Ponza is the main island on the Pontino Arcipelago which is composed by two groups of islands. The islands that form the arcipelago are  Ponza, Palmarola, Zannone e the small island Gavi , in the north-west and Ventotene and Santo Stefano in the in the  south- east.Santo Stefano was during the fascism a quiet important penitentiary and some of the inmates were very important people like   Luigi Settembrini,  the anarchist Brogi and the italian  ex - President  Sandro  Pertini (Mussolini was condamed on  Ponza and the enemies of the fascism had been  imprisoned  in Ventotene).

The penal colony was closed in 1964 but its  simple structure  seems to conserve  the pain and suffering of those  who were imprisoned until the end.

The only survivor remaining is  the spirit of death, that is strongly present  in every cell, every nook and cranny and especially in the old  cemetery,   where you can still read  the epitaph carved in stone : here the justice of the man ends and the justice of God  begins.

Long time ago , the entire group of  islands, today belonging to the Lazio region, was discovered   by the ancient roman, as well as  Ischia and Capri. Today their remains, several  aqueducts ruins and artificial bassins craved in the  rocks  are the testimony of their  passage.

Subsequently, in the XVIII century, the Borbons were the promoters of a great colonization. A great quantity of people from the Partenopean bassin moved to the Arcipelago to improve the work on the fields, that were potentially productive, and to colonize them  for Carlo II and his son Ferdinando IV.

For this reason the language spoken on the Pontine Islands is similar to the partenopean language.

Today the farmwork has been nearly abandoned  and the  new jobs are specialized in the  constructionsector, fishing  and tourism:  the clean  and uncontaminated  waters of the Pontine Islands attract  lots of  tourists every year. 

distances and connections with the Pontine island

The connections with Ponza are guaranteed all year long, but during the summer and the holidays, the service is upgraded.

Ponza can be reached by ferry or speedboat from Anzio, Circeo, Terracina and Formia.

During the winter  transport is guaranteed exclusively from Anzio, Terracina and Formia.

June to September there is  a  fast ferryboat from Anzio available , which can also transport vehicles.

There are a great number of ferryboats  leaving from Formia and Terracina and they guarantee the daily connections all year long.

From Circeo, a fast ferryboat takes approximately an hour to connect San Felice to Ponza (20 miles)which is suitlable only for pedestrians , no cartransport , from  June to September. 

The distances change according to the place of departure : the ferryboat from Anzio  takes 1 hour and 45 minutes, the ferryboat  from Formia  takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, the hydrofoil takes 1 hour and 15 minutes, the motorship from Circeo takes  less than 1 hour.

VETOR : ferry-hydrofoil  http://www.vetor.it

SNIP E SNAP ferry-hydrofoil http://www.snapnavigazione.it

MOTONAVE HIPPONION PRINCESS  - ferry from Circeo

For other  informations please contact the association " Pro Loco di Ponza " phone number: +39/0771/80031 

Ponza is,   compared to other tourist' spots, quiet     unknown out side of Italy and so most of the foreign tourists   assist to the invasion of "masstourism"  in  the  August. 

So we invite you to profit from a visit  during other periods the year called “low season”,   places with a wild and breathtaking nature.  In that period,  services are  reduced ( October - April )  but  the quality is higher than the “high season”.  

The mild climate and  the good quality of the services, with a lower cost,   make the Pontine Islands particularly pleasant from September to July,

Every  period of the year  is characterized 

by natural attractions,

 they make these islands

 so interesting, a cultural - naturalistic

 and an historical place.  

From  April  to May , the broom bloom on the  slopes of Ponza and particularly on the Mount Guard coming down,to the village,

the landscape seems one of  Van Gogh’ paintings. 

In the winter period the

 sea can be very rough sometimes.

and sometimes that can create problems to the 

ferryboat which cannot come during heavy weather conditions

It happens that, who has to leave Ponza,

is forced to  remain cause the ferryboat, that cant

 discover a different side of this  charming island

On March the first migratory birds coming from Africa,  stop on the island  to rest, while the

 In the beginning of June the first  boats and  the first   tourists   begin to arrive.

July and August   are not very calm, as whole Italy is on vacation during these month so there is a maximum tourist affluence. 

September is a very realxing period because in this period most of the  tourists are back in the cities.

The sea is always calm, the weather is good, it's not difficult to see the dolphins and whales approaching the coast.

From October to December, the weather is mild and the water of the sea maintains an elevate temperature, so  the hunters start to catch the migratory birds directed towards the African summer and the bathing season is now concluded.

Anyway its the best period for a last swim in the mediterean sea of  Ponza.