This Forgotten City In Italy Has Risen From Beneath The Sea; Here's How You Can Explore It

Last Updated:July 12, 2025, 16:46 IST

The ancient city of Aenaria sank underwater after a volcano erupted nearly 2,000 years ago. It is being brought back through archaeological expeditions and underwater tours.

Ischia was famed for its lush beauty and thermal springs. (AFP/File)

The ancient Italian city of Aenaria, off the coast of the Italian island of Ischia, which sank due to a volcanic eruption nearly 2,000 years ago, is now being brought back from the sea as visitors are being given a rare chance to explore the long-lost city through guided underwater tours.

The ruins lay submerged in the Bay of Cartaromana, hidden for centuries beneath layers of sediment and volcanic material. Visitors can now visit the city via glass-bottomed boat rides or snorkelling excursions to see perfectly preserved ancient quays.

For nearly 2,000 years, there was no physical trace of Aenaria, after the eruption of the Cretaio volcano in 180 AD, taking it beneath the waters. The first hints of the city’s existence were in 1972, when two scuba divers found Roman-era pottery shards and two lead ingots off Ischia’s eastern shore. However, a subsequent investigation yielded nothing, according to the BBC.

In 2011, passionate local sailors reopened the archaeological excavation by digging the sea floor and finally managed to confirm the ruins of a Roman-era quay beneath the bay’s volcanic seabed, along with coins, mosaics, seaside villas and the wooden wreckage of a ship.

“It was believed that the Romans never built a city on Ischia," archaeologist Dr Alessandra Benini told the BBC. “It was the opposite."

Ischia’s Fame And History

Ischia was famous as the first Greek colony on the Italian peninsula, established around 750 BC in the north of the island. It is renowned for its lush beauty, laid-back vibe and thermal spa culture shaped by its volatile volcanic geology.

The Greeks called the island Pithecusae and used its volcanic thermal springs to found its first spas. The island was renamed Aenaria after Roman control in 322 BC, although physical evidence of Roman settlement was scarce as they had left only a few tombs.

“The name was documented," said local resident Giulio Lauro. “But no one could find the place." Archaeologists spent years searching for Roman Ischia on dry land, but it turned out the city had simply sunk below the sea.

Lauro, the founder of the Marina di Sant’Anna – the cultural branch of the Ischia Barche sea-tourism cooperative – led the search for the long-lost Roman city. “We started from zero. We were lucky to believe in it. And then to actually find it," Lauro told the BBC.

How Can Visitors Explore The City?

Items uncovered suggest that Aenaria was not only a port but also a residential hub and a crucial military outpost. Radiocarbon dating of the quay’s wooden stakes puts it at roughly 75 BC to 30 AD. Archaeologists have also found mosaic tiles, oil lamps, wooden combs, fishing needles, decorated plaster, and even Roman baths.

Visitors can take glass-bottomed boat tours, as well as snorkelling and scuba excursions to get even closer to the underwater city. All tours start with viewing a 3D video in the cooperative’s small auditorium, which features a digitally reconstructed Aenaria, offering an immersive look at the ancient city’s streets, buildings, and coastline.

Rome, Italy

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