Budget-Friendly Day Trip from Rome: A day in Anzio
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you might already know this: I have a slight obsession with day trips from Rome. One, I live in Rome and I want to see as much of Italy as possible (on a student budget, of course). And two, most of these trips involve a train, and I love taking the train in Italy. Just staring out the window, headphones on concert mode, and off we go.
Now that the weather is finally getting better, I knew it was time to hit the coast, and that’s how Anzio popped onto my radar. In this post, I’ll share why you should check out this cute coastal town just 60 kilometres from Rome, how to get there for a very fun price, and exactly how to spend your day.
Why visit Anzio?
While being a coastal town is reason enough for me to visit a place, Anzio actually has a fascinating history too, making it well worth your time. In ancient times, Anzio was known as Antium, and it became a favourite of the Roman emperors, who built luxurious villas and even a theatre here. Emperor Nero was born in Anzio, and you can still see the ruins of his villa along the coast.
In more recent history, Anzio is known for its military significance as a key landing spot for the Allies during the Second World War. The Anzio Beachhead Museum (Museo dello Sbarco di Anzio) houses a collection of artefacts including uniforms, weapons, documents, and photographs, divided into sections representing American, British, German, and Italian forces.
Beyond the history, Anzio is simply a beautiful and charming fishing town. Wandering through the centre and walking along the beach is more than enough to make it a perfect day trip.
How to visit Anzio from Rome?
Getting to Anzio from Rome is super easy and budget-friendly. There are direct trains from Roma Termini to Anzio that take just over an hour to reach their destination. A regional train ticket costs only three euros and sixty cents, and you’ll pay the same for the return trip. Trains leave about every hour, so you’ve got plenty of flexibility to plan your day.
You can buy your train tickets easily through the Trenitalia app. You can pay with a credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, Satispay, Amazon Pay, or an online bank transfer. After payment, your ticket will be visible in the app and also sent to your email. If the app doesn’t work for you, there are plenty of ticket machines at Roma Termini station.
The final stop on the train route is Nettuno, another coastal town just past Anzio. If you’re up for it, you could even combine a visit to both towns in one day. I haven’t been to Nettuno yet, but it’s on my list, and as soon as I go, I’ll definitely write about it and share my thoughts on both!
How to spend your day in Anzio
Explore the town centre and Piazza Pia
It is good to note that from the train station of Anzio, it is not even a ten-minute walk to the centre, and the centre is very cute! The main square is called Piazza Pia, and it is full of life. There are benches, a fountain, a stunning church, and lots of restaurants, gelaterias, and stores around the square. I really liked the atmosphere in this square, and after seeing basically everyone walking around with gelato (I visited on a sunny Sunday), I finally caved and sat down on a bench here to enjoy some gelato of my own. A particular store I liked in Anzio was La Dispensa, a cute little shop filled with organic products and lots and lots of teas.
Walk along the beach
Since the beach was the entire reason I wanted to visit Anzio in the first place, I decided to be a tough critic for once. While it definitely wasn’t the prettiest beach I’ve ever been to, I still enjoyed it quite a lot, and I’d give it a solid 7.5. I love how close the beach is to the centre—I’m usually used to walking a bit more, so that was definitely a plus! Also, as far as I noticed, there weren’t a lot of ‘private’ beach areas, so you could just sit down wherever you wanted.
Visit the Villa Imperiale di Anzio
What makes the beach of Anzio so special, in my opinion, is that along the coastline, you can find the archaeological remnants of the Imperial Villa of Nero. There’s no entrance fee or anything—it’s just sort of... there? And it really adds to the scenery.
Nero’s villa in Anzio was built in the 1st century AD and became one of Emperor Nero’s favourite residences. After Nero’s death, the villa fell into disuse and was gradually abandoned. However, during the 19th century, archaeological excavations brought the remains of the villa to light, sparking renewed interest in this historical site.
See the Grotte di Nerone
Right next to the Villa of Nero, you can find the Grotte di Nerone (Nero’s Caves). These caves were carved into the rock along the coastline in ancient times and were likely used for various purposes, such as shelters and storage. They really add to the beautiful scenery during your beach walk. While I was there, I saw some people climbing the rocks to explore the caves, but personally, I didn’t do that.
What I didn’t do (but you probably should):
Before I went to Anzio, I did some research and found that there’s actually quite a lot to do. Since I was only there for the day and mainly wanted to relax on the beach, I didn’t have time to visit everything on my list. But there are a few things I definitely want to mention because I’m planning to go back to Anzio and check them out myself!
· Riserva Naturale Regionale Tor Caldara: Without a car, this nature park is a bit tricky to get to, since it’s quite far from the centre. But I still wanted to mention it because the pictures I saw looked amazing! It’s a protected nature reserve with coastal trails, lush greenery, and even ancient ruins. I’m definitely excited to visit in the future!
· Teatro Romano di Anzio: Just behind the train station (so the opposite side of the centre), you can find the remains of a Roman theatre. It’s another cool historical spot to check out if you’re in the area.
· The War Museum and Cemetery: If you’re into World War II history, the Anzio Beachhead Museum (Museo dello Sbarco di Anzio) is definitely worth visiting! It’s located in a lovely park just 5 minutes from the train station, so it’s easy to fit into your day trip.
Conclusion
I hope this post has inspired you to visit the beautiful town of Anzio for yourself! For me, it was the perfect beach day—everything you might need for a super budget-friendly student price, plus some amazing history. I definitely want to visit Nettuno in the future so I can compare the two and see if one becomes my new favourite coastal town. Do you have a favourite coastal town near Rome? I’d love to hear from you!
