Anzio
©
Anzio

Anzio

Lazio seaside town south of Rome, remembered for wartime landings and still centred on its fishing harbour.

Anzio is a coastal town about 50 km south of Rome, known both for its beaches and its role in the Second World War. The Allied landings at Anzio in January 1944, intended to outflank the German Gustav Line, led to months of fierce fighting. The Beach Head War Cemetery and the larger Sicily–Rome American Cemetery in neighbouring Nettuno commemorate the fallen.

Today Anzio is a popular seaside escape for Romans. The harbour is lively, with fish restaurants lining the waterfront and ferries running to the Pontine Islands — Ponza is a couple of hours away. The town's Roman heritage shows in the ruins of Nero's villa along the coast, where the famous Apollo Belvedere and Borghese Gladiator sculptures were discovered. The beaches stretch south in a long sandy arc, less developed than many Italian resort towns. The Paradiso sul Mare Art Nouveau palace is worth a look on the way along the seafront, and the Tor Caldara nature reserve a few kilometres south has sulphurous springs and quiet coastal woodland.

Guide

Eating Out

Anzio's fish restaurants are the reason many Romans make the trip down from the city. The waterfront around the harbour is lined with places serving the day's catch — grilled, fried, or prepared in the simple Lazio style with olive oil, white wine, and herbs. The fish market in the morning tells you what's fresh; the restaurants confirm it at lunch.

Look for moscardini (baby octopus), seppie (cuttlefish) alla romana, and whatever whole fish is grilled simply that day. Prices are reasonable compared to Rome and the quality is consistently high.

Guide

Getting There

Anzio is about 50 km south of Rome and easily reached by train. Regular services run from Roma Termini to Anzio station (the line continues to Nettuno), taking around one hour on the direct trains. Trains run frequently throughout the day, making Anzio a comfortable day trip from Rome. By car, take the Via Nettunense south from Rome; the journey takes 45–60 minutes depending on traffic.

Ferries for the Pontine Islands (Ponza, Ventotene) depart from the harbour; services are seasonal and most frequent in summer.

Guide

Things to Do

Anzio balances two identities that rarely sit together so comfortably: a cheerful Italian seaside resort and one of the most significant WWII battlefields in Europe. Both deserve your attention. The war cemeteries are genuinely moving; the harbour and the ruins of Nero's villa make for a fine afternoon.