Explore Ponza

Ponza is steeped in mystical mythology, which legend tells was Homer’s inspiration for the sorceress Circe’s island in his brilliant tale, ‘The Odyssey’. Bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea, situated in the province of Lazio in Italy, Ponza diving features pinnacles rising from the ocean’s depths, caves, as well as several wrecks.

Scuba diving in Ponza is accessible to everyone, with shallow sites ideal for beginners to wrecks which have sunk below 80 metres and are only accessible by rebreather. On Ponza, there are dive centres offering day trips as well as several hotels/dive resorts that provide access to the sea beneath the island’s astounding cliffs.

Upcoming Events

Ponza Island - Weekend

From May 8-10, 2026, Ponza Island hosts an extraordinary diving weekend, organized by ASD L'Aquila di Mare, ideal for divers of all levels and companions. The event takes place on the largest of the islands in the Ponzian Islands archipelago, a destination renowned for the variety of its seabed and the spectacular beauty of the central Tyrrhenian Sea coastline. Ponza offers a unique underwater environment, with rock walls, natural caves, canyons and striking dive sites among which stand out formations such as Le Formiche, which slope down to more than 50 meters deep and give fascinating underwater light games and landscapes. Another highlight is the Punta Papa Wreck (LST 349), a World War II vessel lying on 25-meter depths, which is one of the most photographed dives on the island and lends itself to technical and recreational exploration. The program includes professionally guided day dives, with all technical equipment provided for divers, and a chance to discover the rich Mediterranean fauna: groupers, scorpionfish, moray eels, octopus and, with luck, schools of barracuda. In addition to diving, the event includes hotel or apartment accommodations for two nights with breakfast, restaurant dinners and round-trip ferries from Formia to Ponza. This is a perfect opportunity to combine the diving experience with the discovery of one of the most popular destinations in the Tyrrhenian Sea, with its coastal landscapes and crystal clear waters. For info: Stefano - 333.1321563 - stefano@laquiladimare.it

L’Aquila di Mare, Viale Ovidio, 3, 67100, L’Aquila, AQ, ITA

October 30, 2026

$541.43

€460.00

Find Courses & Events

Diving in Ponza

Scuba diving in Ponza will find divers venturing the entire breadth of the island as well as to the nearby islands, Palmarola and Zannone. Diving sites range from shallow seabeds littered with intriguing rock formations and caves, such as ‘Gavi’, - which are ideal for novice divers - to walls, such as ‘Punta Papa’ which stretch to 40 metres deep. There are wrecks like the ‘Landing Ship Tank’ which is accessible for advanced divers to witness its cannons and machine guns while rebreather divers can head beyond 80 metres at ‘Wreck LCM’.

Ponza’s crystal clear waters and range of sites make it the ideal place to embark on a dive course, from the very beginner to learning how to use a rebreather.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Ponza

Camouflaged in seagrass meadows, which are important refuges for juvenile reef fish, pony needlefish flit around and a wide variety of crustaceans rest on the sandy seafloor. On the sand, red mullet, scallop fish, and the lizardfish relax while in caves, it is possible to observe swarms of greater shrimp merging in the dark rooms. Groupers shelter behind the submerged boulders while observing out into the blue, snapper and sea bream patrol.

At wall sites, moray eels hide within the many ravines and burrows and Mediterranean lobsters sit sedentarily flaunting their giant claws. Scorpionfish are often seen stationed on wrecks and rocky outcrops.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content