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Gaeta is the perfect summer getaway from Rome with some of the best beaches near the capital, crystal blue waters and a charming medieval center. Gaeta is situated on the coast between Rome and Naples and it only takes about two hours to reach it from both of those cities. It is not the biggest of towns, as it only has around 20 000 inhabitants, but that also adds to its charm. I would say Gaeta is a hidden gem amongst all the other well visited beach towns scattered around the country. Here, you will mostly encounter friendly Italians along the small little picturesque alleyways! See below the top things to do in Gaeta – hopefully, you’ll get inspired to visit some of these places during your trip.

The best 7 things to do in Gaeta

1. Relax at the many beaches

Gaeta is famous for having the most beautiful beaches on the mainland in all of the Lazio region, with fine sand and clear waters. Enjoy soaking up the sun for a while or go scuba diving around the cliffs if that is something you like doing. There are quite a few beaches to choose from depending on your needs. I have listed the best beaches in Gaeta below. 

Serapo Beach

This beach is the closest beach to the town and therefore has mainly all of the crowd. It is very large, with soft, golden sand and you will find thousands of sunbeds there in the high season. You will also find beach clubs and restaurants on the beach.

Spiaggia di Fontania

This beach is a small little stretch of sand found between some rocks in the far end of Serapo beach. With a setting of ruins of an old Roman villa, this makes a cool place to spend some hours in the sun and is also popular for scuba diving.

Spiaggia dell’Ariana

Situated outside of the city center is this beautiful sandy beach. With several hotels lining the beach, it is equipped with sunbeds and restaurants. This beach has several times been awarded the Blue Flag for its clear waters.

Cala dei 40 Remi

This isn’t really a beach, but more as a swimming spot. There used to be stairs down to this swimming spot but they are now closed off. If you want to visit this spot you simply have to swim there. The name actually comes from the 40 strokes it takes to get there from Spiaggia dell’Ariana. There is a little beach further into the bay as well, if you want to rest your arms and legs for a while.

Lido 300 Gradini

This beach is even further out of the city center of Gaeta, almost in between Gaeta and Sperlonga. But you don’t want to miss this beach! It is a long stretch of sandy beach which is reached by 300 steps, hence the name. You can find both sunbeds to rent and restaurants there.

If you want to go snorkeling in Gaeta there are a few tours in the area that help you with just that. Check them out below!

2. Explore Sanctuary of Montagna Spaccata & Grotta del Turco

Gaeta has a peculiar skyline thanks to the Monte Orlando, which is a tall promontory that plunges into the blue sea. The mountain has a big crack right through it and it is said that it cracked during the earthquake at Jesus’s crucifixion. You can walk in between this big crack (split mountain) and there is actually a sanctuary positioned in it that is well worth visiting. You can also continue down the steps further to Grotta del Turco where you will see the cliff plunge vertically into the sea in the most scenic way. There are many legends attached to this spot so spend some time reminiscing of how all of these came to be.

3. See the viewpoint at Tempio di San Francesco

This little viewpoint will spoil you with the most beautiful scenes of Gaeta! From the grounds of Tempio di San Francesco you will see the whole city center, including the medieval castle and the Cathedral’s bell tower, with the colorful blue ocean right next to it. It is a stunning view and a must-do while visiting Gaeta. You can also visit the San Francesco Temple while you’re there, but be aware that you have to pay a small entry fee to go inside.

4. Admire the Castello Angioino-Aragonese

Situated out on the promontory, this castle is really one of the symbols of this city. It is said to have been built in the 12th century to help fortify during the war between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. It has since then been used as a military prison but is now occupied by Caserma Mazzini of the Guardia di Finanza and partly entrusted to the University of Cassino for seafaring disciplines. You can visit this truly impressive castle during specific dates of the year and only on a tour. To find available dates for tours, visit the Tourist Information Center of Gaeta.

5. Wander around Gaeta old town

The old town of Gaeta, also known as Gaeta Vecchia is truly remarkable with its medieval origin. You will find this old town out on the promontory right below the Aragonese Castle so it might be a bit of a walk from the more modern town center, but so worth it. When you enter the old town you will find small streets and narrow alleys, Gaeta’s fortifications, and several churches dotted around. There are also many beautiful restaurants and pubs there that are characterized by aromas, colors, and scenarios of old times. You don’t want to miss this part of town when you are in Gaeta!

6. Hike in Parco Monte Orlando

The park on the promontory offers exquisite views over the surroundings of Gaeta. Start your hike from Via San Giovanni Bosco, which offers some amazing views of the castle. Continue upwards to Monte Orlando and see more beautiful views of Gaeta and the sea. Now, move towards Grotta del Turco and thereby take the trail behind the hill. While walking the last part you are spoiled with views of the clear, blue ocean, an old hiking trail, the tip of Serapo Beach, and green bushes all around. Such a nice way to see Gaeta!

7. Indulge in the local cuisine

As Gaeta is situated on the coast you should definitely eat seafood while in town. There are no specific seafood dishes that originated from Gaeta but you will never find as fresh seafood as there, so test a few different dishes for sure. 

Except for seafood, Gaeta is famous for its olives. Oliva di Gaeta is a small, reddish olive with a meaty body and a unique, slightly sour flavor. You can find these olives both salt-cured and brine-cured. The olive is popular as an appetizer but is also often used in salads, risottos, pasta dishes, and Tiella. 

Made from the Gaeta olive is the Colline Pontine extra virgin olive oil that is famous in the area. The olive oil has a fruity to bitter taste and the color can vary from an intense yellow to bright green depending on the harvesting period. 

Tiella is a savory pie from Gaeta that uses those special olives just mentioned. It consists of two layers of crispy dough, filled with boiled octopus or squid, tomatoes, capers, and Gaeta olives. The filling may vary depending on the season but it always includes Gaeta olives and is topped off with the famous olive oil from Gaeta.

To find more local dishes to try during your stay, read my Lazio Food Guide.

How to get to Gaeta?

By public transport

Gaeta doesn’t have a train station. Instead, your best bet will be to take the train to Formia and from there a local bus. Trains from Rome to Formia leave several times a day and so do the buses from Formia to Gaeta. Be aware that the bus doesn’t leave at the train station so you will have to walk a few meters to the harbor. Also, you have to buy the bus ticket before getting on the bus, at a little kiosk right next to the bus stop. The whole journey will take around 2 hours. 

By car

Visiting Gaeta by car gives you more flexibility and is what I recommend you to do. You can go whenever it fits you and you can also stop by places on the way there. Gaeta’s city center is quite small but the many beaches are scattered around a bigger area and those will be hard to get to without your own car. The drive will take about 2 hours and 10 minutes and there are several car parks near the city. Just search parking Gaeta on google and you will get a lot of suggestions. 

Where to stay in Gaeta?

Gaeta is a lovely town and you can definitely stay there for a few days without getting bored. The center is quite small, but it has all you need, and with the beaches scattered around it’s a perfect place to unwind during summer. This city has two main areas to stay in which are the old town and the city center. I will give you recommendations for both but know that there are a lot of affordable places to stay in Gaeta, so make some own research as well.

Budget:

Residence Annunziata – This is a modern and beautiful apartment in the old town, so it’s in the middle of the old cobblestoned streets and cute alleyways! You will be further away from the beaches and the train station, but the surroundings will make up for it! You will on the other hand be close to many good restaurants and famous sights.

Luisella – This hotel is situated in the newer part of town, only 4 minutes away from the Serapo beach. The rooms are very fresh and tidy and a traditional Italian breakfast is included in the price.

Midrange:

Clori Gaeta – This place is a dream! It’s located in the old town, it has a garden and an amazing view over the sea! You also get breakfast included and the hosts are just the sweetest. Highly recommend this place if you’re ever visiting Gaeta.

A casa di Monachella – This hotel is situated at the beach in the new part of town. Rooms are fresh, and spacious and some of them have a balcony overlooking the sea. The hosts are really friendly.

THULITE casa vacanze – This is THE PLACE to stay if you want something different. This apartment is all in PINK, and then I mean ALL. If you want to feel like Barbie for a few nights, book away!

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I hope this post really sparked your interest to visit Gaeta cause it’s a really nice hidden gem in Italy. If you want to discover more hidden gems in the same region read my Ultimate 2-week Lazio Road Trip Itinerary.

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