Ponza Island: Full Day Cruise Trip from Anzio with Lunch on board

Meet us directly at the port in the perfect seaside town of Anzio before the ferry departure. Your tour leader will get you set up with your tickets and let you know what to expect from the day. Grab a quick breakfast or just enjoy the views of the boats coming and going.

After an easy 1.5 hour ferry ride, we will finally arrive at the port of Ponza Island. You will have a short break before departure for the circumnavigation of Ponza Island, but no worries, you will have time to explore the colorful seaside promenade at the end of the day. We will board our smaller excursion boat for an early 11AM departure and meet our captain and the crew, as well as fellow travellers -- mostly vacationing Italians! A few pieces of advice about boat safety and we will be on our way.

One of the first stops is among the most spectacular, three grottoes carved by hand by the Ancient Romans, right into the cliffside at sea level forming protected pools.

This smooth, moon colored cliff is a favorite stop in Ponza. Your tour leader will describe the romantic legend that gives the cliff its name. If the sea conditions are right, we might even have a swim stop here.

This unique rock formation is bright white, and thats because it was formed from compressed volcanic ash called. There is even a long grotto that runs straight through the cliff here, and at noon the sun creates spectacular blue reflections in the water, retro-illuminating the grotto. Are you adventurous enough to swim through the grotto end to end? If the sea conditions are right, join your tour leader for this unique experience!

One of the more popular swimming areas reachable by land, the "Natural Pools" are a sight to behold... perfect swimming pools carved into the rocks by nature. Just beyond this Ponza is the gorgeous sparkling turquoise beach of "Lucia Rosa" where we usually anchor the boat to enjoy a simple pasta lunch, cooked fresh by the captain and his first mate in the boats tiny kitchen. Lunch is served with water and white wine. To top of it off, a perfect Italian espresso. All lunches are served using compostable, single use plates, cups and flatware.

Cala Feola is Ponza's second port, for smaller boats and is the main area of a quieter side of the island.

Today Ponza doesn't have its own water source, but long ago, it did and we can see the remnants here in this cove, called "of the water" just for this reason. Note the tiny waterfalls trickling down the cliffside... runoff from what is left of Ponza natural spring. You can also still see the ruins of an ancient Roman aqueduct that once carried the water throughout the island.

Another beautiful little cove most easily reached by boat.

Lots of history near this little cove. We'll float over the spot where an american landing ship tank sunk during a storm in WWII, a popular spot for divers today. Survey the remnants of a mine that once provided jobs to the Ponzan people. The closure of the mine marked a turning point in the history of the island, to an economy based heavily on fishing and tourism.

Nearing the northernmost tip of Ponza, we'll discover the colorful "Felci Cove". Here, sulphur has colored the cliff walls a bright yellow which contracts with the sparkling emerald of the sea here. This is a common swimming spot, and we'll likely drop anchor here to explore.

Ponza is a volcanic island, meaning the rock here is soft and constantly being shaped and moulded by the sea. No better example of this can be seen than here, at the "Natural Arch" -- a giant sea stack which has been hollowed out in the center forming an enormous rock arch, big enough to pass a boat under.

The last stop before heading back to port is the Beach of "Frontone". This is the most popular beach on the island and even at the end of the day it is crowded with Italian sunbathers.

From when we reach the port and disembark, you will have a full free hour to explore the historic center of Ponza. Soak in the end of day atmosphere, have a fresh cold aperitivo or head to the shops: there is something for everyone here. Finally, we will board our ferry transfer to head back to Anzio port where the day ends.