VENTOTENE ISLAND
In front of Latina’s coasline there are 4 beautiful islands each with their own characteristics and a visit to one of them in summertime is a must, even if they shine in all of their beauty in springtime and at the beginning of autumn.
Ventotene is the most shouthern of the Pontine Islands and geographically wise it belongs to the Flegree Islands, while administration wise it is part of the Ponziane Islands in the province of Latina. It resembles a raft in the middle of the sea situated at half way on the Ponza-Ischia sea route.
Ventotene is the island of regular visitors, the island of a calm and never exceeding tourism where prices are not low but never unjustifiably high.
The sea water in Ventotene is clean and protected by a natural reserve, the bottom of it is dark and of an intense blue colour.
Ventotene is said to be wild but not as one would expect any other island to be, as it is densly inhabited on the north side.
The nearest harbour from which Ventotene can be reached is Formia’s and the crossing by ferryboat takes about 2 hours.
Ventotene has a beautiful story. The Greeks had already built a landing here and called it Pandataria or Pandria although they never set down here because the island lacked of fresh water sources.
The Romans built an efficient water system and turned it into an Emperial colony. On this island, Julia, the only daughter of Emperor Augustus and Octavia, Nero’s wife, were exiled.