Palmaria: The Secret Island Across from Portovenere You Can Swim To

Palmaria is the largest island in the Spezzino Archipelago, in the Gulf of Poets, separated from Portovenere by a 200-metre stretch of water — so narrow you can swim across it. And yet, while Portovenere is overrun with tourists, Palmaria is almost deserted: a handful of trails, no hotels, a single trattoria.

You reach it by boat from the Portovenere dock — a five-minute crossing — or by swimming, for those with the stamina and the spirit. You come ashore at Terrizzo, a small pebble beach on the eastern coast, where the island's trails begin.

The main path climbs to the island's highest point (186 metres) through holm oak woods and Mediterranean scrub. The view from the ridge is breathtaking: on one side, Portovenere and the gulf with La Spezia in the background; on the other, open sea with the islands of Tino and Tinetto. The path descends toward the wilder, less accessible western coast, where sea caves open in the cliff face.

The Grotta Azzurra is the main attraction: a sea cave where the water turns an intense shade of blue through the refraction of light. You visit by boat, and on calm days you can swim inside.

Palmaria's beaches are few and small: Terrizzo (pebbles), Cala della Fornace (stones), Pozzale (white pebbles — the finest of the three). There are no beach clubs or sun loungers — you stretch out on the rocks and dive into clear water.

You can visit in half a day or take a full day. The best time is May–June and September. In July–August the boat from Portovenere runs more frequently, but the island never gets crowded — there's simply no infrastructure to hold people.

Palmaria is proof that the beauty of the Gulf of Poets doesn't end at Portovenere's promenade. Cross 200 metres of water and you find a different world: silent, wild, and free.

Practical guides for La Spezia

• Where to stay in La Spezia
• What to see in La Spezia
• Where to eat in La Spezia
• How to get to La Spezia