Beaching near Rome

When I first came to Rome, I didn’t know that there were beaches near. I hadn’t even thought about it really. Growing up in Miami, I didn’t usually seek out beaches; I grew up and always lived near one. Then, for ten years I lived in Fort Lauderdale, ten minutes from pristine sought-after beaches. I used to go there at least once a week even if for just a stroll or to read a book by the water as the sun set.

Within a month of being in Rome, my cousin reminded me that Ostia, Rome’s beach, is only half an hour away. Well, one day he drove me out there and showed me the pier with pride. Sure, I get it, it’s nice to have a beach so close to the city and I can understand the locals being proud to say that on top of having all the culture and history the entire world comes to see, they also have a beach. However, like I said before – Ostia is Rome’s beach, meaning of course a city beach. Not at all pristine waters – it’s dirty, crowded, and a bit smelly in my opinion.

Ostia is a good option if you need a quick fix (though I never go swimming in that murky water) or, like me, are looking for the closest place to see a sunset over the water on a random day. Being a part of the metropolitan city of Rome means your subway pass for the city even works to get you there, so it’s also the cheapest option.

I personally rather travel a bit further and spend a bit more money to have a better experience and feel satisfied at the end of the day, so I went on a mission to check out all the best beaches in Lazio, all within two hours from Rome and doable to get to on public transport. Here’s the list of my top ten favorite – the first six are in this list for beauty while the last four just for proximity and convenience.

1. Nicest beach that’s easy to get to: Santa Marinella

This is my default beach to go to, as it’s the best mix between nice beach with clear water and easy to get to. It’s also one of the higher class, more privileged beaches, evident by the price of sun beds and the people that go (and live) there. This is one is the easiest to get to, especially if you’re near the Ostiense, Trastevere, or Tuscolana station, because there’s a train that goes directly there and it’s only a 5-minute walk from the train station. The train ride is more or less an hour (depending on which one you take) and they run often, usually about one every hour. Train ticket is about €5 one way. (Check trenitalia.com for schedules)

2. Most interesting beach: Santa Severa

This one is special because there’s a castle right on the beach and you can sunbathe right next to this 14^th century structure. Santa Severa is the stop before Santa Marinella, though not every train stops there so check the stops before getting on the train. Be sure to also check the return times because direct trains back to Rome are limited. The castle holds musical events in the summer evenings, and there are some nice restaurants on the beach to dine in even after sunset.

3. Most Beautiful and nice town: Gaeta

This is the furthest one – you’re practically in Naples here – but it’s the nicest one. Being on the border of Campania and closer to Naples than to Rome, you don’t even feel like you’re in Lazio here. The water is clear, the town is nice to visit, and the people are warmer and louder. This is, however, the hardest one to get to as it’s the furthest one. There’s a train from Termini, then you have to take a bus that takes about half an hour. Because of the trek to get there, it’s worthwhile considering spending the night there though also doable as a day trip if you start early.

4. All around best option and most beautiful: San Felice Circeo

If travel time were not an issue, I’d say this is my favorite beach. It lies with a mountain and national park behind creating a beautiful backdrop to the scene, plus you can go to the top of the mountain for the view, and there’s some great hiking nearby too. To add to that, there are lots of great restaurants here. There’s a bus that leaves early from Laurentina metro station and takes you directly to the beach, though bus times are limited. (Check schedules on cotralspa.it)

5. Most natural beach: Sabaudia

When considering only the quality of the beach, this is the nicest one for its soft sand and natural surroundings. No hotels and apartments here, only a wide beach, trees, and the sea. This one is also not very easy to get to, as you have to take a train and then a bus and the bus schedule is limited, but it’s worth the trip if you’re up for it. The bus takes you all the way to Torre Paola.

6. Also really worthwhile checking out: Sperlonga

With nice beaches and clear water at sea level and the historical center of the village on top offering views of the beach, Sperlonga is definitely worth the trek. This also requires the train from Termini and then a bus so patience is required.

7. Closest to Rome: Cancelli

I was skeptical about this one for quite a while even though everyone kept recommending it. I felt it couldn’t possibly be that nice considering it’s so close to Ostia. It’s actually pretty good though if you don’t feel like travelling far. The beach here is wide as I’m used to in Florida and the water isn’t that dirty. I still don’t get the urge to jump in the water here, but for sunbathing it’s fine.

8. Easy to get to: Nettuno

If you’re only seeking beach, convenience, and don’t want to spend a lot of money, this one is ok. There’s even a decent size city and a castle to see. It’s only a short walk from the train station.

9. Another easy to get to option: Anzio

Close to Nettuno, Anzio is a fishing village better known for its port and history, as it’s where Nerone came from. Also only a short walk from the train station.

10. Best for aperitivo: Fregene

Ok this one I’ve never gone to by public transport but there are Cotral buses that take you from the train station. That being said though, Fregene is hip Northern Rome’s beach so I feel like showing up on a bus would defeat the purpose of it. If you have a car to get there though, this is a cool place to go to for an evening stroll and aperitivo.