Ferry from Terracina to Ponza

Terracina Guide

The Italian town of Terracina is located in the Province of Latina and is around 55 km to the south east of Rome. Located in the town, and well preserved, is the ancient Roman Forum and the Roman pavement made up of slabs of travertine, and containing the inscription A. AEMILIUS A. F. in letters that were once filled in with bronze. Another popular attraction in the town is the Temple of Jupiter Anxur. Anxur was the ancient Volscian name for the town and Jupiter is generally assumed to have been the deity to whom the sanctuary was dedicated. The temple's main structure no longer remains however the vaulted base is visible for miles and is a must see attraction. The site's hilltop location also provides excellent views of the surrounding area. At the eastern end of town, below the temple on its hill, is a monument to Roman engineering and determination. To improve the route of the Appian Way Trajan had the cliff cut to make way for the road. Traffic still runs past this 36m-deep cut in the rock, the Pisco Montano; axe-marks and Roman numerals indicate the workers' progress.

Ferries from the town's port connects Terracina to the island of Ponza.

Ponza Guide

Ponza is the largest of the Pontine Islands which is an archipelago that lies off the Italian coast between the cities of Rome and Naples. Ponza is well known for its Blue Grottoes that were created by the Etruscans and include the Serpents Grotto and the Roman Gallery, which is a Roman tunnel that connects the town of Ponza to the now closed large sandy beach of Chiaia di Luna. Popular sites with visitors are the many archaeological ruins that can be seen that include Egyptian, Canaanite, Greek and Phoenician necropoli ruins in the middle of the island. Also on parts of the island are Roman ruins that are mixed with Etruscan ruins. A large statue called Il Mamozio ("The Mummy") or Il Mitreo, meaning miter or priest's hat, is a 3,000 year old marble statue and was found in the harbour. The statue depicts a local Etrurian consul, it is now displayed in a museum in Napoli behind protective plastic, where it was reunited with its head. It is the oldest known Etruscan statue of its kind and is extremely rare.

Ferry services from Ponza depart to Naples, Terracina, Formia and Anzio; there are also hydrofoils (aliscafo) to Anzio and Formia that have travel time of about 75 minutes.