Rome is a city with a strategic location: close to the sea and with wonderful options for day trips, it’s a perfect location to spend the summer enjoying a mix of natural scenery, culture, and some swims in the Mediterranean Sea. Here are our favorite beaches along the Roman coastline and info on how to reach them.
Top tip: contact us to hire a private driver to bring you to the beach and back.
The easiest and prettiest beach to reach from Rome is Santa Marinella, a seaside town that lies less than one hour north of the city near Civitavecchia. Local trains leave frequently from all the main train stations in Rome (Trastevere, Termini, and San Pietro) and the beach itself is an easy 5-minute walk from the Santa Marinella train station. You can opt for a sun lounger or lay out on a free beach and there are a few dining options nearby, including our favorite little kiosk that opens beneath ‘Gigi’ bar each summer that makes excellent salads. If you’re staying for dinner, book a table at Molo 21 for dinner.
On the same train line as Santa Marinella, Santa Severa is a long beach with an imposing 14th-century castle. There are dozens of beach clubs and restaurants along the sea, as well as free beaches where you can easily lay out your towel to soak in some sunshine. Lydo is our favorite restaurant and serves great fish pastas. For a scenic aperitivo, snag the outdoor table at Isola del Pescatore and order a Spritz and some snacks to enjoy while the sun goes down.
The city of Anzio south of Rome may be best known for its World War II history but it’s a lively cosmopolitan center with archeological treasures, such as Emperor Nero’s Imperial Villa, which dates back to the Roman Era. You can catch a train from Roma Termini and get off at Anzio. The beach is about a 10-15 minute walk through the town – we like the free beach along the Riviera di Ponente. If you’d like a proper beach club with services, known as a stabilimento in Italian, get off a few stops earlier at Marechiaro to grab a sun bed at Blue Bay Beach, a lovely quiet beach with a restaurant and shimmering sea.
The closest beach to Rome, Ostia can be easily reached through public transportation by catching the Roma Lido commuter train from the Piramide train station. A lively beach town developed under Mussolini, it has a number of private beach clubs as well as a large free beach area where you can lay your towel out to sunbathe for free. If you catch a local bus out to the cancelli (gates) you can enjoy the scenery of the nearby dunes with a more alternative crowd. Stop by the historic Paglia Pasticceria in the center of town for a cream or chocolate-filled “krapfen” donut for the perfect afternoon snack.
Located halfway between Rome and Naples, Sperlonga isn’t the closest beach to Rome but it’s one of the loveliest in the vicinity. Considered a Blue Flag Beach thanks to its clean, clear water, it rivals some of Italy’s best-known coastlines and boasts a beautiful whitewashed hilltop town, too. Sperlonga is a perfect weekend getaway from the Eternal City and definitely worth spending a night to properly explore and unwind. Don’t miss visiting Emperor Tiberius’ ancient villa and its picturesque grotto with a perfectly framed view of the sea.
Looking for more ideas for day trips? See our list of places within easy reach of Rome.
