Regional Features-Santa Marinella and Santa Severa
Santa Marinella and Santa Severa are two beach towns to the north of Rome. As mentioned in the entry on Sperlonga, a basic rule of thumb is the further south you go, the more beautiful water you will get. I wanted to include these two towns, however, because they are popular seaside escapes for Romans. Both are accessible by train from Rome in just about an hour.
Ostia Beach Vs. Fregene Beach
First, however, regarding the beaches that are closest to Rome, I would be remiss not to mention Ostia and Fregene. I have mentioned a geographical rivalry between Roma Nord (North Rome, considered posh) and Roma Sud (South Rome, more ‘popular’ or ‘of the people’) in a few other entries. In terms of beach culture, this rivalry can be applied to Fregene and Ostia. Fregene has classier lidi (beach clubs), though there is an ironic joke that even though citizens of Roma Nord frequent, sunbathe and have an aperitivo in Fregene, nobody actually swims. Ostia has a long stretch of cancelli (free beaches, divided by number) and you can get there by taking the train, the Roma Lido line, from Piramide, at the Porta S. Paola station; the price is the same as a metro ticket in Rome. Check out the video by two comedians demonstrating the differences between the two beach destinations; the imagery will be enough to get the picture; no translation necessary.
I also love a satirical song and video by J-AX, with the thesis being, why go to these exotic destinations when ‘beautiful’ Ostia Lido is always there for you. Literally, “as long as we are together even Ostia Lido is paradise.” I include these anecdotes to demonstrate that Romans can laugh at themselves and their beach culture, but they love to go. Therefore, if you have time in the region, I encourage you to experience it for yourselves. Santa Marinella and Santa Severa are both a ‘step above’ Ostia, and even Fregene. They each have unique charm and some great restaurants to visit.
Santa Marinella
View of the beach front in Santa Marinella
Santa Marinella has been called the la perla del Tirreno (the pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea ). This title is partially related to the climate, which is said to be rather ‘perfect’ year-round. The seaside town today, however, has a palpable vintage charm to it. It was, in fact, a very fashionable place in the 1950s-1970s. Also, during the ‘heyday’, many Hollywood stars vacationed here. Famously, actress Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini owned a summer home here. You can still see it today. Although the water upon entry is not quite as clear as Sperlonga and certainly not the famed Sardinian waters, a day trip out to Santa Marinella from Rome is a carefree affair, as from the train station, you can walk down to the beachfront in a short five minutes. By car, you will arrive in less than an hour.
Update 2021: Specifically, a revision on water: When I visited Santa Marinella and Santa Severa in the summer of 2020 and 2021, the water seemed clearer than I remembered. It was truly translucent and beautiful. I wonder if this was an environmental effect that many people were talking about as a result of less human activity and pollution during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 epidemic. I do not have definitive answers, but I was pleasantly surprised, and thus, wanted to ‘clarify’, in light of my former claim.
Walk along the waterfront, called La Passeggiata on Google maps, but it just refers to the area directly in front of the water. As soon as the sea breeze hits, you will feel more relaxed. Have a coffee at one of the bars on the deck or walk down to the beach below. The water looks beautiful from this vantage point.
My friend Barney at Molo 21 with beautiful views in front (tender octopus, spaghetti alle vongole and crisp vermentino) and behind (the southern coast back towards the station)
Rent a lettino (sunbed), especially in the early or later season. A few years ago, I remember being on the beach of Santa Marinella in early October. It was perfectly pleasant and quite deserted; we still swam. A particular joy while swimming in Santa Marinella is the ability to swim to the clusters of rocks which enclose the swimming area. You can perch on top of them and take in expansive views in all directions. I also like to start venturing out to Santa Marinella in the springtime, March and April for lunch and some Vitamin Sea, and from May to make use of the sun-beds.
Eat at Molo 21, if you do not have a car at your disposal. The restaurant has beautiful sea views and good Italian seafood. Dishes are a bit pricier than the next two restaurants I will recommend, but it is the most convenient (only a 15-20 minute walk from the train station) with the best views.
Happy as a ‘clam’ well…una cozza (mussel) at Il Trabucco as you can see from the photo:)
Another adorable and delicious restaurant recently recommended to me by a friend and colleague who has a house in Santa Marinella is Il Trabucco. It is located further down the coast from Molo, but the walk is extremely pleasant, and you move into the quiet residential areas of the town. Sea views are on offer and the food was exquisite. I would say that the staff was also more attentive and efficient than at Molo 21, in my experience.
At Ristorante Al 58 with a beautiful large portion of spaghetti alle vongole
If you do have a car, however, I highly recommend Ristorante Al 58. You should definitely book a table in advance as it is always packed, and a favorite with the locals. They even take reservations via Whatsapp, if you contact this number +39 3929513522. You could also walk from the train station, as it is only about 30 minutes; unfortunately, the walk is along the Via Aurelia (the ancient in origin but busy road you take from Rome) and not the most pleasant walk. A quick 5-minute cab ride from the station could work too. The restaurant is worth it.
Another option for the freshest and most delicious fish is Tavola Azzurra 2. More than a ‘restaurant’ it is a popular fish market where locals come to buy the freshest catch to take away. Every dish is so fresh and delicious when you eat in, although the atmosphere is not too much to write home about (Read: no sea views). The bill will surprise you for good, however, as it is quite economical, especially for the abundance. The restaurant does not have an official website, so here is an article in The Guardian also praising unadorned goodness.
Santa Severa
The castle and beach of Santa Severa
Santa Severa is Santa Marinella’s neighboring beach, and it is even more compact. I like it for an easy day trip; it is the easiest, to be honest, by car, because you can drive in and park along the road leading up to the beach, and everything you need it right there—castle, lettino (sunbed), and delicious restaurant, L'Isola del Pescatore, which also happens to be the lido (beach club) from which you will rent the lettino. You can also take the train from Roma Termini to the Santa Severa station and walk 15 minutes (1.5 KM) to reach the castle and lido (also very easy).
See (or explore) the castle. It is nice to have views of a castle overlooking the sea, even if the water is not a Sardinian shade of electric blue. The impressive and current structure of the castle is from the 14th century; however, the history of the spot is ancient; it dates back to the Pre-Roman Etruscans. The ancient Etruscan port of Pyrgi was built in the 7th century BCE, and then was integrated into a Roman colony called “(Castrum) whose remains are present in the fortification walls” of the castle. The name ‘Severa’ comes from an early Christian martyr who was killed here by the orders of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the year 298 CE. Find out more on the castle’s official website. The first written records of the castle date to the year 1068; thus, the history extends backwards and forwards in time; you can visit it for yourselves or just admire it from the window of the restaurant, L'Isola del Pescatore.
My friend Charles with fresh seafood in the foreground and sea views in the background
At L’isola Del Pescatore in September 2020 (holding on to summer days into fall…)
Eat at L'Isola del Pescatore. This restaurant is very popular with Romans coming for a nice seaside Sunday lunch, so make a reservation ahead of time! Everything is delicious here. I like to get the seafood antipasti platter, as there is great variety on small plates that come out as they are prepared. This is a good option if you are with a group. I have loved a lot of the seafood pastas they offer, served on festive and colorful ceramic plates. On my most recent trip, I had a delicate and delicious pistachio encrusted tuna.
My friends opted for a mixed seafood platter and a one of the daily specials, a pasta dish with polpo (octopus) ripe tomatoes, black olives and fresh long pasta.
Sun beds with castle views at L’Isola Del Pescatore
Relax by renting a sunbed from the same people who own L’Isola Del Pescatore. There is a booth just outside the entrance to the restaurant. Here you can buy snacks and also pay for the sunbeds. There are other lidi further down the beach, but I prefer this one for the views of the castle and access to the restaurant. Relax and stay all day. When the sun starts to set, head up to the deck for a spritz to finish.