Holiday in La Ponza, Italy


 La Ponza

If you've read any of my blogs, you know that I'm a Tour Leader for a women's only travel company.  Traveling with adventurous women who love to explore the world is my dream job. I have the privilege of helping other women fulfill their own travel dreams and I get to witness how travel can transform people's lives.  Every trip I lead is transformative for someone!
Another great advantage of leading trips is taking my own adventures, after a tour. Although I haven't yet written about my wonderful trips to Italy (Tuscany, Florence, Rome, Venice, etc), I thought I would start with this very special trip to the tiny island of Ponza, just off the coast of the province of Latina. Ponza is the largest island of the Italian Pontine Islands archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea. I explored this island alone, but found wonderful companions along the way!

 L'Isola di Ponza is a special place for those seeking a holiday away from the crowds of the Amalfi Coast or Capri and The Blue Lagoon. But it's just as beautiful. You'll find tourists, for sure, but most are Italian or German. Relatively few Americans have discovered this island.  First of all, you'll need to learn some Italian if you want to enjoy the spirit and hospitality of the inhabitants of this island to the fullest. You can get by with just English, but you'd be missing half the fun!
  South of Rome, there are ferries available from Anzio and Formia. When you arrive on the island, the simplicity and unpretentious atmosphere are evident immediately. People lounge in beach wear at restaurants and cafes, saunter along the harbor, or sit on the benches with neighbors and friends.  There are boats to rent if you care to, but you might have to wait until the proprietor returns from a morning coffee. Most places close down for a siesta from 2-5, but maybe not. Just depends on the day. Life is very good here, and the locals don't take it for granted. I met up with a group of ladies just beside a grotto of the Virgin Mary, discussing local gossip and new tourists that had arrived. Some of the ladies owned shops down the street, closed for lunch, of course.
There are a few hotels in town, and I chose a family-run place called Hotel Piccolo Luisa, within walking distance of the harbor and easy to find. You can book hotels up from town with beautiful views as well, but you are then obliged to use taxis to get back and forth into town.
For one day, another tourist and i rented a small motor boat to take around the entire island, where we stopped to swim and dive into the crystal blue waters of the sea. We visited Half-moon beach, and ate our picnic lunch. We stopped wherever looked interesting and took naps in the sun. It is a paradise beyond description.
Another day, I took a ferry ride around the island with about 20 other tourists. Here I met a delightful German couple and we discussed the latest in US politics. We also had plenty of white wine and pasta for lunch, and stopped occasionally to bathe in the waters. The views were stunning.
If you're looking to holiday like the Italians, give Isola Ponza a try. The charms of this island will not soon be forgotten.







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