Sometimes the weekend is all you have, but that’s no reason to stay in the city and suffer. TRF suggests easy weekend trips to nearby towns and regions, for mountaineers, culture geeks or beach bums alike.
“It amazes me that most people spend more time planning next summer’s vacation than they do planning the rest of their lives.” - Patricia Fripp
The island of Ponza rises from its mountainous terrain out of the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coast of the Circeo Cape. An archipelago of islands which include the lesser known Ventotene, Zannone, Palmarola, Gavi and Santo Stefano, its wilderness and sparsely populated towns offer breathtaking views of blue coastlines, pure green mountains, underwater caves and volcanic rock.
After a quick flight back to Rome, we drive an hour south to Anzio, one of four towns where ferries leave for Ponza, eponym of the Pontines and the archipelago's main destination. Compared to the bustling ferry docks in Naples that service Capri, Anzio's is tiny and refined, attended to by valets in orange shirts. The seven Pontine Islands were a regular stomping ground for Roman emperors beginning with Augustus.