Roman Coast

<< Lazio

The long coast of the Metropolitan City of Rome houses several popular seaside resorts, but also numerous historic attractions such as the ancient ruins of Ostia, Cerveteri, and Anzio. This area also includes the port town of Civitavecchia.

Civitavecchia

Civitavecchia is a port city located on the Tyrrhenian Sea, northwest of Rome. Originally settled by the Etruscans, the town became a thriving port and commercial center under the Romans. Despite being raided various times during the Middle Ages, it retained its importance, and it has been for centuries the main port of Rome.

Forte Michelangelo

Forte Michelangelo is a fortress located in the port of Civitavecchia. The fort was erected in the 16th century and, according to local tradition, its main tower was designed by Michaelangelo, but there is no evidence of this.

Taurine Baths

The Taurine Baths (Terme Taurine) are the ruins of an ancient thermal complex located near Civitavecchia. Established in the 1st century BCE, the complex was greatly expanded in the 2nd century. The ruins include various structures, some of which still preserve their ancient mosaics and decorations.

Cerveteri

Cerveteri is a town located northwest of Rome. Settled in ancient times, it was one of the largest Etruscan cities, and a prosperous trading center. The town was eventually conquered by the Romans and suffered a decline. Cerveteri is now known for its rich archaeological heritage from the Etruscan age.

✪ Necropolis of the Banditaccia

The Necropolis of the Banditaccia (Necropoli della Banditaccia) is a vast Etrsucan necropolis located just north of Cerveteri. The complex is the largest of its kind in the entire Mediterranean region, and houses thousands of tombs dating between the 9th century BCE and the 3rd century BCE. Among these are various tombs adorned with ancient frescoes and decorations, and some of the best preserved Etruscan burials.

Cerite National Museum

The Cerite National Museum (Museo Nazionale Cerite) is an archaeological museum hosted in a fortified palace in Cerveteri. Its collection includes several objects and artworks unearthed in the nearby necropolis, mostly of Etruscan and Greek style. One of the finest examples of ancient Greek vase in the world, the Euphronios Krater (Cratere di Eufronio), is hosted here.

Fiumicino

Fiumicino is a seaside town located north of the mouth of the Tiber. Previously part of Rome, it became its own municipality in 1992. It is known for hosting the busiest airport in Italy, the Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, but also features some archaeological ruins.

Archaeological Area of Portus

Portus was an ancient Roman port located near modern-day Fiumicino. Now the archaeological area of Portus houses the ruins of various structures, such as some ancient warehouses and a large portico. A bit south of this area is the Isola Sacra Necropolis (Necropoli di Porto Isola Sacra), a necropolis housing tombs dating between the 1st and 4th century.

Roman Ships Museum of Fiumicino

The Roman Ships Museum of Fiumicino (Museo delle Navi Romane di Fiumicino) is an archaeological museum located just outside the Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport. The museum houses the remains of some ancient ships unearthed during the construction of the airport, along with various other archaeological finds.

Ostia

Ostia is a seaside town which forms part of the municipality of Rome. Located at the mouth of the Tiber river, Ostia was the port of ancient Rome, but it was later abandoned. The modern neighborhood was founded in the 19th century on the land reclaimed from the nearby marshland. Now it is a popular summer destination and houses a vast archaeological park.

✪ Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica (“Ancient Ostia”) is the archaeological area that houses the ruins of the port of Rome, founded around the 7th century BCE. The town later developed into a thriving port and commercial center, but it was abandoned in the Middle Ages. The park includes the ruins of numerous structures, including some thermal complexes such as the large Forum Baths (Terme del Foro) and Baths of Neptune (Terme di Nettuno). Next to the Baths of Neptune are the Roman Theater (Teatro Romano) and the Piazzale delle Corporazioni, a tree-lined square with the ruins of a temple. Another important landmark in the park is the large temple known as Capitolium. The park also features the ruins of many other houses and buildings, some of which are adorned with well preserved mosaics, and a museum with various objects unearthed here.

Rocca of Ostia

Also known as: Castle of Julius II

Located next to the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica is a 15th-century fort commissioned by Pope Julius II to fortify the coastal defences of Rome. The fort was damaged during the 16th century, and was later used as a prison.

Pomezia

Pomezia is a city built after the reclamation of the marshes south of Rome in the 1930s. Now a large industrial center, its territory includes the ruins of the ancient town of Lavinium.

Lavinium Archaeological Civic Museum

The Lavinium Archaeological Civic Museum (Museo Civico Archeologico Lavinium) is an archaeological museum near Pomezia which features numerous objects and artworks unearthed in the ruins of the ancient town of Lavinium. According to Roman tradition, the town was founded by Aeneas, and was thus regarded as a precursor of Rome. The excavations carried out here found objects and structures dating as far back as the Bronze Age.

Anzio

Anzio is a coastal city facing the Tyrrhenian Sea south of Rome. The town was founded by the Volsci, an ancient Italic tribe, and later became a Roman city. In the Middle Ages, Anzio was abandoned in favor of nearby Nettuno. The modern town was established in the 19th century, and became famous during World War II as the site of the amphibious landing of the Allied troops. Now it is a seaside resort and houses various archaeological ruins.

Archaeological Park of Antium

The ruins of the ancient city of Antium are located along the coast of the modern seaside resort of Anzio. The archaeological area includes the ruins of a few buildings, such as the large Villa of Nero (Villa di Nerone), which served for centuries as a residence of the Roman emperors. A series of seaside caves known as Caves of Nero (Grotte di Nerone) are along the coast adjacent to the park.

Nettuno

Nettuno is a seaside city located just east of Anzio in the Metropolitan City of Rome. Settled in ancient times, the modern town emerged in the Middle Ages, and was for centuries an important fortified position along the coast.

Forte Sangallo

Forte Sangallo is a Renaissance fort built in the early 16th century along the seafront of Nettuno. For centuries an important coastal fortification, now it houses a museum of local history, archaeology and art, and often hosts events and temporary exhibitions.

Torre Astura

Torre Astura is a coastal tower located on a tiny islet southeast of Nettuno, connected to the mainland by a small bridge. Originally the site of an ancient Roman villa, the tower was erected in the Late Middle Ages, and a few ruins of the previous structure can be seen today. On the coast next to the tower is a lush pine forest.