Cathedrals, Forts, Beaches, Markets, Theatre, Italian Food and so much more awaits you in Civitavecchia – Cruise Port to Rome, Italy.
Why rush to Rome if you have already seen it? There is plenty to keep you busy in Civitavecchia, including just lazing your day away at the beach. Sunny blue skies with wispy white clouds, rugged buildings, cobblestone streets and the aqua blue Tyrrhenian Sea. This is the unfortunately overlooked port town of Civitavecchia. (View my Photo Blog for more pictures of the town).
We stayed at B & B Fuori dal Porto, an approximate 5 minute walk from the Largo della Pace (the port shuttle terminal). Read what they offer, how much it cost and more here: B & B Fuori dal Porto, Civitavecchia, Italy – Review. As the name suggests, breakfast was included and there was so much food, we did not need to eat until dinner in the evenings!
From our B & B location, you can walk everywhere – the waterfront, yacht port, museums, Fort Michelangelo, shopping, market, beach, train station – you get the idea, Civitavecchia is a small town.
Beautiful picturesque side streets are waiting to be discovered, filled with churches, cafes, boutiques; sip an espresso and watch the action as hand talking Italians intermingle with frenzied, lost tourists and ship crew wander about getting fresh air and restocking essentials. Most cafes and restaurants offer wifi. For those who are missing it, there is even a McDonald’s.
As we wander the streets, Enotecas are noted and tucked away in the back of our minds for an afternoon wine tasting or evening drink. The pace is generally slow and easy with only the occasional dog barking or migrant street vendor selling his wares, all to the bell like clanging transfixing sounds of the sailboat riggings flapping against their masts.
You can, and we did spend the entire day just wandering around this quaint port town, spending extra time in the huge market area and of course on the beautiful waterfront with plenty of benches and walking paths that seem like they go forever along the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea / Mediterranean waterfront. Pebble stone Pirgo Beach and sandy Civitavecchia Beach, two beaches separated by the impressive wharf, are free to use at your pleasure.
We order our afternoon wake me up of two coffees – Due caffè per favore – which means two espressos please! Delicious! The €3 is pricey for Italy, but I suppose they are pricing according to their type of tourist – cruise passengers.
For dinner our first evening, we went to an Italian restaurant called Il Boccone d’Oro (read my review / photos) and the second evening we went to a pizzeria called A Due Passi Dal Ghetto Pizzeria, which translates to Two Step from the Ghetto (read my review / photos).
The next morning we woke up to music wafting in through our huge port facing window. I jumped up to see what the commotion was and there was a huge sail ship called the Cuauhtémoc, from Mexico, playing the anthem and doing maneuvers in the port. The masts were lined from top to bottom with sailors! What an amazing site. We later learned this is their sail training ship.
Following another fabulous breakfast at B&B Fuori dal Porto, our host considerately took us to the train station. Normally, we would have walked, but my large roll suitcase had lost it’s wheels and I had visions of my clothes all over the sidewalk. Read about our train trip from Civitavecchia to FCO Rome airport on my blog: Transportation How to Civitavecchia Port.
Links of Interest:
Civitavecchia Photo Blog
Restaurant Il Boccone d’Oro, Civitavecchia – Review
Pizzeria A Due Passi Dal Ghetto, Civitavecchia – Review
B & B Fuori dal Porto, Civitavecchia – Review
Transportation – Getting out of Civitavecchia
