Nestled in a verdant valley in northeast Pantelleria, "Venus's Mirror" is an extinct crater that is now a circular lake, bordered by sulfur-rich mud that is said to have healing properties for dermatological or rheumatic disorders. You might catch a glimpse of the incongruously bright turquoise water of the Specchio di Venere upon final approach at Pantelleria airport. If you're bringing food, a fun local custom is pouring a bit of olive oil into small bowl-shaped divots in the rock, which is already perfumed with sea salt, and dipping fresh bread in. Near water's edge, you can usually find some flat rocks suitable for lounging on. Given the time involved in getting to most of these swimming spots, packing a picnic is a good idea. (Drive through Tracino, then park at the end of the road marked Cala Levante this is the north side of the bay and 300m/984 ft., by sea or rocky shore, from the "elephant." A swim under the arch is a must, while some more adventurous local kids are known to cliff-dive from the top of the elephant's nose.) From the big flat ears to the oblong eye sockets, this rock is pachyderm all the way. Here, at the southern tip of Cala Levante, the sloping lava, with a natural arch forming a "trunk" where it meets the water, looks exactly - I mean, exactly - like an elephant kneeling in the Med for a drink of water. The "Arch of the Elephant" is the visual calling card of Pantelleria and every bit as impressive in real life as in the postcards and Web images. Beyond Gadir is the bathing mecca that consists of three promontories, two gorgeous bays ( Cala Tramontana and Cala Levante), and one awesome natural rock formation - the Arco dell'Elefante. Continuing south on the coastal road, follow the signs to Gadir, where there are ancient thermal pools, reinforced in concrete, at water's edge. At the end of a 10-minute trail is this seaside "infinity pool" formed when sea water in high tide washes over the rock wall into a smooth basin. A bit farther east is Punta Spadillo park where you see signs pointing to Laghetto delle Ondine. Next up, Karuscia is a wide and shallow bay accessed by a gently sloping but bumpy deposit of lava rocks. Heading out clockwise (east) from Pantelleria town, one of the first enticing inlets is Cala del Bue Marino, where centuries of wind and water have sculpted sinuous reliefs into the lava rock walls. Though the coves here are, as elsewhere on the island, either rocky or pebbly (aqua socks are a must!), they're relatively easy to access from the paved strada litoranea (coastal road). Pantelleria's best swimming spots are concentrated on the northeast coast, from Pantelleria town to the Arco dell'Elefante. Along the way you'll get to know the many facets of Pantelleria - the fancy dammusi and sparking sea are clearly visible through the low vegetation, yet so are ratty yards and power lines. Stopping for a swim anywhere along the route will add at least an hour, and probably more. It's a journey of about 60km (37 miles) that takes roughly 2 1/2 hours, if you only make a few quick stops along the way. Outside town, the best introduction to Pantelleria's striking landscape is a drive along the coastal road (the strada provinciale or strada litoranea) that hugs the shore all the way around the island, passing through a few of the larger villages. The town, which is built along the crescent-shaped harbor and continues inland for a few hundred meters, has all the services you need - supermarkets and delis, marine hardware stores, laundries, even a 99-cent store - and exactly one historical monument, the ancient Castello Barbacane (not open to the public), which dominates the harbor with its imposing, windowless walls in black lava. Even the elite habitués of the island who own lavish dammuso compounds in the countryside never miss morning coffee and evening drinks at one of the unassuming bars of Pantelleria town. What Pantelleria town lacks in glamour, it makes up for in authenticity - which makes it the polar opposite of more obviously posh Italian islands like Capri and Panarea - and if you're the type of traveler who's always in search of real local culture, you'll love Pantelleria town. There are delivery trucks belching fumes as they idle on the harborside streets, poor local children shuffling along in rubber sport sandals, and block after block of apartment buildings in that unattractive, utilitarian postwar style so common in southern Italy. Pantelleria town is a working port that isn't love at first sight for those who vacation here, thinking Pantelleria is a chic insiders' getaway.
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