Around Rome

[sayatidaknama]

Can anyone recommend any nice towns/ beach resort places outside Rome?

When we looked at trying to do a holiday that included Rome and a beach the travel agent told us that there wasn't anything nice beach-wise near Rome.

Oh ok thanks! Anyone know of anywhere good 1-2 hours from Rome in any direction?

There are lakes which are beautiful. We had a childhood holiday to lake bracciano (sp ?) which was a bit like a beach holiday. We then went on to Rome.

I wouldn't bother with the beaches around Rome, they pretty dirty and rammed in the height of summer traffic wise.

North of Rome, I'd go to one of the lakes, Bolsena is lovely as well as Bracciano, which is smaller and less busy. If you avoid August, they aren't usually too busy. You can swim in them and many have beaches on, some private where you pay for sun beds etc, some are public beaches....

I've no idea what the beaches are like south of Rome though, perhaps someone else might be along.

Thanks for the tips. Does anyone know Siena? Is that worth visiting for a few days? Or any other coastal places south of Pisa??

Elba is supposed to be lovely. Siena ok for a day or two but Florence better.

Thanks Lizs. We went to Florence last year for a week . 'Twas fabulous. We are thinking of going to Rome this year and somewhere else ... not sure where though?!

Siena is lovely and definitely worth visiting but it's hardly coastal! If you want water and sunshine and beaches I second the idea of the lakes like Bolsena. They're quieter than the coastal resorts and much nicer.

Or if you want to do Rome plus something else you could go south to Sorrento and the Amalfi coast. That's gorgeous.

Siena is beautiful and so is San Gimignano. I don't know any of Italy's coast apart from Sorrento so I can't advise.

Thanks. I know the Amalfi Coast well. Wasn't planning to go that far south but maybe we should... Just been looking at Elba and it says it's rammed in August. Presume this is the case?

Everywhere in Italy will be rammed in August, I believe it's when the Italians themselves traditionally head for the beach.

A couple we met in Siena last August had just come from Elba and didn't particularly mention crowds.

The beaches in and around the Amalfi coast aren't very good anyway. I'm not really beach person so it isn't important to me.

Thanks everyone. NicknameUsed, we aren't beach lovers either but we do like the sea and having a swim, like everyone else in August! Maybe we'll just go to Rome for the whole holiday ...

Does it have to be August? I imagine Rome in August will be unbearably hot and unbearably crowded.

I'm off to Rome at the end of month for four days then to Gaeta for another 4. Gaeta is just over an hour to the south of Rome, beautiful place with a fantastic beach. Though it will be packed in August with the Romans heading to their holiday homes there.

Love the heat so not a problem for us. Tied to holidays in August because of DC/work. It's a shame everyone else in Europe goes on holiday then too! Will take a look at Gaeta thanks kua

I lived on Elba for 2 years, my in laws are there so we go back every year for a month. The busiest time is around Feragosto which is 15th August - so that week is pretty chaotic, but it's a beautiful island, whole place is a national protected park. No direct flights so journey can be tricky to get to. We drive all the way, but in the past have flown to Pisa and then hire car or train to Piombino - ferry across is an hour. If your restricted to school holidays would advise last week July/early August which will still be busy but not as bad.
HTH

Oh and Feragosto is busy in all holiday resorts in Italy not just Elba

I suggest Sperlonga. It's a beautiful village, search it on Google images. You have to take a train from Roma Termini to Fondi/Sperlonga (for about 1 hour an 15 minutes) and there's a shuttle bus or taxi to take you there.

we stayed in campiglia maritima (a medieval hill town - probably need a car for that) last year and found a lovely beach called baratti. If you don't have a car you can get a train towards Grossetto / San Vincenzo. I think you can get a bus from San Vincenzo to Baratti beach + poss one from Piombino The kids loved the Baratti beach because it had waves for body boarding - it has a large public beach for those who just want to bring their own towel to sit on. The beach has a 'shelf' so its also good for little ones. It had cafes etc so you can go for the day. We tried a few other places but my boys rejected them because of lack of waves. We went in August and it wasn't crazy busy. We got parked each time without a problem. Its about 3 hours from Rome though.

That is great AgnesDiPesto, thank you. I was looking around Grossetto/Piombino so will definitely check that out.