Latium itineraries
Ponza, History, archeology and Fishing

Ponza Island

The island of Ponza, a world to discover and to love. Real pearl of the Mediterranean with a sea that you can only dream. The island of Ponza is also interesting in order to carry out archaeological studies (underwater archaeology) and is, thanks to its countryside and its splendid nature, a perfect place for reflection.

Ponza is the main tourist destination, and is hugely popular with water and fishing lovers; the island offers superb swimming opportunities, particularly for those who hire boats.

Around 8km long, the island has two principal settlements, connected by bus.

Ponza can be best savored by circumnavigating it. Starting from the harbor and coasting southward along the Donna promontory where the water entrances to the Pilatus' cove are located, the Roman villa can be seen.

Further south the Madonna cliffs, the Ulysses' cave and the long Scotti rocky wall are sighted together with Calzone Muto cliff just before the impressive Guardia promontory 280 meters high. Chiaia di Luna is located behind the lower Fieno point.

This is a beautiful route safe also for night navigation when riding the west winds one seeks shelter into the bay.

A bit of history

Pontine islands were known to be inhabited since the civilization's onset;

Neolithic remnants and first bronze age obsidians were found hare although reliable life traces go back only after the final Roman victory over the Volsces on 338 B.C.

Ponza island is nevertheless remembered as one of the eighteen Roman provinces to remain loyal to the capital during the difficult times following Hannibal's adventure. Emperor Augustus encouraged its residential expansion that later spread to Ventotene island as well.

Rome used the two islands as a sort of golden retreat, an exile site indeed, for politically troubling public personalities: Caligola's mother Agrippina died there; her mortal remains were brought back to the imperial capital with full honors, sailing upriver the Tevere on a bireme vessel.

Ventotene harbor, as well as Pilatos' cove, used at Ponza to breed Moray fishes and other rare species, both dug in the tuff rocks, and Chiaia di Luna with its tunnel connecting the village to the beach through impressive cliffs, are all remainder of those days. Madonna point mansion, with its fish pond now nearby the cemetery, is also a remarkable visit spot.

Fishing in Ponza

The islands Pontine (Ponza, Palmarola, Zannone, Ventotene) have full of rocks coasts on mostly made of sand and mud. Around to the islands widths are found scattered zones with rocks, optimal for Bolentino.A little far ahead it becomes deeper also to beyond 1000 mt and constitutes an optimal habitat for the pelagici and deep fish (Pezzogne). Excluding Ventotene, that is surrounded by protected areas, the other islands offer a good variety of zones for fishing and in particular to pulls ahead migratory fish.

The sea area between Ponza - Ischia is one of the best points for giant tuna and sword fish fishing (April to July). The islands offer a port in Ponza and two (Rossano Cove and the Roman Port) in the island of Ventotene.

 Please do bear in mind that, with Levant wind, could be impossible to stop in the harbor of Ponza,it could be convenient to move to the other side of the island (towards Chiaia di Luna), that is 4Kms far away.

The island of Ponza, that is the larger one, measure no more than 4 Kms of length for the maximum width of approximately 1 Km, therefore fishing zones are a lot drawn near and can be explored all in the arch of the same day.

The coast is rocky while the depth is made by mud and sand and, made exception for some areas, it comes down quickly to remarkable deep(less than 1 Km from the coast is -100 mt).

The island of Palmarola has the same conformation of Ponza and has the same types of fishes. Smaller presence of tourist boats , the greater spread of the occhiate and pettine fish better zones adapted to sea-deep fishing for the Pezzogne, makes the difference.

Big Tuna, Lampughe and Sword-fish follow a route very close to the island. Less than 6 Km from the coast the depth becomes -500 mt deep and is good for sea-deep fishing.

Courtesy of Bed & Breakfast La Mandragola

© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
TangoItalia - Food, Wine, Travel, and... tango in Italy.