Ponza Island: Full Day Cruise Trip from Anzio with Lunch on board
Description
Discover the hidden gem of Ponza on this unforgettable day trip from Anzio, filled with swimming, snorkeling, food, and island exploration! Meet us at the port of Anzio (1 h train from Rome). From here we'll set sail for the scenic ferry ride to Ponza, that takes approx 1.5 hours. Upon arrival, join a small group guided boat excursion led by your English speaking tour leader and set off on a 6 hrs cruise around the stunning island. Marvel at dramatic cliffs, mysterious grottoes, and crystal clear waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. We'll make 3-4 swim stops along the way, with exact locations depending on sea conditions. A delicious pasta lunch is served on board, along with aperitif, wine, free drinks, water, fruit and espresso coffee. You will be amazed by the wonderful sea and the charming port of Ponza, with its characteristic colourful little houses. Don't miss this top rated Ponza island boat tour, one of the best day trips from Anzio to experience the stunning Italian coast!
Tour Options
Itinerary
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.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Anzio is located 1.10 hr train from Rome. We recommend taking the 6.40 AM train from Rome Termini Station.
- To fully enjoy this tour, we recommend you are comfortable with boat transportation and are able to swim.
- At the time of your booking, please alert the staff to any particular food preferences or allergies so that we can accomodate you.
- All minors under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a paying adult.
- If you are traveling with a young child (0-12), please alert the staff at the time of your booking so that we can better accommodate you.
- We highly recommend you bring sun protection.
- Due to the unique nature of this tour, last minute cancellations due to traffic, strikes, minimum numbers and weather are a possibility. Call us the day before your visit to check on the status of your trip. If you are unable to call, and you do not hear from us, consider your trip confirmed.
- For all tours cancelled due to traffic, strikes or weather an alternative will be offered or a free change of date. Where neither are possible, a full refund will be offered.
- A current valid photo ID is required on the day of travel for all group members.
Reviews(57)
We had a fantastic family day in Ponza! The guide was friendly, welcoming, and very communicative, and the boat tour was comfortable and well organized. Ponza is beautiful..an unforgettable experience for the whole family!
Simply amazing! Great food! Really appreciated the open bar on board. Perfect assistance and organization from the EcoArt team! Looking forward to do it again!
We throughly enjoyed this boat trip, after 5 days in Rome it was a welcome change in scenery. The water was crystal clear, the boat had an upper deck that we could just lie on, and we had 5 swim stops. The Island of Ponza is really beautiful and the tour was interesting as well (our travel companions said it was nicer than the Amalfi tour they did). We stayed in Nettuno and it was fairly easy to get to Anzio by train and then take the ferry to ponza - but check the train times in advance, because there are not a lot of taxis in this region. We also brought snacks because the reviews said the food wasn’t good but we enjoyed the pasta, it was simple but sometimes that’s all you need, and they will keep giving you food and wine so don’t worry about being hungry. The snorkeling is okay, there are a lot of fish but they are all the same colour and there’s no coral or anything, so if you don’t get the snorkel option you’d be okay, most of the beautiful sights are above the water. Also they had pool noodles which I recommend using because one of the swim spots is a little choppy and also it’s just nicer to float and relax sometimes. Also there was this American who found himself exhausted and couldn’t make it back to the boat so my partner gave him his pool noodle and swam back but if we hadn’t been there I don’t know what would have happened to him. Just ask for a pool noodle, don’t be embarrassed to ask. I’m not sure how expensive it is to stay on Ponza, we did not we took the ferry home, but I would have liked too if I had known how beautiful the island is.
Thank you so much for your detailed review! We’re really glad you enjoyed the beauty of Ponza, the crystal-clear water, and the swim stops. It’s great to hear the tour provided a welcome change of scenery after Rome. Thanks also for the practical travel tips and for sharing your experience with other travelers. We hope to see you again soon for another adventure!
Wonderful Island. Nice guide and crew on the boat. And the swimming in the crystal clear water was amazing.
Were glad to hear you enjoyed the day in Ponza! The crystal clear water and stunning landscapes can gift unforgettable moments!❤️🌊 We’re happy to read that you also appreciated the crew and the guide, they’ll be happy to know you liked them. We hope to meet you again in some other tour! 🌊❤️
I had heard little about this paradise so close to Rome. Thanks to @ecoarttravel, I discovered more about the beauty and history of Italy. Ricardo was an excellent guide who made our day fantastic.
Grazie infinite per le gentili parole, siamo felici, in particolare Riccardo, di aver contribuito a farvi conoscere una delle perle nascoste della nostra penisola: Ponza regala giornate e avventure fantastiche, il nostro obbiettivo è condividerle con i nostri clienti 🌊🥰 Speriamo di accogliervi ancora in uno dei nostri tour alla scoperta di altre bellezze locali!🌊🌊⛵️
Exciting experience The sea of Ponza is beautiful and with the cruise you can verify it. The crew is courteous and helpful. Definitely to be redone
Grazie mille per le tue gentili parole: per noi è un vero piacere sapere che i nostri accompagnatori sono così apprezzati, e siamo soprattutto orgogliosi e felici di sapere che ha apprezzato il tour. Non vediamo l’ora di rivederla in uno dei nostri tour! A presto per una nuova avventura!
Ponza is a beautiful island and the driving was really engaging! Great lunch on board and fantastic bathing stops in crystal clear waters. Highly recommended
Grazie mille per il bellissimo feedback! Siamo felici che abbia apprezzato Ponza e l’organizzazione Del tour. A presto per una nuova avventura! 🌊☀️
This trip was incredible. Our guide and leader was Luca who was highly outgoing, fun, knowledgeable and just an all around great guy. The trip started at the pick up point in Rome, where we boarded an air conditioned coach bus. The trip was quick ~1.5hrs. It flies by with all the jokes and fun banter from Luca. Arrived at the ferry port and got to Ponza in ~1hr. They give about 1.5hrs depending on arrival to explore the island pre and post excursion. Now for the excursion - I’m comparing it to one I took in Greece. This one beats it by a mile. We had over 5 hrs of exploring the island and swimming. We had delicious food. I had 2 portions of pasta. Delicious coffee and of course amazing wine. This trip was worth every penny.
Thank you so much for your amazing review! We’re thrilled you had such a great time with Luca—he truly brings the energy! So glad the trip exceeded your expectations. Hope to see you again for another unforgettable day! 🌊🇮🇹
I left alone from Anzio, the group is r unpleasant and the day wonderful in a unique place. Nice hike and Gianluca, the guide, a nice sunny person and very prepared. I'd do it again tomorrow! Thank you.
Grazie di cuore per le belle parole! Siamo felici che tu abbia vissuto una giornata speciale e che Gianluca ti abbia lasciato un bel ricordo. Ti aspettiamo per la prossima avventura! 🌊☀️
A tremendous amount of fun combined with the stunning natural beauty of Ponza. Trip was well organized and Gianluca a phenomenal guide.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're so glad you had a fun and memorable time exploring the beauty of Ponza. It's wonderful to hear the trip felt well organized and that Gianluca made such a great impression—he truly is fantastic! We hope to see you again for another adventure soon! 🌊😊
