Here was a real surprise. In 2003 we were aiming for Gaeta. Our good friend, Carmen Grant, had seen the town of Gaeta featured on a cooking show and it looked like quite the destination. So that was the start of booking a vacation around Gaeta!

We could not find suitable hotel accommodations in Gaeta so we decided to say in the next town, Sperlonga, located about a half an hour along the coast. This turned out to be a very good thing. Gaeta did nothing for us, although even today, we see shots of the town featured on travel shows and it does look scenic. Oh well, it was off to Sperlonga.

The old part of Sperlonga is located on a precipitous ledge that hangs over the sea. Just walk down the road and climb the narrow maze of stairways into the old town. There you find network of small white-washed buildings with walkways for just that, walking. There are no cars in this town.

There are a couple of cafes where you can sit, enjoy a drink and soak of the feeling of Italian life. Nothing hectic in this small town. No vespas, no cars.

So if you need a great beach location that is located not that far from Rome, Sperlonga is the place. After this, I don't think you find beaches this fine and unsploit until you are well down the coast. We have this as a place to which to return. As so we will.

Our 2008 visit to Italy has us spending a couple of days on the beaches of Sperlonga to relax as a way of winding down and ending the trip. Then it is a reasonable drive into Rome, a little pen shopping, and then back to Canada .

 

Narrow alley ways of the old town.

Truglia Tower, built by the Spanish in 1532.