to the coasts of Latium (the
minimum distance between Zannone
and Circeo is 18 miles) and of Campania
(the minimum distance between Santo Stefano
and the isle of Ischia is 22 miles),
and can be reached easily from several continental ports. |
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The history of the islands traces its beginnings to the prehistoric period and later
in a series of events involving the presence of the Greeks, the Romans, the Pharnesians, the Bourbons and the British.
Even pirates and the Saracens attacked the islands several times before they were definitively included in the
Unity of Italy in 1861. The islands have always been renowned for their mild climate and for the beauty of their
surrounding sea and sea-beds which have an average depth ranging from 3 to 50 metres and a maximum depth measuring
below 100 metres at a distance of over 3 miles from the coast. Here, divers wiil experience magical emotions in
a totally unspoilt environment. The Pontine islands have a volcanic origin and are rich in riolitic lava, tufaceous
rocks and vulcanites. Their spectacular and bright colours give the islands a particular charm and a surprising
beauty also due to the wide variety of small coves, bays or inlets and to the different choices of fascinating
walks through the history and nature of the islands.
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| Palmarola |
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This is the most western of the Pontine islands. If you love solitude and living in
wild nature this is the most charming place you can find. Palmarola is the second largest Pontine island. The few
summer facilities available are the only inhabited places. From a geological point of view the island offers remarkable
curiosities such as the oxidianic rock in its northern part, although its biggest attraction is its perfectly transparent
sea. The island lies approximately 6 miles from Ponza and can be reached by shuttle or by rented boats. There are
no specific tourist facilities, but there are two typical restaurants open in summer at Cala di Porto. Palmarola has an extremely craggy coast dotted
with grottos, bays, cliffs and crags. Landing is possible at a small natural harbour where you can make a brief
stop and take a look at the grottos excavated by the sea. |
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| Ponza |
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Monte La Guardia (915.3 feet) is Ponza's
highest point. From there you can admire the beauty of this narrow, long and half-moon-shaped island. Its coasts
are ragged and rich in coves and smaller crags such as the small isle of Cavi and the cliff of La Botte. Excellent hotels and comfortable boarding-houses are available on the island. This island which
is only 4.97 miles long is full of places to visit, such as the lovely beach of Ghiaia
di Luna, which can be reached through a tunnel dug out by the Romans and
which is full of archaeological remains scattered everywhere. Tourists who intend to explore the whole island have
a wide choice of suggested itineraries that will satisfy all types of interests. Minibuses and open-roof taxis
will help the tourist to reach all the interesting spots in very little time. |
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| Santo Stefano |
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The isle of Santo Stefano lies less than a mile east from the island of Ventotene.
Its 0.11 sq. miles surface makes it the smallest of the Pontine islands. There are 4 small landing spots that can
be used according to the winds. This island of volcanic origin has probably been inhabited since the Roman age
(as the few remains found there seem to prove), although some oxidian finds allow us to assume the existence of
even earlier settlements. During the centuries the island was given several names such as Partenope, Palmosa, Dommo Stephane
and Borca. This uninhabited island
can be reached from Ventotene with a rented boat. The boat tour around the island is quite brief and offers fascinating
views enhanced by the intensely blue-coloured sea and by the dark and ragged basaltic rocks. The sea-beds around
the island are full of different species of fish. |
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| Ventotene |
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This small island (0.5 sq. miles) was formed by volcanic, mainly tufaceous rocks once
used to build houses (as you can see when entering the port). Ventotene has generally high and ragged coasts and
two small, beautiful beaches just behind the built-up area: Cala Rossano (close to the Porto Nuovo) and Cala Nave (with
the three cliffs: Nave di Terra,
Nave di Fuori and Scoglitello). In isolated areas away from the port
there are other stretches of beach such as: Parata della Postina, Moggio di Terra
and Parata Grande. The island was
first used as a base by the Phoenicians, the Greeks and the Romans in the Ist. century and was subsequently equipped
by Augustus with a port dug in volcanic rock which is still in use today and which serves the huge Villa Giulia
where he had relegated his daughter accused of infidelity. After the decadence and abandonment period of the Middle
Ages the island was repopulated by the Bourbons during the second half of the XVIII century. They created the current
built-up area with the castle (today's town-hall), the church of Santa Candida and the wide square. |
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| Zannone |
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Zannone has a surface of little more than 0.38 sq. miles and lies approximately 6.5
miles from the port of Ponza. It is part of the Circeo National Park because of its beauty and the integrity of its environments. The island is uninhabited
but supervised by the Forestry Service. There are no tourist facilities and camping or overnight stays are prohibited
although no special permit is required to visit the island. It is mainly covered with a thick vegetation based
on Mediterranean scrub, but there is also a small ilex-wood. On top of Monte
Pellegrino there is a Forestry Service station with a small educational
exhibition concerning the naturalistic aspects of the island. Beside the building you will also find the ruins
of a Benedictine convent dating back to the XIII century. The complete tour following well-marked paths along the
upper ridge of the island takes 40 minutes; don't be surprised if you meet some wild sheep during your walk. |
Food & Wine
Ponza's traditional cuisine and hospitality ensure a particularly warm welcome to all visitors. The cuisine has
been influenced both by Rome and by Naples, and offers an endless variety of fish-based dishes: spaghetti impepati,
made with mussels or clams, fisherman's risotto or Ponza tuna are some examples of the local dishes. |
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| For more information: |
Latina - A.P.T. Local Tourist Board
Azienda di Promozione Turistica della Provincia di Latina
Via Duca del Mare, 19 - 04100 Latina ITALY
Phone 0773/695404
Fax 0773/661266
www.latinaturismo.it |
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