“Have fun,” Piero Duchen says. I snap on my helmet and rev up the little engine on the scooter I’ve just rented at his seaside shop on the island of Ponza. “But go easy with the speed,” he adds. “It’s one curve after another, so don’t be distracted by the breathtaking views.”
I nod, release the brake and soon have the beat-up yellow scooter running at maximum speed, about 35 miles an hour. To my right, the small port sparkles, its numerous small fishing boats almost surrounded by pastel buildings; to my left, pedestrian-only streets wind their way up through the town and into the heart of this enchanting island.
I leave the port behind me and head up the hill; almost immediately I'm passing terraced vineyards, prickly pear cactus and the occasional morning's wash hanging on the clothesline in front of a solitary house. A few minutes later I've reached the top of the hill, where I'm greeted by a 360-degree view of the island, a patchwork of wild flowers, shrubs and small trees. In all directions, the sea and Ponza's neighboring islands, Palmarola and Zanone, glisten around me.
Travelers have their choice of more than fifty Italian islands, from the big and majestic (Sicily and Sardinia) to the world-famous (Capri). Ponza is a little gem located 40 miles off Italy's west coast halfway between Rome and Naples, with rolling hills, haunting underwater caves, small beaches and crystal-clear turquoise water.
Just five miles long and never more than half a mile wide (and sometimes as narrow as 200 yards), Ponza is small enough so you always know you're surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, yet large enough to offer rambling nature walks and extensive coastline. Although there is frequent bus service around the island, Ponza's main road—with many twists and turns—offers a thrilling scooter ride for those who've dreamed of cruising the streets of Rome on two wheels, but value life too dearly to risk an encounter with its daredevil drivers.
The two jumping-off points for Ponza are Anzio and Formia, each an hour's train ride south from Rome. The trip to Ponza takes seventy minutes by hydrofoil or two and a half hours by boat.
Relatively temperate weather makes the island appealing year round, but in winter Ponza empties, many of the stores and restaurants close, and some of the must-dos—such as a day-long boat trip that circles the island, and a visit to Palmarola, a nearby island with one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in Italy—become problematic unless you can convince a local to take you in his boat.
The best time to go is in April, May and June, when the weather has warmed, the crowds are still under control and the purple heather and fragrant yellow broom dapple the countryside with color. Avoid August, when the winter population of 1,000 balloons to 35,000 and legions of day-tripping Italian teenagers invade the island. In July and September, a trip, especially midweek, can be rewarding, though crowded when the weather is nice. By October, winter's peaceful sense of tranquility has set in, but by then the water may be too cold for swimming.
"The island is always changing, that's part of its charm," said Gianpaolo Scotti, a local who runs a pizzeria near the port. "In August, it's a zoo here—you can hardly walk down the streets—but tourism is good for the island because without it we'd have nothing."
After snapping a few photos at the top of the hill, it's back on the scooter. Despite the bike's small engine, the port disappears quickly behind a hill and I'm hairpinning my way toward the northern end of the island. The setting is far more serene than the bustling port, despite being only five miles away.
When the road ends, I jump off the scooter for a pleasant thirty-minute walk along narrow paths to Punto dell'Incenso at Ponza's northernmost point. From here there is a spectacular view of Palmarola to the west; Zanone to the north; sea, sea and more sea to the east, and the rest of Ponza to the south. If you've packed a lunch, this is the ideal spot to sit down and enjoy it.
If you didn't plan a picnic, you're never too far from the port and its large selection of seafood restaurants. The Ponzesi, proud of their simple yet dignified cuisine, are likely to serve you pasta with fish followed by more fish—octopus, swordfish, cod, red snapper, sardines, anchovies, sea bass, mullet or ray, to name a few of the possibilities. The fare of the day will depend on what the fishermen brought in that morning. Tiny, locally-grown lentils are usually served as a soup or a side dish.
Drinking the house wine at a restaurant to wash it all down is a dodgy proposition on Ponza, because there tends to be a random mixing of grapes and a loose approach to wine production. Fortunately, tucked away on the southwestern corner of the island is the Punto del Fieno winery, where Emanuele and Luciana Vittorio and their oenologist Maurizio De Simone run the Antiche Cantine Migliaccio. Try Fieno di Ponza, their excellent white wine, which is a perfect partner for grilled or fried fish. They also offer a Fieno Rosso, a dignified red, and Pizzicato, a sparkling white that pairs well with light appetizers.
Punto del Fieno winery is a forty-five minute walk from the port, along country trails. The hike is a great way to see the rugged heart of Ponza: The path rises and falls, and you might run into an occasional donkey. You begin by heading up the steep pedestrian-only streets that branch out behind the port; soon you're working your way through trails that cut a path through waist-high brush. Nearby Monte Guardia, which at just over 900 feet towers over the Punto del Fieno vineyards, is worth a detour; it offers the best view on the island.
When you're not sampling the local fare, sipping chilled white Fieno or cruising along on a scooter, there are plenty of other activities, beginning, of course, with a visit to one of the island's two main beaches. Chiaia di Luna, on the western side of the island, is a fifteen-minute walk from the port straight across Ponza; the last stretch passes through a 500-foot-long tunnel.
A 300-foot cliff of yellow and white stone provides a stunning backdrop for Chiaia di Luna's half-moon-shaped beach, which would be accessible only by boat had the Romans not dug the tunnel through the cliff two thousand years ago, to allow them to dock on one side of the island and have access to the other. If you bypass the Roman tunnel and continue up the asphalt road, in just a few minutes you reach a lookout point that offers an unimpeded view of the cliffs and is one of the best places on the island to watch the sunset.
Frontone on the eastern side can be reached by boat from the port (3 euro roundtrip), or by taking the bus halfway up the island and then walking for twenty minutes. During summer evenings, join the locals for casual disco dancing and aperitives on the beach.
With its clear water, rich sea life and nearby sunken ships, Ponza has become a mecca for scuba divers. There are numerous places in the port to rent equipment or to sign up for a week-long course to become a certified diver. Among the underwater treasures to explore are an Italian ship torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1918 and an Allied ship sunk in 1943.
Admiring Ponza from the sea is a must. If you don't dive, you should take a boat trip around the island. Choose a guided trip with twenty other passengers or rent a small motorboat (you won't need a license). It's from this vantage point that you can best appreciate Ponza's stunning landscape, its rock formations and the caves that dot its coastline.
But to really get to know the heart of Ponza, choose the scooter. I return to the port forty-five minutes over my rental period; Duchen is tiding up his shop. I take out my wallet to pay for the overtime, but he waves my money away, smiles broadly and says, "I was right, no? The views are breathtaking."
PLANNING YOUR TRIP
How to Get There
From the United States, it's best to fly to Rome and take the hour-long train ride to Anzio or Formia (about 10 euro depending on the type of train). If you're coming from southern Italy, you can get a train from Naples to Formia. (The hour-long train ride also costs about 10 euro.) From Anzio or Formia you hop on a ferry (10 euro one way) or hydrofoil (21 euro one way).
Where to Stay
Ponza has twenty hotels and an endless number of real estate agents and private citizens who will rent you apartments. Keep in mind that many hotels are closed in the winter.
The Grand Hotel Chiaia di Luna has a stunning location that offers a bird's eye view of the beach. It's a fifteen-minute walk from the port; take the short taxi ride up if you have heavy baggage. Open from April to October, rates range from 57 euro to 175 euro per person. You must stay for at least seven days in the summer. 07 7180113
If you prefer more luxurious accommodations, try the Grand Hotel Santa Domitilla, with its fresh water and salt water pools, including one dug out of a natural cave. It's located 500 feet from the port. Open from April to October, rates range from 180 euro to 350 euro for a double room and as much as 600 euro for a suite. 07 71809951
To rent an apartment, either near the port or beyond, call Agenzia Immobilevante 07 71820083 or Agenzia Magi 07 71809841.
How to Get Around
Rent a scooter at Noleggio Pilato on Via Dante (+39/0771/80447), or at one of five other rental places down the street or around the port.
The local bus runs frequently up and down Ponza's main road, connecting the northern and southern parts of the island. It costs 1 euro per trip.
Where to Eat
Among the more than three dozen restaurants that are open in high season, La Lanterna is worth trying for its home cooking and friendly atmosphere. Specialties include spaghetti al nero di seppia (spaghetti with a black cuttlefish sauce), spigola al sale (sea bass baked in a salt crust) and fritto misto (a mixture of many different types of fried fish). A two-course meal with wine would cost about 35 euro.
Nightlife is limited, but there are a few places where you can sit outside with an after-dinner drink and enjoy the starry night. The Covo Nord Est disco, open in the summer only, is a short bus ride from the port.
Summer Events
On June 20th, the whole island celebrates the feast day of San Silverio, Ponza's patron saint, with a procession, games and food.
