# Sperlonga and Gaeta

Tiberius's villa and grotto at Sperlonga, sandy beaches, a boat along the Riviera di Ulisse and Gaeta's Montagna Spaccata, two hours from Rome.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/lazio/sperlonga-gaeta · Revisado: 2026-11-12

Sperlonga and Gaeta are the coast Romans go for: two villages about twenty kilometres apart, in the south of Lazio, linked by the Via Flacca, a road hugging the sea between tunnels and coves. Sperlonga is a white village on a spur of rock, with sandy beaches on both sides and Emperor Tiberius's villa at the exit. Gaeta is a city with a port, a medieval quarter and a promontory, Monte Orlando, which ends in the Montagna Spaccata, a mountain split in two with a chapel at the bottom of the crevice.

It's the day trip from Rome for anyone who wants the sea and something more than the sea. In the morning, the Sperlonga museum, with the giant sculptures of the Odyssey; at midday, beach or boat; in the afternoon, the Montagna Spaccata and sunset in Gaeta. With two or three days, you add Monte Orlando, the medieval quarter and a fish dinner from the gulf.

## How do you get there from Rome?

By train, it's the quietest way to do it in a day. Regional trains from Roma Termini towards Naples along the coast stop at Fondi-Sperlonga, in about an hour and a quarter, and at Formia-Gaeta, in about an hour and a half. Neither station is in the village: from Fondi it's about 13 km to Sperlonga, by bus or taxi; from Formia, about 8 to Gaeta. Check timetables at trenitalia.com and don't cut it fine for the last train back.

By car, around two hours: the Pontina to Latina and Terracina, and the coast. The Via Flacca then links Sperlonga and Gaeta in half an hour. The problem is parking in summer: Sperlonga's centre is pedestrian and the car parks by the beaches are paid and fill up at weekends. Park below and walk up.

By boat, in summer, you can go from one village to the other with Sperlonga Escursioni, which leaves from the ports of Sperlonga and Gaeta along the Riviera di Ulisse.

## What can you see in Sperlonga?

The Archaeological Museum and Tiberius's Villa are the reason to come even if you don't swim. In 1957, when the road was being opened, the grotto where the emperor dined with his guests appeared, and inside, fragments of the sculptural groups of the Odyssey: the blinding of Polyphemus, Scylla attacking Odysseus's ship. Today they are reassembled in the museum, and the villa is toured on foot at beach level. The grotto is temporarily closed for works: it can be seen from outside.

Afterwards, the old town, an hour of steps and white alleys, and the Levante and Ponente beaches, long and of fine sand.

## What can you see in Gaeta?

The Montagna Spaccata: next to the sanctuary of the Santissima Trinità, a staircase goes down a vertical crack in the rock to a chapel above the sea, and another, on the outside, to the Grotta del Turco. Above, the Monte Orlando park, with trails above the cliffs, Bourbon batteries and the Roman mausoleum of Munatius Plancus. On one side, the Serapo beach; on the other, the medieval quarter and the port.

Between the two villages, the coast is best seen from the water: the boat trip along the Riviera di Ulisse passes coves and grottoes as far as the Montagna Spaccata.

## How much time and when to go?

One day covers Sperlonga and the Montagna Spaccata, by car, or one of the two villages, by train. With two or three days, you sleep in Gaeta or Sperlonga and do the beach, boat and Monte Orlando unhurried.

The best time is May, June and September: the water is already good, boats are running and beaches aren't full. In July and August there are lots of people at weekends and it pays to arrive early. In winter the museum and the sanctuary can be visited just the same, but many lidos, beach hotels and boats close.

## Dónde está
- Cerca: Garden of Ninfa and Sermoneta (a 57.2 km), Naples (a 77.2 km), Subiaco (a 83.5 km), Castelli Romani (a 89.5 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Archaeological Museum and Villa of Tiberius in Sperlonga** (1 h 30 · All ages; €2 reduced rate for ages 18 to 25 · 5): What it is
In 1957, when the Via Flacca was being cut, the villa of Tiberius appeared in a grotto by the sea, and inside it thousands of fragments of marble. Reassembled, they are the great sculptural groups of the Odyssey that now fill the museum: the blinding of Polyphemus, Scylla attacking Ulysses' ship and the theft of the Palladium. From the museum you go out to the archaeological area: the rooms of the villa, the fish ponds and the mouth of the grotto, at beach level.
Opening times and tickets
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 to 19:30; the ticket office closes at 19:00. The archaeological area closes earlier depending on the month: in November and December at 16:00, with last entry at 15:00; from April to September, at 19:00. Ticket, €5; reduced, €2. There is a joint ticket with the archaeological museum of Formia for €10, valid for 30 days. Buy at the ticket office or on the Musei Italiani app.
What you need to know
The grotto is temporarily closed for maintenance work, with no published reopening date: you see it from outside. The museum is on the Via Flacca, km 16.3, on the way out of Sperlonga towards Gaeta, and is entered from the Via Valle Corsara. It is closed on Mondays, 1 January and 25 December.
- **The Montagna Spaccata and the Grotta del Turco, in Gaeta** (1 h 30 · From age 6; many steps, no pushchairs): What it is
At the tip of Monte Orlando, above the sea, stands the sanctuary of the Santissima Trinità, from the 11th century. Beside the church, a staircase goes down a vertical and very narrow cleft in the rock: tradition says the mountain split at the earthquake of Christ's death. At the bottom, a chapel of the Crucifix built over the water. Another staircase, outside, goes down between rock walls to the Grotta del Turco, a cave open to the sea where, according to legend, pirates hid.
How to visit
The sanctuary is at Via Santissima Trinità, 3, on the outskirts of Gaeta, with parking next to it. The hours change with the season and there are closing slots at midday: check them on the sanctuary's website before you go. Allow an hour and a half for the cleft, the chapel and the descent to the cave.
- **A walk through the old town of Sperlonga** (1 h · All ages; lots of stairs, better a baby carrier than a pushchair): Sperlonga is a village of whitewashed houses set on a spur of rock between two beaches. You can walk it in an hour: alleys with stairways, arches, the church square and viewpoints on either side of the promontory. Below, at the tip, the Truglia tower watches over the port. Go up at the end of the afternoon, when the heat eases and the terraces light up.
- **The Levante and Ponente beaches of Sperlonga** (4 h · Families; water that deepens gradually): At the foot of the village open two long beaches of sand: Ponente, towards Terracina, and Levante, which continues to the villa of Tiberius and the rocky coves on the way to Gaeta. There are free stretches and lidos with sun loungers and parasols. In July and August many people come from Rome at the weekend: go on a weekday or early. The rules for dogs change every summer according to the municipal ordinance: ask before you go.
- **Boat trip from Sperlonga to the Montagna Spaccata along the Riviera of Ulysses** (4 h 30 · Families and groups; swimming stops): The coast between Sperlonga and Gaeta is best seen from the water: coves no road reaches, caves opened by the sea and, at the end, the cleft of the Montagna Spaccata and the Grotta del Turco from below. Sperlonga Escursioni leaves from the port of Sperlonga with several routes: a one-and-a-half-hour mini-cruise to the Grotta Azzurra, a three-hour tour of the corsairs' caves and the four-and-a-half-hour Riviera of Ulysses tour, with seven beaches as far as the Montagna Spaccata. From Gaeta the same routes leave in the opposite direction. It does not publish prices: book on its website, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before according to its booking system.
- **Monte Orlando Park and the Mausoleum of Munatius Plancus** (2 h · From age 6; paths with some slope): Monte Orlando is the promontory that closes Gaeta to the south, an urban regional park of 59 hectares of land that ends in a cliff above the sea. It has six walking itineraries, among them the cliff path, the CAI LH17 of Monte Orlando and a birdwatching path. At the top is the mausoleum of Lucius Munatius Plancus, the founder of Lyon, a round Roman tomb preserved whole, and on the slopes, batteries, powder magazines and bastions of Bourbon Gaeta. Some areas are closed because of the risk of rockfalls: respect the signs. The park office is at Via della Breccia, 5.
- **Serapo Beach, in Gaeta** (4 h · Families): Serapo is Gaeta's urban beach: a crescent of sand west of the city, closed off on one side by Monte Orlando. It has lidos and free stretches, and can be reached on foot from the centre. It is the practical beach if you are sleeping in Gaeta or arrive by train at Formia and do not want to take more buses.
- **The medieval quarter of Gaeta and the castle** (1 h 30 · All ages): Old Gaeta occupies the peninsula between the port and Monte Orlando: sloping alleys, churches, the harbour promenade and the Angevin-Aragonese castle at the top. The Monte Orlando park has a walking itinerary that links it to the promontory, so you can chain the quarter, the mausoleum and the descent to Serapo in one morning. Try the tiella here, Gaeta's savoury pie, which is sold in bakeries and bars in the centre.

## Dónde comer
- **Gli Archi** (Restaurant, Sperlonga, €€€). Qué pedir: the house scialatielli or the spaghettone with cod and Cetara anchovy, and a raw dish to share
- **Dolia** (Restaurant, Gaeta, €€€). Qué pedir: the gulf fish menu and a glass of Lazio wine from its list

## By plane: Fly to Rome and take the train to the coast
Sperlonga and Gaeta are reached by flying to Rome: there are direct flights to Fiumicino from Madrid, Barcelona and many other Spanish cities, and to Ciampino from several. From Rome it is about 125 km to Sperlonga and 140 to Gaeta: about two hours by car along the Pontina and the coast, or a regional train to Fondi-Sperlonga or Formia-Gaeta. For a day trip, the train is the most comfortable; for two or three days of beach, hire a car at the airport.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Virgilio Grand Hotel** (Hotel): The hotel
The Virgilio Grand Hotel is a four-star hotel at Via Giuseppe Romita, 262, a few steps from the old town of Sperlonga and the beach. It has a reserved pool with sun terrace, the Afrodite wellness centre, two restaurants, Il Cortiletto, with a terrace in summer, and Vista Mare, and free wifi. It offers early check-in on request.
The beach
It works with the Lido Virgilio, a beach establishment reached by the hotel's free shuttle. It is what you want if you come to Sperlonga for a few days of beach without depending on the car.
Getting there and parking
It has its own car park, which in Sperlonga, with the centre closed to traffic and the car parks charging in summer, is an advantage. Without a car, you arrive by train at Fondi-Sperlonga and from there by bus or taxi.
- **Villa Irlanda Grand Hotel** (Hotel): A villa between the hills and the gulf
Villa Irlanda is at Via Lungomare Caboto, 6, at the entrance to Gaeta from Formia, between the hills and the gulf. It is a four-star hotel with 47 rooms, eight of them suites, spread through a park of about 60,000 square metres, with pools, a restaurant and conference rooms.
The beach
It has a private beach on the gulf, across the lungomare. It is a hotel for staying two or three days: pool in the afternoon, beach in the morning and the medieval quarter of Gaeta a few minutes by car.
Getting there
By car, along the coast road from Formia. Without a car, it is a few kilometres from Formia-Gaeta station: taxi or city bus.
- **Hotel Serapo** (Hotel): On the sand of Serapo
The Hotel Serapo is at Via Firenze, 11, on Serapo beach, at the foot of the Monte Orlando park and not far from the centre and the medieval quarter of Gaeta. It has a beach, a garden with a pool, a restaurant and breakfast.
The rooms
From the basic to the suite, taking in the Classic, the French-bed rooms, the junior suite and the family suite. The hotel describes them as spacious and with sea views. With children, the family suite and the beach in front of the door solve almost everything.
Without a car
It is the most practical accommodation in Gaeta if you arrive by train at Formia: a short taxi or bus ride and you no longer need to move. Monte Orlando and the centre are done on foot.
### Servicios
- **Train from Rome to Fondi-Sperlonga and bus to Sperlonga**: Regional trains on the Rome–Naples line via Formia from Roma Termini to Fondi-Sperlonga; from there, about 13 km by bus or taxi.
- **Train from Rome to Formia-Gaeta**: Regional and intercity trains from Roma Termini to Formia-Gaeta station; from there, a bus or taxi to Gaeta, about 8 km away.

## Car-free: Without a car: train from Rome and on foot
The coast works without a car if you choose well: Sperlonga can be walked entirely on foot, and so can Gaeta, from Serapo to Monte Orlando and the medieval quarter. The train drops you at Fondi or Formia and the last stretch is by bus or taxi. What does not work well without a car is hopping from one village to another in the day, except by boat in summer.
Presupuesto orientativo: 70–180 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Virgilio Grand Hotel** (Hotel): The hotel
The Virgilio Grand Hotel is a four-star hotel at Via Giuseppe Romita, 262, a few steps from the old town of Sperlonga and the beach. It has a reserved pool with sun terrace, the Afrodite wellness centre, two restaurants, Il Cortiletto, with a terrace in summer, and Vista Mare, and free wifi. It offers early check-in on request.
The beach
It works with the Lido Virgilio, a beach establishment reached by the hotel's free shuttle. It is what you want if you come to Sperlonga for a few days of beach without depending on the car.
Getting there and parking
It has its own car park, which in Sperlonga, with the centre closed to traffic and the car parks charging in summer, is an advantage. Without a car, you arrive by train at Fondi-Sperlonga and from there by bus or taxi.
- **Hotel Serapo** (Hotel): On the sand of Serapo
The Hotel Serapo is at Via Firenze, 11, on Serapo beach, at the foot of the Monte Orlando park and not far from the centre and the medieval quarter of Gaeta. It has a beach, a garden with a pool, a restaurant and breakfast.
The rooms
From the basic to the suite, taking in the Classic, the French-bed rooms, the junior suite and the family suite. The hotel describes them as spacious and with sea views. With children, the family suite and the beach in front of the door solve almost everything.
Without a car
It is the most practical accommodation in Gaeta if you arrive by train at Formia: a short taxi or bus ride and you no longer need to move. Monte Orlando and the centre are done on foot.
### Servicios
- **Train from Rome to Fondi-Sperlonga and bus to Sperlonga**: Regional trains on the Rome–Naples line via Formia from Roma Termini to Fondi-Sperlonga; from there, about 13 km by bus or taxi.
- **Train from Rome to Formia-Gaeta**: Regional and intercity trains from Roma Termini to Formia-Gaeta station; from there, a bus or taxi to Gaeta, about 8 km away.

## By car: By car along the Flacca
By car you see the whole coast in a day: the Via Flacca links Sperlonga and Gaeta hugging the sea, with tunnels, viewpoints and descents to coves. The hard part is parking in summer: the centres are pedestrianised and the car parks beside the beaches charge and fill up at weekends.
Presupuesto orientativo: 80–200 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Virgilio Grand Hotel** (Hotel): The hotel
The Virgilio Grand Hotel is a four-star hotel at Via Giuseppe Romita, 262, a few steps from the old town of Sperlonga and the beach. It has a reserved pool with sun terrace, the Afrodite wellness centre, two restaurants, Il Cortiletto, with a terrace in summer, and Vista Mare, and free wifi. It offers early check-in on request.
The beach
It works with the Lido Virgilio, a beach establishment reached by the hotel's free shuttle. It is what you want if you come to Sperlonga for a few days of beach without depending on the car.
Getting there and parking
It has its own car park, which in Sperlonga, with the centre closed to traffic and the car parks charging in summer, is an advantage. Without a car, you arrive by train at Fondi-Sperlonga and from there by bus or taxi.
- **Villa Irlanda Grand Hotel** (Hotel): A villa between the hills and the gulf
Villa Irlanda is at Via Lungomare Caboto, 6, at the entrance to Gaeta from Formia, between the hills and the gulf. It is a four-star hotel with 47 rooms, eight of them suites, spread through a park of about 60,000 square metres, with pools, a restaurant and conference rooms.
The beach
It has a private beach on the gulf, across the lungomare. It is a hotel for staying two or three days: pool in the afternoon, beach in the morning and the medieval quarter of Gaeta a few minutes by car.
Getting there
By car, along the coast road from Formia. Without a car, it is a few kilometres from Formia-Gaeta station: taxi or city bus.

## As a family: Beach, boat and a split mountain

Sperlonga and Gaeta work very well with children: sandy beaches that deepen gradually, a boat trip through the caves and two visits that impress them, the giant sculptures of Polyphemus and the cleft of the Montagna Spaccata.

### What works best
Serapo beach and those of Sperlonga, with fine sand

The boat trip to the Grotta Azzurra, an hour and a half, with a swimming stop

The Sperlonga museum: the Cyclops Polyphemus and the monster Scylla, at giant size; ticket €5

The Montagna Spaccata, from age 6

### Where to stay
Hotel Serapo, with a family suite and the beach in front

Virgilio Grand Hotel, with a pool

### Where to eat
Eat early on the village terraces, before they fill up

A Gaeta tiella to take to the beach

### Good to know
Sperlonga is all stairs: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair

In July and August, get to the beach before 10

The Grotta del Turco and the Montagna Spaccata have lots of steps

### Qué hacer as a family
- Archaeological Museum and Villa of Tiberius in Sperlonga
- The Montagna Spaccata and the Grotta del Turco, in Gaeta
- A walk through the old town of Sperlonga
- The Levante and Ponente beaches of Sperlonga
- Boat trip from Sperlonga to the Montagna Spaccata along the Riviera of Ulysses
- Monte Orlando Park and the Mausoleum of Munatius Plancus
- Serapo Beach, in Gaeta

## Consejos

### Museum first, beach afterwards
Sperlonga's archaeological area opens onto the Levante beach: go with your swimsuit on.

### Weekdays in summer
On July and August weekends half of Rome comes down to this coast.

### The tiella, in Gaeta
The city's savoury pie, filled with octopus, vegetables or salt cod, is bought at the bakeries in the centre.

### The museum closes on Mondays
Plan your day for Tuesday to Sunday.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How do I get from Rome to Sperlonga without a car?
By regional train from Termini to Fondi-Sperlonga, about an hour and a quarter, and then a bus or taxi for about 13 km.

### Can you see Sperlonga and Gaeta in a day?
By car, yes: the museum and village of Sperlonga in the morning and the Montagna Spaccata in the afternoon. By train, better one of the two.

### Can you go into Tiberius's grotto?
Not at the moment: it's temporarily closed for maintenance works. The museum and villa can be visited.

### How much does the Sperlonga museum cost?
€5, and €2 reduced. There's a joint ticket with the Formia museum for €10.

### What is the Montagna Spaccata?
A vertical crack in the rock of Monte Orlando, next to the sanctuary of the Santissima Trinità, with a staircase down to a chapel above the sea.

### Are there boats between Sperlonga and Gaeta?
In summer, Sperlonga Escursioni runs the Riviera di Ulisse from both ports.