Rome Beaches
The 6 best beaches near Rome
Latest update: January 30, 2023
In a nutshell: Our top tips on beaches near Rome
- The center of Rome is not located directly by the sea, but it’s less than 30 kilometers to the coast – perfect to combine your city trip with a beach vacation!
- If you want to get to the beach as quickly as possible, the city beach Lido di Ostia is the perfect place to go.
- In Rome’s surroundings you’ll find beaches where you can surf, snorkel or do some sightseeing.
- Are you more of a laid-back type? Then the beaches in the charming little seaside resort Sperlonga should be perfect for you.
- From Rome, you can also enjoy a beach vacation on an island – the little island of Ponza.
Do you want to know more? Then keep on reading! Whether you’re just planning a day trip or a real beach vacation with an overnight stay, the following beaches near Rome are perfect for either.
Map of the best beaches near Rome
To give you an idea of where the beaches near Rome are located, we have drawn up a map for you.
All the beaches on this map can be reached within 1-2 hours from the center of Rome. You only need a little longer to get to the island of Ponza.
Ostia
Ostia is a neighborhood of Rome, which makes Lido di Ostia the perfect beach for the Romans.
The beach is a typical city beach: not the most beautiful, but well equipped and easy to reach from the center of Rome.
There are many restaurants, hotels and nightclubs. In summer, Ostia is especially crowded on weekends and holidays, because many Romans flock to the coast.
If you are in Rome with kids, we recommend to plan your trip to the beach during the week. The beach is less crowded and it is more relaxing for the whole family.
Ostia is only a 10 minute cab ride away from Fiumicino airport, one of Romes airports. So it’s a great place to go if you need to get to the airport right after your beach vacation in Rome.
How to get to Ostia:
From Rome Termini you take subway line B and change to the regional train at station Piramide. Then get off at Stella Polare in Ostia. From there it is just a 5 minute walk to the beach. The whole trip takes about 50 minutes.
Our hotel tip in Ostia:
The Fly Déco Hotel is located directly on the beach promenade and has a great roof terrace with a view of the sea.
Santa Severa
The long sandy beach of Santa Severa is located north of Rome. At the southern end of the beach is Santa Severa Castle, which houses a museum and offers rooms for overnight stays at the Ostello di Santa Severa.
Santa Severa itself is a typical seaside resort: there is a long promenade, some hotels, and many cafes and restaurants overlooking the sea.
So, if you are looking for a relaxing time at the beach close to Rome, without missing out on local amenities, Santa Severa is the place to go.
South of the castle there is also a long, uncrowded beach with black sand but and just very few facilities. You can find a nudist beach here as well.
How to get to Santa Severa:
From Rome, a regional train goes directly to Santa Severa train station. The trip takes about an hour.
Our hotel tip in Santa Severa:
In addition to the rooms in the castle, we can recommend the small Wellness Bed & Breakfast Baia Benessere in Santa Severa.
Santa Marinella
Santa Marinella is located just a little further north of Santa Severa.
The waters off Santa Marinella are among the cleanest in the region. The beach is divided into sandy and rocky sections. It is great for snorkeling and scuba diving.
The coast has ideal conditions for good waves, which is why Santa Marinella is also very popular with surfers.
Just off the beach are breakwaters, so the calm waters at this seaside resort are also perfect for kids.
Santa Marinella itself is a very pretty town with a marina, a castle and many restaurants.
How to get to Santa Marinella:
From Rome Termini, the regional train to Genoa or Pisa stops in Santa Marinella. The journey takes about an hour.
Our hotel tip in Santa Marinella:
We can recommend the small boutique hotel Villa delle Palme with a private beach and and in-house restaurant.
Anzio
South of Rome you will find the popular seaside resort of Anzio.
Here, too, the sea is perfectly clean and clear. In addition to its beaches, Anzio offers a number of attractions. You can, for example, visit the remains of the villa of the Roman emperor Nero or the Caves of Nero.
The neighboring seaside resort of Nettuno is also worth a visit. It has a very pretty medieval old town.
Anzio and Nettuno are perfect for either a day trip or a longer beach vacation. It is just a short distance from Rome and there is plenty to do and see.
How to get to Anzio:
From Rome Termini you can reach Anzio with a direct regional train in under an hour. To Nettuno it is only 10 minutes further.
Our hotel tip in Anzio:
The choice of hotels in Anzio and Nettuno is limited. A very nice pension near the beach is Villa Sarsina.
Ponza
If you have more than just a day, you can turn your Rome city break into a beach vacation on an island.
We are talking about the small island of Ponza, which has some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy. It is located about 50 kilometers from the mainland and is a popular vacation destination for Romans. You will find few international tourists here, which makes the island quite an insider tip.
There are white sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, caves, hiking trails and the pretty village of Ponza with its colorful houses. It gets crowded in August, but if you’re there in May, June or September, you can enjoy a pretty relaxed dolce vita.
How to get to Ponza:
The nearest port for ferries to Ponza is Anzio. You can reach Anzio from Rome by direct train or by car. You can also take the car onto the ferry. The crossing to Ponza takes about 1.5 hours. Tickets are available on the website of the ferry company Laziomar or directly at the port of Anzio.
Our hotel tip for Ponza:
The Bed & Breakfast Villa Ersilia is just a short walk from the port of Ponza and offers a beautiful garden overlooking the sea.
Sperlonga
Sperlonga is certainly one of the most beautiful seaside resorts near Rome. The charming old town with its white cottages and narrow streets right along the coast reminds a bit of the stepped alleys of Matera, Italy.
And although the municipality counts only 4,000 residents, there’s quite a bit to see: There are several viewpoints, a piazza directly overlooking the sea, a small marina and a lookout tower that dates back to the 16th century.
In Sperlonga there are two beautiful sandy beaches: south of the lookout tower and north of the lookout tower. So both beaches, right by the tower and the old town of Sperlonga, provide the perfect backdrop for vacation photos!
How to get to Sperlonga:
Sperlonga has no train station, so from Rome your only option is taking the car. It takes about 2 hours to get there. To Naples it’s another two hours, so Sperlonga is perfect for a stopover on a road trip between Rome and Naples.
Our hotel tip in Sperlonga:
Hotel Corallo is located in the old town of Sperlonga and offers great views of the beach and coastline from its rooms.
For more places to stay in Rome, read the following articles:
Do you know more beautiful beaches near Rome?
These were our tips for the best beaches near Rome. Have you been to the sea near Rome and can you recommend another beach? Then leave us a comment!