I was born and raised in a beach town so even though Rome is the European capital closest to an ocean, I still feel landlocked sometimes. Luckily, there are some incredible beaches within reach but to see the best of all, you need to take a day trip to Ponza.
Ponza is a little island off the coast of Lazio, the region where Rome is located. Getting there usually requires a bit of time, a train and a boat ride but we were able to do it all comfortably in a day with Itertours.
Michele, who runs Itertours, spent his childhood Italian island hopping and knows exactly how to find the best spots with limited time. That means its possible to leave Rome in the morning and find yourself swimming in some of the most beautiful aquamarine water I have ever seen before lunch.
For our day trip to Ponza, we met up around 7 am to hop in a private car to Anzio to catch the first ferry to the pretty island.
We had time for a quick stroll through the port area and grabbed a coffee before stepping aboard the smaller boat that would take us day cruising to various swimming areas for the next several hours.
Ponza is one of Italy’s best-kept island secrets. Naturally, the Romans know about Ponza but the island has remained relatively undiscovered by others.
Skimming along the edge of the island and admiring the natural rock formations the rise out of the aquamarine water, I was really kicking myself for never having made the trip to Ponza before. While Ischia has the thermal pools and Procida has its fishing village charm, Ponza is pure beauty.
As soon as our boat stopped, I was in the water. It was irresistible.
Unfortunately, the open ocean was a bit too rough to make the crossing to the nearby island of Palmarola, but that simply gave us more time to explore Ponza, snorkle, and even to swim under the natural stone arch.
We had a pasta lunch onboard the boat, while Michele told us more about the history of the island. The free-flowing white wine was an added bonus.
When the gelato boat cruised by, we flagged him down to buy dessert.
I mean, is there anything more perfect than a floating bar?
After a few more dips in the crystalline water, we wrapped up and cruised back to our starting point.
We bid goodbye to our day boat and had a quick look around the sweet pastel buildings of the port before catching the ferry back to Anzio. The car that Itertours arranged was ready and waiting so we zipped back to Rome in time to grab a drink with a visiting friend.
Ponza is not exactly difficult to reach, but it also isn’t easy due to the distance from Rome and the schedules of the trains/ferries. If you only have time for a day trip, the tour is a fantastic option because all of the logistics are taken care of. (Plus, Michele is great company and truly knowledgeable about everything from Roman history to secret beaches).
Naturally, I am already planning our return next summer.
We were guests of Itertours, but I only ever write about experiences that I have personally tried, loved, and wholeheartedly recommend.
Is this heaven on Earth?! Swimming, pasta on a boat, wine, a dessert boat… why oh why did I marry an Italian who hates the seaside? Also I didn’t know that Rome is the closest capital to the sea, very interesting! Xxx
Lucy @ La Lingua | Life, Travel, Italy
I have never heard about Ponza I have been to various places in Italy and this is totally new to me. The images are gorgeous and what an amazing experience. Thanks for sharing this tour and the amazing experience, nothing like exploring with knowledgeable locals xoxo Cris
https://photosbycris.blogspot.com/2018/09/discovering-albert-park.html
We are visiting Rome next month, end of August. I have been researching a day trip to the coast. This sounds even better! Excited to book this tour. Thanks!
I hope you have a wonderful time! Ponza is so beautiful
Thanks, we just had a tour of the catacombs with Michele and he is so awesome. A great historical tour guide. He mentioned this tour and we can’t wait to do it next time in Rome.
Natalie,
We adore your blog, thank you for the incredible information. We are looking forward to doing an overnight trip from Florence to a coastal area in a few weeks. Any recommendations? Thinking maybe Lucca.
Would you have been comfortable hiring and driving your own boat if you had more time? Two women here looking to hire our own boats out to the coves, but thinking maybe get a cruise to Palmarola as it’s a long way away?
Natalie, thank you so much for the terrific description and photos. We are booking an adventure with Michele for June 2022, and definitely were encouraged to do so based on your travelogue. Grazie!
Have so so so much fun!
Hi we will be in Rome on the 23 oct 23 am wondering how I get hold of the person that does the trip there?
I think that might be late in the season! But the trip is here: https://www.itertours.com/tour/ponza-island-excursion-with-snorkeling/