Sperlonga, Italy
Feature by Lizzie Guilfoyle
Sperlonga, a coastal resort roughly midway between Rome and Naples, is a delightful blend of old and new. More importantly perhaps, it remains quintessentially Italian.
The old town, a cluster of white-washed houses, quaint shops and appetising bars, is perched on a steep headland and is accessible only by foot. The narrow winding passage-ways which frequently give rise to dizzying flights of steps simply couldn’t accomodate motor vehicles of any description. Which is no bad thing as it leaves visitors free to enjoy hidden courtyards, colourful window-boxes and breathtaking views of the sea below.
On either side of the headland and separated by a relatively small, though impregnable-looking fort and a harbour filled almost to overflowing with small, multi-coloured craft, are the resort’s beaches – long, golden, clean and safe; a virtual paradise for families with small children, undoubtedly one of Italy’s best kept secrets.
But as in most Italian resorts, large areas are reserved for beach establishments (hotels or bars) where, for a set fee, a shaded sunbed, plus a number of other facilities, are yours for the day. There are, however, generous stretches of ‘spiaggia libera’ (free beach) for the budget-minded traveller.
Sperlonga is famous for locally grown fruit and vegetables – sun-ripened and absolutely delicious. And the cuisine draws heavily from the town’s seafaring heritage. I had a bowl of seafood pasta – the seafood caught that very morning – in a trattoria by the sea. Washed down with a local white wine, it was the best I’d ever tasted.
My dessert, an hour or so later and in the main piazza of the old town, was a ‘gelato’ – three huge scoops of fruit flavoured ice-cream topped with panna. Squisito!
Also of interest, is the town’s archeological museum (Museo Archeologico) which houses fragments and copies of the huge sculptures that once dominated the artificial fishponds at the mouth of a banqueting hall. No ordinary banqueting hall, this was one situated in a natural cave, part of a villa belonging to the Emperor Tiberius. Admission to the museum includes both the ruins and the cave itself.
Sperlonga also makes an ideal base for exploration. Just 20 minutes northwards is Terracina, a town that thrives on tourism and a flourishing fishing industry. Every July, the latter provides one of the region’s most colourful and spectacular festivals – the Festa del Mare, a celebration of and a thanksgiving for the sea’s great bounty.
While in Terracina, the Centro Storico with its recently renovated archeological museum is well worth a visit; as indeed, is the Tempio di Giove (Temple of Jupiter) perched high above the sea on Monte S Angelo. The views from this still impressive ruin are simply stunning.
Southwards from Sperlonga is the town of Gaeta, a NATO base since 1967 but renowned for its Montagna Spaccata, a fissure in the rock which, according to legend, opened when Christ died. To walk through it, is just amazing.
And finally, a two hour journey by boat will bring you to the Pontine Islands – Ponza and Ventotene, with their evanescent faraglioni and labyrinthine caves. These little known islands, unspoilt and uncrowded, are a rare jewel in Italy’s sumptuous crown.