Traversata di Poseidone

The Traversata di Poseidone is a 5000-meter open water event held annually along the southern coast of Ischia, in the Campania region. Swimmers navigate a coastal trajectory starting from the bay of Sant'Angelo and concluding at the Giardini Poseidon. The route operates within the Regno di Nettuno marine protected area, where the sea floor transitions from volcanic rock to sandy bottoms. The race typically takes place in a period when thermal currents from underwater springs, such as those at Sorgeto, can cause localized temperature fluctuations, a phenomenon historically sought after by 19th-century visitors for therapeutic purposes.

Historical landscape and coastal features

As you progress along the route, the silhouette of the Mount Epomeo volcanic horst serves as a constant landmark, with its distinct white lava deposits visible even from the water. The course passes near Punta Chiarito, where excavations have unearthed an 8th-century BCE Greek farmstead, marking one of the earliest signs of colonization in the Tyrrhenian sea. Further along, the coastline is dominated by the La Nave rock formation, which rises twenty meters above the surface and serves as a geological contrast to the surrounding depths.

The area is marked by a history of conflict, most notably the 1544 siege led by the pirate Dragut, who occupied the Torre Torone. Near the finish at Citara, the seabed and shoreline recall the Roman period, during which the bay was consecrated to Venus Citarea, whose marble statue was recovered in the vicinity. For those seeking a longer endurance challenge, the Periplo Isola d'Ischia offers a full circumnavigation of the island, while shorter engagement opportunities exist through the Ischia Italian Open Water Tour held in the autumn. The waters near Citara are also associated with the myth of the Phaeacians, whose petrified ship is said to form the local rocky outcrops, while the distant flash of the Ischia Porto lighthouse remains a silent guide for those navigating the island’s northern perimeter.