The Travel Bunny

28/07/2026

One of the easiest ways to waste a day trip from Rome is choosing the wrong beach.

Some beaches near Rome take less than an hour to reach, while others need an early train, a bus connection, or a full weekend. A few offer clear water and quiet sand, and others are great for beach clubs, seafood lunches, children, nightlife, or a quick swim before dinner in Rome.

I’ve experienced the Lazio coast by land and sea. From our sailboat, I saw how quickly this coastline changes from urban beaches to dunes, rocky coves, historic ports, and small seaside towns.

That experience shaped my new guide to the best beaches near Rome Italy.

Inside, I compare the places travelers often group together, even though they suit completely different trips:

• Ostia beach for the closest and quickest beach escape from Rome
• Santa Marinella beach for an easy seaside day by train
• Anzio and Nettuno for sand, seafood, Roman history, and medieval streets
• Sabaudia for dunes, open coastline, and family beach days
• Sperlonga for clear water, a romantic old town, and an overnight stay
• Gaeta for a longer Rome beach weekend
• Santa Severa for a beach beside a medieval castle
• Fregene for sunset lidi, dinner, and summer nightlife.

In my guide, I also explain the difference between a free public beach and a private lido, what beach clubs near Rome cost, which Blue Flag beaches deserve the longer trip, and where families, couples, expats, dog owners, swimmers, and cruise passengers should go.

The Travel Bunny's guide includes current train routes, realistic travel times, parking advice, beach safety, bathing-water checks, island options, seasonal planning, and honest answers about Ostia’s water.

You’ll also find an interactive beach chooser, a Rome coastline map, and a comparison table designed to answer one question fast:

Which beach near Rome fits the day you’re planning?
A beach day trip from Rome should give you time beside the sea, rather than hours spent correcting a poor transport choice.

Read my complete 2026 guide and choose the right beach before leaving Rome:
https://www.the-travel-bunny.com/best-beaches-near-rome-italy/

Best beaches near Rome Italy 2026, with train routes, free beaches, lidos, clear water, family picks, costs, maps, and honest day-trip advice for your vacation.

23/07/2026

We chose Nettuno because Marina di Nettuno had space for Puzzle. I remember it because the town gave us far more than a berth.

On 21 July, Mathieu and I started sailing to Nettuno from Porto Romano, leaving the Tiber behind and heading into the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The swell soon made Otto, our autopilot, unreliable. We took turns steering Puzzle by hand as we followed the Lazio coast and passed Anzio.

By the time Marina di Nettuno appeared ahead, I was ready for a quiet evening aboard.

But Nettuno had other plans.

I walked into Nettuno old town and became fascinated by the medieval towers incorporated into private homes. Windows opened through thick stone walls. Balconies, shutters, plants, and ordinary family life occupied structures once built for defence.

I kept thinking about the rooms inside.

How do you furnish a round room inside a medieval tower? Where does the dining table go? What does a party sound like against curved stone walls?

Later, we saw Forte Sangallo, stopped at the Fontana del Dio Nettuno, and reached the Basilica of Our Lady of Graces and Saint Maria Goretti. The gates limited our visit, but the scale of the sanctuary stayed with me.

Then the most personal part of our Nettuno sailing stop happened.

While leaving the marina, I heard a woman speaking Romanian on a nearby boat. When we returned, I greeted her in Romanian, and we invited her aboard Puzzle.

She came from Galați, had lived in Italy for over 15 years, and worked as a skipper.

We shared pălincă while Mathieu and her Italian boyfriend tried to follow the Romanian conversation. They understood a few words but encouraged us to make the most of our encounter and use our mother tongue. So the sharper jokes and cultural nuances stayed between us.

Apart from phone calls, it was only the second time I had spoken Romanian face-to-face since leaving Romania in January 2020. And that's how a practical marina choice became one of my strongest memories from sailing in Italy.

In my new Nettuno Italy travel guide, I cover:

• The best things to do in Nettuno
• What sailors need to know about Marina di Nettuno
• A one-day Nettuno itinerary for boats and train travellers
• How to plan a Nettuno day trip from Rome
• The differences between Nettuno vs Anzio
• Forte Sangallo, the Maria Goretti sanctuary, and the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery
• Where to stay in Nettuno near the marina, Borgo Medievale, station, or beach
• Where to sail after Nettuno, including the route we followed towards San Felice Circeo and Terracina

Read the full guide before planning your sailing stop, Rome day trip, or weekend beside the Lazio coast:

👉https://www.the-travel-bunny.com/sailing-to-nettuno-italy-guide/

Nettuno Italy travel guide 2026 with things to do, Marina di Nettuno tips, Rome train advice, beaches, old town sights, sailing routes, and where to stay.

25/06/2026

I’m turning my local Provence and South of France notes into practical guides for travelers who want good bases, smart routes, real food stops, and fewer expensive mistakes. No fantasy checklist. No “see everything in two days” nonsense. Just useful planning from someone who actually spends time here.

What Provence guide should I publish next?

24/06/2026

I’m building more practical Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur content: villages, markets, beaches, easy hikes, family ideas, bases to choose, food stops, and mistakes to avoid. The goal is simple: help travelers plan better without drowning in recycled lists.

If I open a Provence travel group, what should be inside?

23/06/2026

Want better Provence photos without fighting crowds? Stop arriving at the exact middle of the day. Early morning gives you quiet streets and softer light. Late afternoon gives you warmer stone and better shadows. Midday gives you heat, harsh contrast, and people standing exactly where you wanted to shoot.

Are you a morning photo person?

22/06/2026

Provence looks dreamy online, but living or staying longer here is about practical details: parking, medical access, school runs, summer traffic, village services, local markets, and how far you really are from the coast, airport, and train stations. Pretty is easy. Functional matters more.

Would you visit Provence as a tourist or scout it for a future move?

18/06/2026

In Provence, I trust a short seasonal menu more than a giant laminated one. If the place serves everything from pizza to seafood to crêpes to “traditional local cuisine,” I slow down. Good village restaurants often look simple. The menu usually tells the truth first.

What do you check before choosing a restaurant?

17/06/2026

My easiest Provence day trip formula: market first, village walk second, lunch before everyone gets hangry, nature or viewpoint after, slow drive back. It sounds simple because it is. The mistake is trying to add four more villages and pretending everyone will still enjoy it.

Would you use this formula?

16/06/2026

If your Provence itinerary feels like one long village photo session, add water. Lakes, gorges, rivers, beaches, and coastal paths change the rhythm completely. A good Provence trip balances stone streets with blue water, market food, shade, and time outside the car.

Are you team village or team water?

15/06/2026

The famous Provence villages are famous for a reason, but the quieter ones often give you the better travel day. Fewer cars. Easier photos. A bakery without a queue. A bench with a view. A lunch that does not feel designed for passing tour groups.

Do you prefer icons or quieter finds?