Palmarola Island Italy
8
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Star Clippers (8 Cruises)
Frequently Asked Questions
By zodiac, and only in calm seas. Expedition ships and small vessels anchor off the volcanic cliffs and set passengers down on the island's one inhabited beach, Cala del Porto. There is no pier and no road: if the sea picks up, the landing is cancelled.
Almost nothing. Cala del Porto has a handful of cave dwellings cut into the tuff and a single seasonal restaurant at the water's edge. No other shops, no ATM, no street lighting. Bring whatever you will need.
Spend more time in the water than on land. The boat circuit of the island strings together sea caves, arches and faraglioni, including the northern stacks nicknamed the cathedrals for their organ-pipe ribbing. Mask and snorkel are the heart of the day.
In the Pontine archipelago, about 10 km northwest of Ponza off the coast of Lazio. It is reachable only by boat: roughly thirty minutes' crossing from Ponza harbour.
Yes, and that is the point of the call. The water is among the clearest in the Tyrrhenian, with grouper, salema and shoals of damselfish along the drop-offs. Cala Brigantina and its cavities can be entered by swimming. Water shoes are recommended — the beaches are pebble.
Honestly, no. Landing is by zodiac onto a pebble beach, with no pier and no ramp, and the paths climb through volcanic rock. The call is mostly experienced from the water, which remains possible by staying aboard the tender.
Hat, water, sun protection, mask and snorkel, water shoes. Shade is scarce and services are close to non-existent beyond the seasonal restaurant. Bring cash too — do not count on cards in a place like this.
Because the whole island is an intact natural site, with no road and no development. Seabirds nest by the hundred in its cliffs, and the seabed supports wildlife that heavy visitation would quickly damage. Viewing from the water is encouraged; building is not.
It is dedicated to Saint Silverius, a pope deposed and exiled in the 6th century, said to have died on the island in 537. Now patron saint of the archipelago, he is honoured each year by the people of Ponza, who cross in a procession of boats to the little white sanctuary above the cove.
June to September, when the sea is most workable and swimming is pleasant. Outside that window the anchorage becomes unreliable and the Cala del Porto restaurant closes. Even in summer, a northwest swell can cancel the landing.
