Ventotene, Island commune in Lazio, Italy
Ventotene is a commune on a narrow island in the Tyrrhenian Sea between the Italian mainland and Ponza. The residential quarter sits on a tuff cliff above the harbor and narrow lanes lead to the church and viewpoints at the island's edge.
Augustus built a residence here for exiled members of the imperial family in the first century. The island later served as a penal colony under the Bourbons and then became a place of exile for political prisoners during Fascism.
Fishermen still return to the small harbor in the early morning and sell their catch directly at the quay. The village climbs up the cliff and locals gather in the evening at the piazza in front of the church.
Boats dock at the harbor and a steep path leads up to the village or you can take the small bus. More boats arrive from Naples and Anzio in summer but in winter only the ferry from Formia runs regularly.
Below the cliffs lie the remains of Roman fish basins directly in the sea where you can see the old masonry pools while swimming. Some cisterns from antiquity still collect rainwater for residents since the island has no natural springs.
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