Lukoil BG

A rare phenomenon in mainland Italy, the beach at Castel Porziano (also spelled Castelporziano) is wild and in a natural state, with no expensive beach clubs or rows of matching umbrellas and loungers. That this wild and undeveloped stretch of fine sand and sea should be so close to Rome is even harder to believe.

Gaeta's setting alone would make it one of Lazio's - or Italy's - most beautiful beach towns. Ancient Romans thought so, too, and made it one of their favorite seaside bolt-holes. Since their time a pretty town has grown above the beaches, with a gigantic Aragonese castle from the 6th century, medieval churches, and narrow streets.

Close to the beaches of Gaeta and Sperlonga, Terracina is a smaller town with a charming historic center of narrow lanes and colorful houses. The long sandy beach is backed by a row of palms that separate it from the row of seafood restaurants in the commercial area behind it. One end of the beach is punctuated by the steep rock slopes of Mount Sant'Angelo, topped by the ruined first-century Temple of Jupiter Anxur.

Almost solidly lined by stabilimenti, each marked by its own color of umbrellas, Ostia is not the place to look for a quiet stretch of sand. The free areas are few, and you'd be lucky to find towel space even on a weekday. But its location, a half-hour train ride from Rome, and the classic Italian beach vibe make up for its cost and less than-clear-water (although it is safe for swimming).

Under the wooded slopes of Mount Circeo, a beach of soft golden sand continues for 15 kilometers, backed by dunes and the Sabaudi Lagoon. Most of the beach is free - highly unusual along this coast - and because it's a little harder to reach than other Lazio beaches, uncrowded. The water is a clear turquoise blue and the beach pristine, earning it a Blue Flag status.

Only 40 minutes by train from Rome's San Pietro station, the wide sandy beach at Santa Severa has a lot more going for it than sun and sand. A 14th-century castle, its foundations extending right to the water, bookends the long beach, a large portion of which is free to the public.

West of Rome and close to Fumicino airport, Fregene is the favored beach for lively young Romans, who begin to gather in the late afternoon and stay into the night at the beachside clubs and restaurants. The tone of the stabilimenti is decidedly chic, and they are frequented by the stylish club set, but in the daytime, the beach is popular with families and tends to be less crowded than nearby Ostia.

An hour south of Rome and easy to reach by train, Anzio's long golden-sand beach is protected by a breakwater that keeps the clear turquoise water shallow and placid. This, and the beach's Blue Flag status, makes it a popular choice for families with small children, who can play safely in the gentle waves.

Closer to Rome and less complicated to reach - it's less than an hour by a train that takes you within a five minutes' walk of the beach - Santa Marinella is less picturesque, but has a fine-sand beach protected by a breakwater. The gradual decent into the clear water makes it a favorite for families with small children. There is very little free beach, but you will welcome the shade offered by a lido.