In the island of Ponza, off the coast of Italy's Lazio region

 Ponza (Italian: isola di Ponza) is the largest island of the Italian Pontine Islands archipelago, located 33 km (21 mi.) south of Cape Circeo in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

=====================================================================
(off the coast of Italy's Lazio region) South of Rome and northwest of Naples in the Gulf of Gaeta lie six islands known as Isole Ponziane, or the Pontine Islands. This archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea is named collectively after the largest island, Ponza, which is a haven for water sports enthusiasts. Legend tells that the island was named after the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, however historians have since disproved this and agree that the name is of Greek origin. (That said, the island has an interesting history.) Ponza was thick with forests when it was first colonized by the Etruscans, who chopped down the trees and terraced the land making it manageable for the growing of fruit and vegetables. Over the years, erosion and development have removed most traces of these ancient terraces, however in some parts of the island extinct stumps from the original trees, some over eight feet wide, still exist. Literary scholars believe the island to be Aeaea, home of Circe, the sorceress who turned men into animals depicted in Homer’s "The Odyssey". Grotta della Maga Circe on the west side of the island, between Spaggia di Chaia di Luna (half-moon beach) and Capo Bianco is said to be the cave in which she lived and from where she’d cast her spells. In fact the island is famed for its grottos, which were created by the Etruscans, and the beauty of these caves has a strange juxtaposition with their names, such as the Cave of Ulysses of the Blood, and the Serpents Grotto.

+ Ponza is approximately five and half miles (~9 km) long and is the island that attracts the most visitors. It has a handful of beaches, but is mostly made up of a rocky coastline which is perfect for exploring by boat. (The island has a wealth of diving companies that offer equipment for rent.) It also has many hotels, apartment rentals, and bed-and-breakfast establishments, and superb restaurants serving local dishes. The other islands in this archipelago are Zannone, Palmarola and Gavi, and (separated by 41 km (~25 mi.)], are Ventotene and Santo Stefano.