The best beaches in Rome
As the summer heat rises, Romans escape the heat to the beach. Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily are on the list, but actually, there are very nice beaches on the west coast of Italy too – the closest beaches are just a 30-minute ride away from central Rome.
Living in Rome, my favourite everyday little luxury is to go for an after-work aperitivo and swim in the sunset. Here are three of my favourite beaches near the Eternal City, all easy to reach both by car and public transportation.
1. LOCAL´S FAVOURITE: Santa Severa
Most beaches in Italy are private and maintained by beach clubs, so to enter you must pay a fee or rent a sunbed and umbrella to enjoy the day. There are some nice free public beaches too, and one of the best in Rome must be Santa Severa. This beautiful long sandy beach with shallow water is popular with the locals.
There is a little bar, fish restaurant, hostel and a stunning medieval castle facing the sea. Before the Romans took over, the area was an Etruscan village called Pyrgi. Nowadays the beach is all set for your lazy days in the sun.
How to go: Located 50 km North from central Rome. Take a train from Rome (Roma Termini, Roma Trastevere etc.) to Santa Severa. The train drops you 10 minutes walk away from the beach. You can see the timetables at trenitalia.com.
2. LONG SANDY BEACHES: Ladispoli
Another local favourite! I have few friends living in Ladispoli since it has more affordable houses than the city center, and of course, it´s calmer and it has those endlessly long sandy beaches. You can find both beach clubs and free public beaches on this coastline. The beaches are so long that the place is perfect also for jogging along the coastline.
The lovers of nature will enjoy exploring the beautiful nature reserve called Monumento naturale Palude di Torre Flavia located a 10-minute ride away from Ladispoli station.
How to go: Located 38 kilometers North from central Rome. Take a train from Rome to Ladispoli-Cervetri. You can get to the closest beach within 10 minutes from the station by walking through the main shopping street in the city center. Still, there are even better beaches in Ladispoli a little short car ride away from the station.
3. SAFE BET FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: Santa Marinella
Easy, affordable (the train ticket costs few coins) and simply nice. Me and my local friends dream of chill days at the Italian paradise beaches, but we often end up in Santa Marinella. But no wonder why. The beach is super easy to reach. I also recommend it to families with small kids, since it´s a shallow sandy beach and the water is cleaner than on beaches closer to the city center. There are a few little bars on the beach if you get hungry for gelato and spritz.
How to go: Located 62 km away from central Rome. Take a train to Santa Marinella. The beach is five minutes walk away from the station.
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When you’re in the mood for a party, go clubbing in one of the beach clubs in Fregene or Ostia.
If you have a car, opt for a lovely beach day in Sabaudia or Terracina. These places have some the most beautiful beaches in the region of Lazio. The only downside is that these beachtowns are complicated to reach by public traffic.
For a perfect beach day, my number one spot is always the picturesque coastal town of Sperlonga. You can read my post about Sperlonga here.
When you want to have a weekend getaway in Roman style, travel to the dreamy island of Ponza. The place is perfect for snorkeling and swimming in the clear turquoise waters. Read my post about Ponza here.
One hour on a train to Naples, then another hour on a hydrofoil ferry, and you end up in Capri. Or even to Procida or Ischia if you wish so.
Oh now I need to stop, there are too many nice places to list. Okay, one more! I love that Amalfi Coast is only a few hours away from Rome. Positano is a classic, but my favourite villages are Ravello and the village of the most beautiful ceramic art, Vietri sul Mare.
Text by Hertta Hiltunen, photos by Rosario Curia
