The Circeo is the promontory of Central Italy, protruding, isolated on the Tyrrhenian Sea, closing the bay to the west of Terracina, relates to the structure and tectonic conditions to the mountains of Lepine. The name derives from Circeii, referring to the mythical wizard Circe, or from round shape of the high ground on which stands the town. The origins of the city date back to the VI-IV century BC. This area is a wonderful environmental synthesis which features the cape, the only hill of the Pontine plain, whose summit (peak of approximately 542 masl) overlooking a vast panorama that spans the valley to Rome and to the mountains. At the feet of the mountain and all around there is lush green forest of the national park of Circeo with Sabaudia and lakes on one hand, the arc on the coast of Terracina on the other hand, in the expanse of sea to the islands of Ponza. In summer it is one of the most important center of nightlife among bars and typical places, boutiques and shops, meeting places of VIP entertainment. Unique is the spectacle of the Caves: Blue, the nativity, the Goat, the Fossellone, hangman, the wizard Circe. In the tourist complex Punta Rossa, which lies on the eastern slopes of the promontory of Circeo, you do the spa treatments, thalassotherapy treatments in a large swimming pool with sea water in motion.
Founded on August 5, 1933, keeps integral the original architecture or layout, which gave the namein
the City of Rationalism: the Commune Square, with the civic tower of 42 meters. and the
Municipal House, the ancient home of the fascio, the school, the Church of the Annunciation,
the hotel, the cinema and other buildings. The daily reality is that of a tourist town
that reached, since years, quality levels that make it a researched destination for summer
and loved by Italians and foreigners. Paola Lake, or Lake of Sabaudia, is flanked by
dense vegetation, is home of racing and training for rowing. Despite its young age,
Sabaudia preserves important evidences of the thirteenth-century building in the sanctuary of St. Maria della Sorresca;
Domitian's Palace, the Source Locullo.
The small town of Sperlonga is situated on a rocky spur at 55m above sea level: here lies the heart of the city, with its narrow alleys and small shops, old churches and small bar where the evening, lots of guys get together to enjoy cocktails; through the alleys, you reach the promenade of Sperlonga: here there are the most exclusive hotels in Sperlonga, the seaside resorts and villas. In addition to the unique identity of the inhabited center, the city offers a unique natural charm, combining the two lakes to the sea, also known as the “eyes” of Sperlonga (the circular one of S. Puoto and Long Lake), many panoramic points and natural oasis. Art lovers also will remain certainly satisfied by the visit to the Tiberius Cave, which dates back to Roman time, and the adjacent National Archaeological Museum, where are preserved numerous archeological finds.
A one of the major tourist centres of the area thanks to the many accommodation services, hotels, restaurants and clubs for the fun on its territory. Tourism is focused mainly on the sea and the beautiful beaches of the coast that every summer attract visitors from all over Italy and world. The city is historically divided into two centres: the high city and low ones. The high town is the old historic centre developed during the Middle Age, the low city is rather initially developed in Roman times and then completely revolutionized in the nineteenth and twentieth century as a result of reclamation of the Pontine swamps. The ancient Terracina was the capital of Volsci, and as such as called Anxur, named after the patron god. The most notable remains are those of the Temple of Jupiter Anxur, on Acropolis, on a wide audience with arched substructures, opus incertum of siliana age, and cryptoporticus length of 60 m. the main monument of Terracina medieval and modern, is the Duomo, S. Cesario, built on the temple of Rome and Augustus. Remarkable also are the Church of St. Domenico da Sora (13th century, rebuilt), like the Fossanova Abbey, the Castle of the Frangipani, the Church of St. Salvatore, neoclassical (A. Sarti).
The Pontine Islands archipelago consists of two groups of islands about 22 miles distant from each other. A north-west includes the island of Ponza and Palmarola islands, Gavi and Zannone. The other south-east and includes Ventotene S. Stephen.
Ventotene and S. Stephen
Ventotene is the smallest of the Pontine Islands, 2,700 km long and 700 meters wide. About a mile to the uninhabited island of St. Stephen, with his former life sentence Bourbon, closed in 1965. Both islands are of volcanic origin and composed mainly of yellow tuff, trachyte and basalt.
Ponza
It 's the largest of the Pontine Islands, located 59 km southwest of Gaeta, 33 south of Cape Circeo in the province of Latina. Of volcanic origin, is the remnant of a large central cone, with two craters: Hell and set bay of Ponza. The coasts, steep and very high almost everywhere are very jagged and accompanied by several rocks. The town has a population of 2336 inhabitants of Ponza Pontini said. The municipality also includes the island of Zannone.
Palamarola
Small island in the pontine group, volcanic, has sharply indented coastline, especially in the west, culminates in Mount Garnish (262 m). Palmarola is uninhabited but summer is filled with swimmers and can reach it by boat hired.
Zannone
Island group of the Pontine Islands, the northernmost archipelago, is about 6 miles from Ponza and culminates in Monte Pellegrino. Was the site of prehistoric neo-Eneolithic.
Gavi
It 'an uninhabited rocky reef located a few hundred meters from Ponza.
Located on the spur of Mount Orlando, Gaeta, maritime Republic resort of ancient Romans. Gaeta today is a beautiful seaside resort on the Tyrrhenian coastline, with a temperate climate and rich of tourist and bathing equipment, religious, naturalistic and monumental. Ample opportunities for nautical tourism, which uses the structure of the Base Nautica Flavio Gioia and across the wide and sheltered harbor. The layout of ancient Gaeta is typically medieval. Alleys, a large castle, roads, Norman towers, the old walls make up the S. Erasmo neighborhood full of churches: the Cathedral, the Churches of SS Annunziata, St. John at sea, Sorresca, St. Dominic, St. Luke, St. Francis, St. Catherine of Alexandria, in addition to the Shrine of the Holy Trinity on Monte Orlando. Between S. Erasmo and the village, the post-war settlement, with the common, the old Nautical Institute “G. Caboto”. From the medieval quarter of St. Erasmo leads to the Regional Park of Mount Orlando, the adjacent sea is declared Blue Oasis in the park. In addition to the flora and fauna, the Mausoleum of L. Munatius Planco, Split Mountain, fortifications remember of a warlike and glorious history. The Gulf of Gaeta, in the southern part of the Province of Latina, is the last part of the Riviera of Ulysses, before the border with Campania. br />
