Ponza Review
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Ponza Review is a guide to the beautiful island of Ponza in Italy's Lazio region; a favourite weekend getaway of modern-day Romans but also steeped in history from their ancient counterparts.
You can reach Ponza from a number of ports on Lazio's Tyrrhenian Coast, including Formia, Terracina and Anzio. From there you take either a ferry or hydrofoil with journey times varying between 50 minutes and 3 hours, depending on which type of boat you take and from which port you cross. It's a fairly small island but not quite small enough to make the whole thing walkable so it's a good idea to hire either a scooter or one of the funky rental cars including jeeps. If you don't like the idea of that then there are buses and taxis as well. The first place you're likely to see on the island is Ponza Port which is where all the ferries arrive. This is by far the most populous area on the island and also where you'll find the majority of shops, bars and restaurants. This also happens to be one of the island's most attractive areas with its multi-coloured houses, distinctive red lighthouse and generally bustling port atmosphere. |
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Most visitors to Ponza come for its beaches though and there are many to choose from. In large part, the beaches are quite small, in little coves with the most attractive being Cala Feola and Cala Fonte. The largest beach on the island is called Frontone and you can get there by a small ferry from Ponza Port which takes around 10 minutes.
Ponza's most iconic landmark (and indeed the subject of the Ponza Review logo) is Chiaia di Luna. The sheer cliff face is an imposing sight and that, coupled with the crystalline blue sea below makes it a popular destination for anyone with a boat. The boats congregate in the bay where the water is shallow and incredibly clear. This isn't restricted to the rich and famous by the way, there are dozens of boat rental companies in Ponza Port where you can hire a gommone (dinghy/rib) for the day either with or without a skipper.
A leisurely cruise around the island by boat is highly rewarding; not only can you find some of the best places to swim, but you can also see some of the other islands that make up the island group known as the Isole Pontine, the Pontine Islands. The largest of those is Palmarola which you can easily see to the west of Ponza, although it's deceptively further than it looks and can take around 45 minutes to reach in one of the gommone boats. It's well worth the effort though and you'll also be able to see the islands of Zannone from a distance and Gavi up close.
An hour's hydrofoil journey to the east of Ponza lies the island of Ventotene which is the second largest in the island group and the only other one that's inhabited. The final Pontine Island is Isola Santo Stefano which was once a prison and now a favourite destination for day-trippers from Ventotene as it lies just a short distance from there.
Whatever it is that you plan to do while visiting Ponza, I hope that Ponza Review is able to play a useful part in helping you to plan your trip to the island. Aside from the things to see section, there's also a detailed section on Travel including the all-important ferry timetables. If you like the site, you may also like some of the other sites in my Italy Review series and you can keep a track on different destinations across Italy via the Facebook page which you can find a link for further up the page.
Have a great trip to Ponza!
Dion Protani: founder of Ponza Review.
Ponza's most iconic landmark (and indeed the subject of the Ponza Review logo) is Chiaia di Luna. The sheer cliff face is an imposing sight and that, coupled with the crystalline blue sea below makes it a popular destination for anyone with a boat. The boats congregate in the bay where the water is shallow and incredibly clear. This isn't restricted to the rich and famous by the way, there are dozens of boat rental companies in Ponza Port where you can hire a gommone (dinghy/rib) for the day either with or without a skipper.
A leisurely cruise around the island by boat is highly rewarding; not only can you find some of the best places to swim, but you can also see some of the other islands that make up the island group known as the Isole Pontine, the Pontine Islands. The largest of those is Palmarola which you can easily see to the west of Ponza, although it's deceptively further than it looks and can take around 45 minutes to reach in one of the gommone boats. It's well worth the effort though and you'll also be able to see the islands of Zannone from a distance and Gavi up close.
An hour's hydrofoil journey to the east of Ponza lies the island of Ventotene which is the second largest in the island group and the only other one that's inhabited. The final Pontine Island is Isola Santo Stefano which was once a prison and now a favourite destination for day-trippers from Ventotene as it lies just a short distance from there.
Whatever it is that you plan to do while visiting Ponza, I hope that Ponza Review is able to play a useful part in helping you to plan your trip to the island. Aside from the things to see section, there's also a detailed section on Travel including the all-important ferry timetables. If you like the site, you may also like some of the other sites in my Italy Review series and you can keep a track on different destinations across Italy via the Facebook page which you can find a link for further up the page.
Have a great trip to Ponza!
Dion Protani: founder of Ponza Review.
Plan Your Trip to Ponza
Ponza In - FocusIn terms of Ponza's beaches Cala Feola is one of the best; it's a genuinely sandy beach with beautifully clear water and just the right amount of facilities close by.
It takes around 20 minutes to reach Cala Feola either by bus or scooter from the port and whilst you can also travel by car, I just think scooter is better as it's easier to park, particularly during the summer. You can't reach the whole way to the beach; a set of steep steps lead down to it from the little hamlet of shops and holiday accommodation above it. |
Cala Feola
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From the area above the beach you can get some great photos not just of Cala Feola but also across to the Piscine Naturali and La Caletta slightly further away. Down at the beach itself you'll find a snack bar and during the summer you can rent boats and pedaloes from here, as well as sun-loungers and parasols which saves you having to carry them down (and up!) those steps. The combination of clear water and rocky coves make this one of the best places on the island for snorkelling as well.
THINGS TO SEE IN PONZAWe've categorized Ponza's highlights under different menu sections such as Beaches, Bays, Natural Sights and Islands close by so that you can quickly find what you're searching for.
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PONZA TRAVEL GUIDEIn our Travel section we've explained How to get to Ponza and provided ferry and hydrofoil timetables. You can also use our booking system to buy tickets or simply check prices.
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PONZA ACCOMMODATION
For the best possible choice of Ponza Hotels I've included a Booking.com search box. This will allow you to search from hundreds of choices with cheap rates and favourable cancellation options, often with full refunds given.
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