Weekend Trips from Rome: Pontine Islands

If the madness of Rome starts to wear on you (and in the heat of summer, it just may), do as the Romans do. Head to the sea for the weekend. About an hour from Rome is the Tyrrhenian coast near Terracina, an area much enjoyed by Rome's residents since antiquity and well-known in mythology (Circe, the sorceress in Homer's Odyssey is said to have transformed Ulysses' men into pigs here). About 15 miles off this coastline is a little-known archipelago, the Pontine Islands, named for its principal island, Ponza. These rugged volcanic islands are as beautiful as Capri, but are smaller, quieter and sometimes also less expensive. On Ponza, Anna Fendi has another Villa Laetitia with only 3 rooms and she also owns La Limonaia a Mare, a 5 room guesthouse with views of the sea. You can catch a hydrofoil to Ponza from Anzio, just south of Rome, and be sure to rent a boat when you are on Ponza (available in the harbor). The water is one of the main attractions!

Villa Laetitia-The Fendi Family Designs Again

Anna Fendi's mansion along the Tiber River came with a guesthouse that was perfect for a small hotel. The Fendi matriarch and her daughters and granddaughters (including Delfina, who has her own jewelry store in Rome) transformed the foresteria into the 15 room Villa Laetitia (Happiness House), each room mixing modern flair with the traditional architectural forms of the house. All rooms have a kitchenette and many have direct access to the gardens and grounds. The hotel is just a 15 minute walk from Piazza del Popolo, and to be fair, is almost reasonable with rooms starting at 180 Euros. The hotel is on Conde Nast Traveler's Hot List 2008, along with the famous J.K. Place hotel on Capri.