What are some beaches relatively close to Rome. What are viable options to getting there? Is there a bus route/train that goes out that way?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16238 posts
Ostia Lido is the closest and easiest to reach (by train). It's also very popular in summer, therefore crowded.
Still close to Rome on the train line to Civitavecchia, is Santa Marinella. If you are going in Summer, when millions of Romans are at Ostia lido, Santa Marinella is a better option. Prettier and smaller too.
If you have more than a day, then go to the Ponziane Islands.
Posted by
OP
Washington, DC
13 posts
Great! Thanks everyone!
Posted by
San Francisco
1009 posts
Piggyback question - since you mentioned it...
We are going to day trip to Santa Marinella from our cruise on the Rome day (doing Rome after). I see there are stabliementi (might have spelled wrong) to rent chairs, umbrellas ... can't find info on any online. Do you just go up to wherever there are umbrellas and someone will come and take your $? Thanks!!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16238 posts
Kim
You can also go to a "stabilimento balneare" (full correct spelling) and sit down at a chair under an available umbrella (pretending you are a monthly renter). Sometimes you get busted and kicked out by the tenants when they arrive. Other times the 'stabilimento' people come in and inquire if you want to rent a place.
Sometimes, if you are good at pretending you already own the place and act like a 'regular' they might never find out. Just act confident.
If you do get busted, just pretend you thought they were free and didn't know that you have to pay for them, apologize and leave.
Go to the next stabilimento next door, and.........repeat.
It's a tested system we used to do as teenagers (we never paid). They used to kick our behind and chase us out after a few times at the same stabilimento, but I'm sure you can get away with it the first time, especially if you speak little or no Italian.
Just try, at most you have to change chairs every few hours.
Posted by
Ballwin
833 posts
To add to Roberto's answer - when I visited the beach in Viareggio - we approached the office at the front of one of those places and paid in advance for a few chairs/umbrellas. We got a spot and could spend the whole day without going from chair to chair ;) It was fairly reasonable - I think 24 euro for the 5 of us.