Marking the center of the protected Riviera di Ulisse, Gaeta perches dramatically atop a craggy promontory that juts out into the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Visitors explore its medieval town center—a maze of narrow lanes that descend from the imposing castle to the marina below—and bask on the sandy beaches lining the waterfront. Other top things to do include boat tours along the coastline and excursions inland to visit the Montecassino Abbey and tour the historic WWII battlefields scattered across the surrounding hillsides.
The resort town of Gaeta swells with beachgoers in the summer. If you want to visit the nearby World War II battlefields and the abbey at Monte Cassino, the best seasons are spring and fall, when daytime temperatures are more comfortable. Music enthusiasts should visit in July, when the town hosts the Gaeta Jazz Festival, featuring jazz, blues, R&B, and rock performances by Italian and International artists as well as a variety of other music events.
Gaeta’s tiny medieval center is easy to explore on foot, but you’ll need to rent a car to reach nearby WWII sites or the abby at Monte Cassino. The nearest train station is in Formia; COTRAL buses from the station to Gaeta run several times a day. In summer, you can take shuttles from Gaeta’s center to nearby beaches. You can also rent a scooter or a bike if you want to explore the coastline on two wheels.
Rome has pinsa, Naples has pizza, and Gaeta has tiella. This pita-like flatbread is only found in and around this coastal town. The most classic version is stuffed with calamari stewed in a tomato sauce along with Gaeta olives, capers, garlic, chili pepper, and parsley. Other common stuffings include sautéed greens with eggs, sausage, cod, or anchovies; prosciutto and mozzarella; and seasonal vegetables. No matter what the filling is, a tiella is always finished with Gaeta’s excellent local olive oil.
