Palmarola has no town and no roads. There is no electricity, no mobile phone coverage and no ferry terminal. On most days, the only way to reach the island is by small boat from Ponza, five miles away across the Tyrrhenian Sea.

It lies west of Rome, close enough that it can be reached in a day trip but far enough removed so that the Italian capital’s traffic, crowds and constant motion feel like a neighboring planet.

While Rome’s forums, fountains and piazzas pull in millions of visitors, Palmarola remains largely absent from itineraries. Many tourists never hear of it. Many Romans never go.

What draws the people who do make the crossing is not infrastructure or convenience, but the absence of both. Palmarola rises sharply from the water in volcanic cliffs, broken by sea caves and narrow inlets. There is a single beach, a network of footpaths leading inland, and little sign of modern development. (CNN Travel - Silvia Marchetti)