3. Anzio
An hour south of Rome and easy to reach by train, Anzio’s long golden-sand beach is protected by a breakwater that keeps the clear turquoise water shallow and placid. This, and the beach’s Blue Flag status, makes it a popular choice for families with small children, who can play safely in the gentle waves.
The beach runs the entire length of the town, and the free section is backed by the still-imposing remains of Emperor Nero’s seaside Villa Imperiale. He was born in Anzio and came here frequently. For more recent history on your day out of Rome, you can visit the Anzio BeachHead Museum, recalling the decisive 1944 Allied landing here to liberate Rome from the Nazi occupation during World War II.
Anzio’s harbor, along with assuring that some of Lazio’s finest seafood is served in the town’s restaurants, is the starting point for boats to the Pontine Islands. Just down the road, and the next stop on the train from Rome, are the long beaches of Nettuno, also awarded the Blue Flag for their clean water and sands. Both beaches are well supplied with services.
To reach either town’s beaches, take the train from Rome’s Termini; beaches are about a 10-minute walk from the respective stations.
4. Fregene
West of Rome and close to Fumicino airport, Fregene is the favored beach for lively young Romans, who begin to gather in the late afternoon and stay into the night at the beachside clubs and restaurants. The tone of the stabilimenti is decidedly chic, and they are frequented by the stylish club set, but in the daytime, the beach is popular with families and tends to be less crowded than nearby Ostia.
Those who don’t come for the action and are looking for a quick break from the city will find moderate-to-good water quality and long stretches of sand, a good part of it free to the public. To get to Fregene, take the train from Rome Termini to Maccarese-Fregene station and a local bus to the beach.
The sandy shore continues northward into Maccarese, accessed from the same station, less fashionable and also less crowded than Fregene and nearby Ostia. Outdoor beach restaurants begin to open in April, when the water is still a bit cold for swimming, but the afternoon sun is warm, and the beach clubs have not yet taken over the sand.
