Easy beach day trips from Rome

Once the weather heats up in Rome (and it’s definitely started here; May was a very warm month and we’re already seeing 85 degree days), it’s hard to spend entire weekends in the city. And as I’ll readily admit, I try to avoid spending too much time here in the months of July and August (sidenote: PLEASE try to avoid these months for city vacations. I doubt anyone can enjoy Rome for the amazing city that it is while baking under the sun, walking in the center on unbearably humid days, while still having crowds of tourists). THAT SAID, Rome's in a great position for day trips to the county and the beach, perfect for getting out of town for a day.

So if you haven’t already escaped to the Italian coasts (big love for Puglia , the Amalfi Coast , and even Le Marche on the Adriatic side), day trips to the seaside are your best survival tactic. To avoid spending an Italian summer locked away with AC, I’m including some beach escapes from Rome that are available by public transportation. As long as you can make it to the main train station of Termini and leave yourself an hour of transportation time, these are all nice options for when that Sicily dream trip can't come true just yet.

Ostia

The classic Roman beach and the closet of them all, Ostia is a great option if you need a quick day trip. It’s accessible by the metro line B, with a quick change the San Paolo stop for a regional train. It will only cost you the €1.50 of your original metro ticket too, making it very economic.

Fair warning, most Italians wouldn’t go in the water at Ostia because they consider it dirty (people used to the Atlantic Ocean are a bit more forgiving). So if you’re looking for crystal-clear water, this isn’t the one.

Civitavecchia

The entire stretch of beaches from Civitavecchia, to Santa Marinella and Santa Severa is a great, quick option, accessible from Rome by the regional train. The water is decent and there are plenty of aperitivo places around, especially if you’re in the main coastal city of Civitavecchia.

Anzio

Whether you’re looking for a beach/history combo, or you just want to get a little further from Rome, Anzio has lovely beaches and of course, the Anzio Beachhead Museum with info on the Battle of Anzio during WWII. I was just here a few weekends ago and we it was a great way to cool down at the beach after a midday barbecue.

Sabaudia

My personal favorite, though it is little harder to reach by train than the others, Sabaudia is a gorgeous beach that provides the clearest water you could hope for, north of Calabria and Sicily. The nightlife at nearby town Terraccina is also fun, with plenty of restaurants, beach-side bars and clubs to entertain if you’re willing to take a late train back.

Of course, your options aren’t just limited to the seaside because there are a few lakes in Lazio that are nice and easy to reach from Rome, like Bracciano if you’re looking for something a bit more low maintenance. And if time allows, I’ll always prefer the beaches a bit farther from Rome, like Gaeta and Porto Santo Stefano, which make great weekend trips.