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Pontine's Islands
Ponza, Palmarola, Zannone, Ventotene and 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 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). 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 will experience magical emotions in a totally unspoilt environment. The Pontine islands have a volcanic origin and are rich in riolitic lava, tufaceous rocks and vulcanite's. 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.
Ponza Island
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. 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.
Palmarola Island
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. 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.
Zanone Island
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. Besides the building you will also find the ruins of a Benedictine convent dating back to the XIII century.
Ventotene Island
The island is elongated, with a length of 3 kilometres and a maximum width of about 800 metres. Santo Stefano is located 2 kilometres to the east, and Ponza is 40 kilometres to the west. The commune with the same name has 633 permanent residents. It includes the island of Santo Stefano, which is the site of a massive prison, now closed. Best known as the island to which the emperor Augustus banished his daughter Julia the Elder in 2 BC, as reaction to her excessive adultery, where she was to spend five years, and to which Tiberius banished his grand-niece Agrippina the elder in 29 AD, before perishing, probably of malnutrition, on October 18, 33 AD. A prison camp was created under Mussolini on the island with up to 700 opponents, including 400 communists, between 1939 and 1943. One of them was Altiero Spinelli who wrote there a text now known as the "Ventotene Manifesto", promoting the idea of a federal Europe after the war.
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