1. Sperlonga
It may not be the closest beach to Rome, but you can hardly ask for a prettier holiday town, with its whitewashed houses descending along narrow lanes above a pair of crescent beaches. A small promontory lies between the beaches, which drop in long shallow sweeps into a sea so clear and clean that it has earned a Blue Flag designation.
Ponente beach lies directly beneath the town, backed by hotels and restaurants, while Levante beach has a more natural setting below hillsides of low Mediterranean shrubs. Sand and dunes continue north for kilometers, with some smaller cove beaches that can only be reached on foot. Most of Ponente is covered in rented loungers, but Levante has some free public space along with its lido.
Both beaches are ideal for children, with warm shallow water and fine sand, and if you’re feeling guilty about leaving the wonders of Rome, you’re not the first. Tiberius built an imperial villa here, and you can see some of the ancient sculptures found there in the museum at the Grotto of Tiberius.
Sperlonga is about 90 minutes south of Rome; take the train from Termini station south to Fondi-Sperlonga, and a shuttle bus to the beaches and town.
2. Santa Marinella
Closer to Rome and less complicated to reach – it’s less than an hour by a train that takes you within a five minutes’ walk of the beach – Santa Marinella is less picturesque, but has a fine-sand beach protected by a breakwater. The gradual decent into the clear water makes it a favorite for families with small children. There is very little free beach, but you will welcome the shade offered by a lido.
The beach is backed directly by the town, which apart from some good seafood restaurants, seems very little affected by tourism, as most of the beachgoers come from Rome on day trips. Santa Marinella was a popular bathing spot for ancient Romans, too.
