Lazio · Latina
Gaeta
The promontory port where the Bourbon Kingdom of the Two Sicilies fell in February 1861 and the south of Italy stopped existing as a state.
Known for
BOURBON LAST STAND
Francis II of the Two Sicilies held out here from November 1860 until 13 February 1861; the surrender ended the Bourbon kingdom.
MONTAGNA SPACCATA
Sanctuary built across a vertical cleft in the cliff of Monte Orlando, pilgrimage site since the 11th century.
TIELLA
Double-crust savory pie of octopus, escarole or anchovies; the dish associated with the Bourbon siege rations.
When to visit
Best · May–Sep
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Why come
Gaeta is a promontory on the Tyrrhenian coast halfway between Rome and Naples, a port and a fortress town and, until February 1861, the last capital of the Bourbon Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Francis II and Maria Sofia held out here from November 1860 against the Sardinian army of Cialdini; the siege ended the Bourbons in southern Italy. Before that there was a much older town: the mausoleum of the Roman consul Lucius Munatius Plancus stands on top of Monte Orlando, the wooded headland above the harbor; the medieval quarter of Sant'Erasmo on the headland holds the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta with its 57-meter Norman-Gothic bell tower.
The Montagna Spaccata, a vertical cleft in the cliff with the Santuario della Santissima Trinità built across it in the 11th century, is the pilgrimage site Pope Pius IX retreated to in 1848. The tiella, Gaeta's stuffed double-crust pie of octopus or escarole, is what the Bourbons ate during the siege.
The Sunday letter
We haven’t written Gaeta’s letter yet.
One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.
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What to see
Santuario della Montagna Spaccata
Sanctuary of the Santissima Trinità on Monte Orlando, built into a vertical fissure in the cliff, founded in the 11th century.
Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
Cathedral in Sant'Erasmo with a 57-meter Norman-Gothic campanile, decorated with marble fragments from earlier Roman buildings.
Mausoleo di Lucio Munazio Planco
Roman circular tomb of the consul who founded Lyon, on the summit of Monte Orlando, dating to the late 1st century BC.
Castello Angioino-Aragonese
Layered fortress above the old town, lower Angevin section from the 12th century and upper Aragonese from the 15th.
Borgo di Sant'Erasmo
Medieval quarter on the headland with the cathedral, churches of San Giovanni a Mare, San Domenico, and the Bourbon-era walls.
Spiaggia di Serapo
Main town beach below the headland, blue-flag, two kilometers of fine sand backed by hotels and the old town wall.
The slow-trip planner
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We recommend
Where to eat and stay
Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to — a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.
Dolia GaetaRistorante
A spot in the Michelin Guide, at Dolia Gaeta.
Magie dei Sapori all'Hotel Torre San VitoRistorante
A Gambero Rosso listing, at Magie dei Sapori all'Hotel Torre San Vito.
Signature dish
Tiella di GaetaSavory pie
A double-crust savory pie filled with octopus, escarole or salt cod, sold by the slice in the old port.
See every town in our catalogue with a dish of its own.
Living here
- Population 19,423
- Commuter belti
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Train station in the comune
- Nearest airport Naples / Salerno, 1 h 40 min drive
- Regional capital Roma, 2 h 26 min drive
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 2 m
- Population: 19,423
- Surface area: 29.2 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories — ISTAT, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata — and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
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