Forte Sangallo & The Museo dello Sbarco, Nettuno: The Perfect Day Trip from Rome

If you’re living in Rome like I am, you know that as much as we love the Eternal City, sometimes you just need to escape the chaos of the Vespas and the endless crowds. I’m always on the hunt for a solid day trip—something that doesn't require a three-hour drive or a massive dent in my bank account.

Recently, we found the perfect solution. Since we have relatives living in Anzio, we decided to meet up with them and head one stop further down the line to explore Nettuno. It turned out to be one of the best low-cost, high-reward days out we've had in ages.

Here is why Forte Sangallo and the Museo dello Sbarco should be at the top of your "Rome Escape" list.

Getting There: The Stress-Free Route

One of the best things about this trip is how easy it is to get to from Rome. We actually decided to head down by car this time, which is a great option if you want a bit more flexibility—the drive is straightforward and takes just over an hour.

However, if you don't fancy driving, the train is just as easy. You can hop on the regional service from Roma Termini (the FL8 line); it’s only about an hour’s journey and costs less than a fancy cocktail in the city centre! Plus, Nettuno is the very last stop, so you don't even have to worry about missing your station. Whether you drive or step off the train, that fresh sea air hits you immediately—which, let’s be honest, is exactly what every Roman resident needs once in a while.

Stepping into History at Forte Sangallo

From the station, it’s a short, breezy walk to the coast where the massive brick walls of Forte Sangallo loom over the water. Built in the early 1500s for the Borgias, this place is a fortress in every sense of the word.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that entry was completely free when we visited.

• The Architecture: Walking through the drawbridge and into the courtyard feels like stepping back into the Renaissance. The brickwork is incredibly well-preserved.

• The Views: Make sure you head up to the ramparts. Looking out over the Tyrrhenian Sea with the wind in your hair is the perfect antidote to a busy week in the city. You can see all the way back towards Anzio and the sweeping coastline.

A Moving Tribute: Museo dello Sbarco

Tucked inside the fortress is the Museo dello Sbarco (The Allied Landings Museum). Since my relatives live in Anzio, they’re very familiar with the history of "Operation Shingle," but seeing the artefacts housed right inside the fort's thick walls added a whole new layer to the story.

Like the fort itself, the museum was free to enter during our trip, which is amazing considering the quality of the collection.

• The Collection: It’s a very intimate and moving museum. You’ll see original uniforms, helmets, telegrams, and photographs from the 1944 landings.

• The Personal Touch: It’s not just a dry history lesson; it focuses on the human side of the soldiers and the local Italians caught in the middle. It’s a quiet, reflective space that really makes you appreciate the ground you’re standing on.

A Surprise Find: Sezione di Paleontologia e Preistoria

While we were exploring the fortress, we stumbled upon the Sezione di Paleontologia e Preistoria (part of the town's Antiquarium). Honestly, I didn't expect to find mammoth teeth and prehistoric tools just a few steps away from a Renaissance courtyard, but it was a brilliant addition to the day.

• What’s inside: This section is packed with local fossils and prehistoric artefacts found right here in the Lazio region. It covers everything from the Palaeolithic to the Iron Age. It’s fascinating to see what this coastline looked like thousands of years before the Romans or the Borgias arrived.

• Great for Kids: If you’re travelling with family, this part is a winner. It’s small enough that it won't bore them, but cool enough (who doesn't love prehistoric animals?) to keep them engaged.

• The Best Bit: Just like the rest of our visit to the fort, this section was free to enter when we went. It really makes you appreciate how much culture you can soak up in Nettuno without spending a single Euro.

The Verdict: Why You Should Go

If you’re a Rome local looking for a day trip that is cheap, culturally rich, and incredibly easy to manage, Nettuno is a winner. You get the medieval charm, the WWII history, and the sea views all in one afternoon. Plus, having Anzio just next door means you can easily combine the two for a full day of coastal exploring.

Useful Information

Forte Sangallo opening hours:

9:30-12:30

17:00-21:00 (summer time)

15:00-19:00 (winter time)

Mondays closed.

For more information email ufficio.turismo@comune.nettuno.roma.it 

You might also like: How To Visit Rome on a Budget

Looking for more ideas for day trips from Rome? Check out Ostia Lido - Easy Beach Day Trip From Rome

Travel

My Rome Bucket List for 2024

Disclosure: The FTC Disclosure Provision is a law that requires influencers to disclose when they are being paid to promote a product or service. So please know that if I'm not making money through affiliate links/sponsored content on the post you're currently reading, it's an oversight on my part and will be corrected soon. Read the full disclosure about all the legal stuff here.

I moved to Rome, Italy back in 2001. My original plan had been to stay here for three days... I'm still here!

I had a bucket list of places I wanted to visit and stuff I wanted to see during my three day visit. Like most tourists coming here for a quick visit I wanted to see the main sites like the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, St. Peter's and the Vatican museums, and the Spanish Steps to name a few. 

Fun fact! The Spanish Steps is where I met my now husband and so part of the reason I never left Rome 😉

I have fully embraced the concept of being a local tourist (Explore Tourist Places has a great article explaining local tourism in more detail). I'm fortunate enough to live in the eternal city where they say a lifetime isn't enough to see everything it has to offer. Well, I'm going to make sure I see as much of it as possible!

I hope this list will also help inspire those of you planning on visiting here and give you some ideas of what to do in Rome beyond the most well known tourist stuff. 

Places I want to visit in Rome in 2024

Whilst I have visited most of the places I originally wanted to (I've been to St. Peter's multiple times over the years) I still haven't made it to the Sistine Chapel and the rest of the Vatican museums. It's terrible I know. I've been here for over half my life now and yet haven't managed to go there. 2024 will be the year I finally do! 

Basilica of St. Stephen in the Round on the Caelian Hill (Basilica di Santo Stefano Rotondo al Monte Celio in Italian), located at Via Santo Stefano Rotondo 7 near the Colosseo. Rome is packed full of churches and this particular one sounds really interesting. The church was the first in Rome to have a circular plan. It's open on Sundays and they offer free guided tours too.

Palazzo Doria Pamphil and the Doria Pamphili Gallery has been on my bucket list for a while now. The photo's I've seen look amazing! I feel like I should dress like a princess to visit it (I won't, but you get the idea).

The Capuchin Crypt of Santa Maria della Concezione, located at Via Vittorio Veneto, 27 near Piazza Barberini. I visited some great underground sites in 2023 and can't wait to discover more. Apparently the tiny chapels underneath the church are adorned with the bones of 4000 monks. 

Galleria Sciarra located at Via Marco Minghetti 10 near Trevi fountain is also on my list. This is another one of those places that will probably give me neck-ache (seriously anywhere you visit in Rome look up. The ceilings are often breath-taking). I have a feeling it will be worth it though. 

Basilica di San Clemente located at Via di San Giovanni in Laterano 45, near the Colosseum. This ancient basilica actually consists of two overlapping churches and the remains of a temple of the god Mithra. I have visited the upper level in the past but never got round to visiting the lower levels. 

I'd also like to go back to the Museo di Scultura Antica Giovanni Barracco. You can find my Guide to the Museo di Scultura Antica Giovanni Barracco here. I visited it with my son last summer but unfortunately the underground was closed when we went. I plan to head back there on a weekend when it's open to check it out.

The Aurelian Walls (Museo delle Mura in Italian), located at Via di Porta San Sebastiano,18. This is another place I've wanted to visit for a while now. I love the idea of being able to walk along the top of the walls.

Little London (Piccola Londra in Italian), located at Via Bernardo Celentano, directly off of Via Flaminia is a short street here in Rome where the architect wanted to recreate the feel of a residential suburb of London. I'm curious to see what it's like and also haven't been back to the UK in a while and so hoping it might help quell need to get back on British soil until the summer when it's a more likely possibility for us. 

Ostia Antica is on the very outskirts of Rome towards the coast. It's packed with historical sites and other interesting places to visit. There's a lot of see and do here so this one will probably take a few separate visits to cover it all. 

You might also like: Ostia Lido - Easy Beach Day Trip From Rome

I'm sure this list will grow considerably throughout the year as I discover more places worth discovering more. Rome has a crazy number of museums, churches, and other historical and archaeological sites. 

I got a MIC Card in 2023 and made good use of it visiting most of the museums. For just €5 it gives free unlimited access to a wide variety of museums and archaeological sites. It also means you get to avoid queues and get access to special events. It gives a discount on the ticket price for some other places too. I'll probably be renewing my card for 2024. It basically pays for itself with just one use. 

To be honest, I'd be quite happy to go back and revisit a lot of the places I've already been to. So many of them are so packed with things that you can go several times and see something new each time. 

What places are on your travel bucket list for 2024? Have you ever visited Rome? What places do you recommend I check out? When was the last time you were a local tourist where you live?

You might also like: A Guide to Palazzo Venezia, Rome

You might also like: A Guide to the Museo di Roma, Palazzo Braschi

If you'd like to support me, donating goes a long way to helping with the running of this blog. Thanks for your support 💗

Donate now

Travel Rome

Ostia Lido - An Easy Beach Day Trip From Rome

Ostia Lido is the easiest beach to get to from Rome. It's quick and cheap to get to and offers the perfect escape from the city on hot summer days.

How to get to Ostia Lido from Rome

One of the easiest ways to get to Ostia Lido from Rome is to take the metro. 

There are two main metro lines in Rome, the orange A line, and the blue B line. You'll need to get to the Piramide stop on the B line and then take the Roma-Lido line (Porta San Paolo) from there. This line uses the same metro tickets you use in the centre so you can get a one way ticket for €1,50 or if you need to take other metro's or buses during the day opt for the day pass for €7,00 which gives you unlimited use of all public transport in Rome for 24 hours (metro, bus and trams).

The Roma-Lido line is mainly above ground and will take 20-30 minutes to take you from the Porta San Paolo stop at Piramide to Ostia. The time difference depends on which stop you choose to get off at. 

For the beach the best stops are Ostia Lido Nord, Ostia Lido Centro, and my personal favourite Stella Polare. 

SafetyWing provides affordable travel medical insurance tailored for digital nomads and remote workers. It covers unexpected medical expenses, travel disruptions, and emergencies worldwide. With flexible monthly payments, no long-term contracts, and global support, it’s perfect for those living and working abroad. Stay secure and enjoy peace of mind wherever your journey takes you with SafetyWing.

You might also like: A Guide to Musei Capitolini, Rome

Stella Polare

The reason I prefer to get off at Stella Polare is that the beach is a shorter walk from the metro and it tends to be less packed (keep in mind that all the beaches along the Ostia strip are general quite full during the summer months regardless of what day you go. 

On leaving the station you just need to walk straight down the street in front and you'll soon see the sea. It should only take you about 5 minutes on foot. 

On the street you'll also find a mini market, a few coffee shops, and a chemists.

When you arrive at the beach you'll have a choice of paid establishments, where you can rent a sunbed and umbrella, or the free public beach. 

There are public beaches that have free showers, changing rooms, and toilets you can use. My personal favourite is beach 43. It's always kept clean and has everything you need. There is also always a lifeguard on duty.

The only negatives are the aforementioned crowds, and the rocks. On the beach you'll find warning signs about the large rocks along the coast. The beach itself is sandy though and once you get past the initial metre or two of pebbles (taking care to avoid the larger rocks too) you'll find sand under your feet once again.

The water is perfect for a refreshing swim to cool off in the summer heat.

It's common to find people selling things on the beach. From iced drinks, coconut, and corn on the cob to swimsuits and clothing. You'll also have to option to get a massage whilst you relax in the sun. 

There are also a lot of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs along the beach strip.

Whilst Ostia Lido isn't great compared to other beaches in Italy, it is a nice option for those looking for an easy beach day a stones throw from Rome.