Although the myths and legends of Rome beckon just an hour away, pirates, pizza, and a slower pace of life will entice you to stay for a while at this Lazio port cradled by lush green hills and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Our insider, Lee Marshall, shows you around.
It was the Emperor Trajan who first turned a small fishing village then known as Centum Cellae into what would become the Port of Rome. A rugged survivor that once guarded the entrance to the Ancient Roman harbor, the weather-beaten Lazzaretto tower stands silent witness to those pioneer years.
The once sleepy village is now a bustling town. Civitavecchia has become, by a wide margin, Italy’s busiest cruise port, welcoming more than 3 million passengers each year. But still today, those who arrive by sea, as they begin to make out the ochre-hued houses of the historic center, framed by a backdrop of green hills, are likely to feel the same anticipation as the sailors who, nearly 2,000 years ago, headed shorewards in wooden triremes loaded down with goods from across the Mediterranean.
Many passengers use Civitavecchia as a stepping stone for Rome, which is just an hour away by train or road. But with its Rennaissance-era fortress, attractive historic center, vibrant open-air eating and drinking scene, and small artisanal stores, this town of 50,000 people is a worthwhile destination in its own right. This is the small-town Italy we dream of: authentic, unhurried, in love with the good things in life – all hiding in plain sight just a short stroll or shuttle bus ride away from the state-of-the-art port with its five cruise terminals. These include the sleek new Amerigo Vespucci terminal, designed by Genoa-based architects Studio Vicini.
The cruise ship docks line both sides of a long deepwater harbor. Orientation is easy once you locate the large 16th-century military fortress known as Forte Michelangelo with its graceful octagonal tower: think of this as the head of the port and the long wharves that stretch northward on the town side and the breakwater side as its arms. In the shadow of the fortress is the original harbor, the Porto Antico, lined with small leisure craft and fishing boats. A handful of cafés and snack bars within the port authority area are good for a panino, coffee or spritz on the run, but you’ll find a better selection in the town itself.
What to see in Civitavecchia (Rome)
Town and port are cheek by jowl in Civitavecchia. Built to defend the harbor from pirate raids, the impressive 16th-century Forte Michelangelo, occupied today by harbormaster offices, is the best point of departure (the jury is out on whether the great Renaissance artist had a hand in its design). Walk north from here along the old port quay with its bevy of small boats, past a satyr’s-head fountain designed by great Rococo architect Luigi Vanvitelli, to the pedestrian gate of Porta Livorno – beyond which is the welcome distraction of Eatruria, a deli and snack bar that sells the best filled focaccias in town alongside a range of good olive oils and other tasty treats.
Head west and you are right in the heart of Civitavecchia’s centro storico. Highlights include pretty Piazza Leandra, the small church of Santa Maria dell’Orazione a Morte, with its exquisite Baroque interior, and the San Lorenzo market (Monday-Saturday 8am-1pm), which fills the streets around Piazza Regina Margherita with stalls piled high with seasonal produce. For good homemade gelato, head for Chalet del Pincio, which has been in same family since it opened in 1949. A few blocks west, Selleria Altieri is the workshop of an expert leatherworker who specialises in riding gear, but her “catana” bags – once used by this region’s buttero cowboys to stash their lunch – also make great country-chic handbags. Pick up a town map at the Info Point just outside the Varco Fortezza gate or download the Port Authority version here.
With half a day to spare, there’s ample time to factor in lunch or dinner. Civitavecchia is a busy fishing port served by a rich agricultural hinterland, and the town’s best restaurants make the most of this surf-and-turf location. One block back from the seafront in a cute, cobbled street, Forma is the domain of talented local chef Gianluca Formichella. On sidewalk tables or in the elegantly rustic interior (warm even on grey days), dishes such as spaghetti with paprika-spiced sea urchins or amberjack served in a sapid sauce based on classic pizza toppings are as tasty as they are creative. The restaurant’s amiable sommelier, Diego, is a knowledgeable guide to the regional wines of an area that has come on apace in recent years.
A 20-minute walk (1 mile) south-east past the train station from Forte Michelangelo brings you to the pebbly urban beach of Pirgo. Of the seafood trattorias that line the breezy promenade, Il Delfino – where you should angle for a table on the panoramic terrace – stands out for its simpatico service and impeccable versions of classics including spaghetti alle vongole and fritto misto. This being Italy, allow a couple of hours for a restaurant meal; before or after, take a 15-minute taxi ride to Santa Severa, where a sandy beach with an Italian family vibe is punctuated to the south by a grand medieval castle lapped by gentle waves. It’s a Game of Thrones kind of setting – so it comes as no surprise to discover that it really was used as a location for the series.
Go Etruscan. The hinterland of Civitavecchia was home to this pre-Roman people, whose language and culture remains mysterious today (for a primer, track down D.H. Lawrence’s lyrical 1920s travelogue Etruscan Places). Just a 25-minute taxi ride from Civitavecchia port, the handsome hilltown of Tarquinia was an Etruscan stronghold, and it was here that the art of the painted tomb reached a creative apex rivalled only by the royal sepulchres of Ancient Egypt.
Begin at the impressive Museo Nazionale Etrusco, housed in a Renaissance-era palazzo at the entrance to the walled town, where, among other treasures, a pair of graceful terracotta winged horses and four detached painted tombs act as an appetizer for a visit to the Necropolis, a 20-minute walk (1 mile) ) or 5-minute taxi ride away. Here, on a grassy hillside sprinkled with wildflowers, 22 underground chambers reveal, on their walls, vibrant paintings of banquets, athletic contests, hunting and fishing, and other Etruscan pursuits. The setting may be funereal, but the mood is joyful.
Lunch at Namo Ristobottega, a chic country restaurant just outside the town walls with a small panoramic terrace. While there is some meat on the menu, chef Tiziana Favi’s creative ways with fresh, local, seasonal ingredients make this a veggie-friendly option. Outdoor enthusiasts might consider cycling to Tarquinia from Civitavecchia (see By bicycle): it takes around an hour on quiet backroads, via La Frasca, a spectacular stretch of coast backed by pine forests that in 2017 was declared a Natural Monument.
Do Rome without following the herd – by descending from the train at one of three city stops before its final destination, busy Roma Termini station. Roma San Pietro is within walking distance of St Peter’s Square and the Vatican; Roma Trastevere allows access via tram or taxi to the characterful neighborhood of the same name, as well as the historic Rome of Piazza Navona and the Pantheon; Roma Ostiense is within easy reach of the Colosseum.
Bear in mind that Rome is a collection of urban villages. Even with a full day to spare, it’s worth focusing on no more than one of these, pairing sightseeing with immersion in the city’s colorful streetlife, offbeat shopping opportunities, and rich food and drink culture. Next door to the Ancient Rome of the Forum and Colosseum, Monti is a residential neighborhood bursting with cool cafés and funky fashion and accessory stores. When lunch beckons, dive into Ai Tre Scalini, a friendly, old-school osteria (a cross between a wine bar and a restaurant) in an ivy-draped lane, where traditional recipes such as eggplant parmigiana and meatballs in tomato sauce are done to perfection. Grab a gelato afterwards at Fatamorgana in Piazza degli Zingari, a soul-warming delight of a square surrounded by houses in every shade of pastel – almost beautiful enough (but not quite) to distract from this award-winning gelateria’s cold creations, which include gourmet combos such as ricotta with figs and basil, walnut, and honey.
How to spend an evening
The lanes of Civitavecchia’s medieval center come alive around aperitivo time. One of the best places for a drink, especially in warmer weather when the tables and chairs spill out into the cute piazza, is welcoming bar Taberna Leandra, which has a good selection of wines by the glass and Italian craft beers. Alternatively, a 20-minute walk (1 mile) to the south, Pirgo beachfront is the quiet but rather charming modern-day successor of what was once a booming Belle Époque beach resort. Between June and October, the go-to venue for sunset drinks, a light dinner of bruschetta, cheese, and charcuterie, or a DJ-set nightcap is Isolotto del Pirgo, a tiny offshore islet, entirely occupied by a single al fresco bar, that is connected to the seafront promenade by a short walkway.
If it’s a special occasion, book dinner at La Bomboniera, a warmly elegant restaurant close to the port run by a friendly Sardinian couple. Daughter Eleonora, a former professional soccer player, has inherited her dad’s passion for wine, and is an excellent guide to the well-stocked, reasonably priced list, which mixes big names with some worthwhile smaller producers. The Sardinian chapter alone counts more than 70 different entries.
How to get around
Crystal runs shuttle buses to the nearest town or city on many of its cruises. When onboard, check departure points and times in your copy of our daily bulletin, Reflections.
To book a taxi, please inquire at the Concierge desk. Metered taxis wait for newly arrived passengers outside the Varco Fortezza gate, 10 minutes’ walk (0.5 miles)*, and the Largo della Pace information point, 20 minutes’ walk (1 mile). These can also be pre-ordered via the official On the Move Taxi Civitavecchia app.
To Rome Fiumicino Airport: 45 minutes
To Civitavecchia train station: 7 minutes
Port Mobility buses meet all cruise ships at the dock on arrival. Note that unless you are transferring to a bus for the train station, there is no need to stay on the port bus as far as the main Largo della Pace information center and transport hub: the city centre is more readily accessed by alighting at Forte Michelangelo and exiting via the nearby Varco Fortezza gate. There is also a regular portside circular service that runs every 20 minutes from Molo del Bicchiere, on the western side of Forte Michelangelo, to Largo della Pace and beyond (5:30am-midnight, or until 11pm in July and August). Both services are complimentary.
Local CSP buses connect the port area with the train station; inquire at the information booth in Largo Plebiscito, just outside the Varco Fortezza gate, for times, fares, and tickets (the bus stop is across the road, outside the MANC Archaeological Museum). A hop-on hop-off city sightseeing bus operated by Civita Tours follows a one-hour circular route, late March to end October, departing Largo della Pace every hour on the hour, 10am-5pm. There are five stops along the way, including the Pirgo promenade, with its many seafood trattorias, and the Terme Taurine Roman-era thermal baths. The Port Authority website is the best source for reliable, up-to-date tourist information in English.
A shuttle bus service runs every 25 minutes, 7am-7pm (pay on board), connecting the cruise ship docks in 15 minutes with Civitavecchia train station, which lies on the main Rome-Pisa line. The station can also be reached by public CSP bus from the Largo della Pace information center. For timetables and fares, go to www.trenitalia.com.
Local cycling company and bike store Fon Bike rents out bicycles including e-bikes. Owner Stefano is also a qualified guide who organises bike tours of the surrounding coast and countryside, which can extend to lunch and tastings of regional wines.
Civitavecchia town centre lies just beyond the port walls. If you want to dive straight into its maze of lanes the closest gates are Varco Fortezza, near Forte Michelangelo, or the pedestrian-only gate of Porta Livorno by the old port’s small-boat dock, a 15-minute walk (0.7 miles).
The Port Mobility authority website features an accessibility map. Port Mobility buses and CPS town buses are all provided with simple, sloped ramps for wheelchair access via the central door, though some users may find these too steep for unassisted access. Three bars within the port area have wheelchair access and accessible toilets (Bar Camalli is the closest to Forte Michelangelo and the Varco Fortezza gate). The cobbled lanes of the centro storico, coupled with the lack of sidewalks in many areas, make the district problematic for those with mobility issues, but the wide promenade that runs south from the port along the seaward side of Viale Garibaldi towards the train station and the seafood restaurants of Pirgo are wheelchair-friendly.
*As the docks for our ships can vary, all walking times/distances are measured from dock 10.
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