The islands of Gavi, Zannone, Palmarola, Ventotene, Santo Stefano and Ponza, make up the Pontine archipelago. The discovery of Neolithic artefacts and Bronze Age tools prove that this volcanic archipelago has been inhabited for thousands of years. In Roman times, people were encouraged to move to the Pontine Islands, and people migrated from Ponza to Ventotene during the reign of Caesar Augustus. Rome used the two islands as a holiday retreat and a place to exile political dissidents. Agrippina the Younger, the mother to the future Roman emperor, Nero, was exiled to the Pontine Islands by her brother, Caligula in 39 AD. Then her uncle Claudius lifted the exile when he got into power. Two thousand years later, Mussolini used the islands for the same reason. 

In the Middle Ages, the Pontine Islands were more or less abandoned due to constant raids from the Saracens and pirates. During the 18th century, the Kingdom of Naples incorporated the islands, and after unification, they became part of the Kingdom of Italy.

Today, Ponza and Ventotene are populated, while the other, smaller islands, are left uninhabited, and Ventotene and Santo Stefano are conservation areas supervised by the Italian State. Being located off the southern Lazio coast, not far from the capital, Rome, today the islands serve as a glamorous weekend getaway for the city's elite. And between mid-June and the end of August, Ponza and Ventotene are packed with holidaymakers who come to enjoy tasty seafood, swim azure coves and cruise around the islands' craggy coastlines. Outside of summer, the islands are a very tranquil place to explore. 

Ponza

Ponza town rises above the harbour, the architecture made up of pastel blocks and has the usual souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as a small sandy beach. Ponza is ideal for history fans, as it is full of mythological tales. For geologists, check out the Chiaia di Luna cliff, it looks like a slice of Mars thanks to its reddish-yellow layers. On Ponza you can swim in Roman aqueducts, cisterns and fisheries at Pontius Pilate's caves near the port, named after the Roman governor of Judea who loved to bathe here. Ancient fisheries are dotted all over the island, used by the Romans to breed moray eels. A thin strip of pebbly sand overlooking pristine waters and framed by a pale rock face is named Spiaggia di Frontone and is Ponza's top beach. It's a beautiful place, but it gets hectic in summer so try to get a spot early. 

Ventotene

Ventotene is a stunning marine reserve and the archipelago's second-largest island. It is car-free, laid-back and humble compared with Ponza. However, the island harbours a dark past, as a jail for many Roman noblewomen; Emperor Augustus shipped his daughter Julia here on charges of adultery and Nero exiled and sentenced to death his wife Octavia so that he could marry Poppaea! Mosaics still cover the ruins of Julia's villa at Punta Eolo. Later on, the fascists also used the island as a political prison. 

Despite once being a place of unjust incarceration, today Ventotene is one of the best scuba diving spots in Italy, and the waters are brimming with friendly barracudas and gigantic groupers. There are only two beaches, Cala Rossano and Cala Nave, but if you want to escape the crowds, then head to the lighthouse where you can catch the last of the evening rays on volcanic rocks.

Gavi

The Island of Gavi is tiny and doesn't feature any beaches, just giant boulders dot the jagged coast, along with the beautiful cave, the Grottone di Gavi. Be sure to make a reservation at one of the local trattorias or restaurants to enjoy the Pontine culinary tradition, it's a type of Roman cooking using mainly seafood.

Santo Stefano

This jet-black rock is the smallest in the Pontine archipelago and uninhabited. However, up until 1965, thousands of criminals, members of the mafia and anarchists were jailed and tortured here. You can still see ruins from the horseshoe-shaped prison fortress, which has now become a ghost village. If you are willing to walk uphill along a donkey trail full of prickly pear trees, you can explore the rusty cells, which will send shivers down your spine. The views from the top are spectacular and go all the way to Vesuvius. 

Palmarola

Palmarola is thought to be one of the most beautiful islands in the entire world thanks to its spectacular coastline and nature. It is the gem of the Pontine Islands, the dwarf palms, pink coral beaches, pebble shores, sea stacks and the sky-high Cathedral cliff, give Palmarola a mystical allure. All you need are fins and a snorkel, and you are in heaven. There isn't much going on, but you can have a meal here and spend the night. O'Francese, located on the main beach, is the only bar and they also rent whitewashed caves to stay in, which were once fishermen's homes. The owners serve fish fresh from the net and at dawn take guests to the Punta Tramontana peak for the views.

Zannone

Zannone often gets skipped on the Pontine island-hopping itinerary as it the furthest from Ponza and also uninhabited. The landscape is wilder, with darker, green waters and reddish rocks, it was also the host to a dark episode. Only wild goats graze on the cliff tops these days, but in the past, this island was the site of raunchy orgies among Italian aristocrats. Marquis Casati Stampa and his wife used to frequent Zannone to host booze-fueled sex parties with billionaires and VIPs in the 1960s. The Marquis rented the island from the government and he, and his wife holidayed there for many years; the buried pits of empty glass bottles remain as evidence of their wild parties. He had a particular penchant for watching his wife frolic with other men, but one night in 1967, their antics turned to tragedy, when he shot and killed one of his wife's lovers in a fit of jealousy and then committed suicide! The villa has been shut ever since and handed over to the Italian State, these days it's used by the coastguard. 

Ferries to the Pontine Islands

Use the netferry website to explore your options for ferries to the Pontine Islands, there are frequent departures from Naples Mergellina. Our online booking service allows you to check out the times of arrival and departure and prices so that you can book quickly and easily.  

Netferry: a sea of ferries