Parco Nazionale del Circeo
Italy's fourth-oldest national park begins, in a sense, with a skull. In 1939, workers inside Grotta Guattari on the flanks of Monte Circeo uncovered a Neanderthal cranium that rewrote understanding of prehistoric Europe. The cave is still here, sealed into the 541-metre limestone promontory that anchors the park's southern edge.
Around it spreads one of the more quietly astonishing landscapes on the Tyrrhenian coast: 22 kilometres of fine-sand dune, four brackish coastal lakes, and the Selva di Circe — roughly 3,300 hectares of ancient lowland forest, the largest plain forest remaining in Italy — all compressed into a narrow strip between the Lepini hills and the sea.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who keep coming back tend to split into two camps: those who walk the full 22-kilometre coastal trail from Torre Paola to Capo Portiere (allow a full day), and those who never get further than a shaded patch inside the Selva di Circe with a book. Both are correct. The visitor centre at Pantalone in Sabaudia is worth a stop for orientation before you commit to either.
The story behind Parco Nazionale del Circeo
The park was established in 1934 on the orders of Benito Mussolini, on the advice of Senator Raffaele Bastianelli, specifically to preserve the last fragment of the Pontine Marshes as the surrounding land was drained and settled. That reclamation project — the Agro Pontino — was engineered by Natale Prampolini, who was later awarded the title Count of Circeo by King Vittorio Emanuele III in 1941. The new town of Sabaudia, founded in 1933, rose on the park's doorstep.
Decades of gradual expansion followed. In 1975 the coastal lakes Fogliano, Monaci, and Caprolace were incorporated; in 1979 the island of Zannone was added. UNESCO designated the park a Biosphere Reserve in 1977. The Park Authority itself was only formally established after a 2005 presidential decree, with its first president and board appointed in 2007.
Good to know
Park access is free; the visitor centre at Pantalone, Sabaudia, has maps and a small natural history museum. Arrive by car from Rome in about 90 minutes. Avoid hiking Monte Circeo in July and August — the humidity is brutal and shade is scarce. Spring, particularly May and June, is the sweet spot.
May through early June offers the most rewarding conditions — comfortable temperatures around 21°C, wildflowers in the forest, and far fewer visitors than summer brings. From late June onward the coast fills and the humidity makes inland hiking unpleasant; November is the wettest month by a wide margin, with the promontory catching Atlantic fronts head-on.
Where is Parco Nazionale del Circeo?
More tickets & tours for Parco Nazionale del Circeo
Book directly at the provider
What travellers say about Parco Nazionale del Circeo
Beautiful atmosphere, a lot of birds and wildlife to admire. Picnic area well equipped to pass a lunch together with friends. Only hiccup, there used to be a birdwatching area, but now it seems to be closed to the public even though Google Maps says that it's still reachable.
We've visited the part on the shores of Lago Fogliano. Quite interesting and I was surprised that on the premise of a National Parc there's a buffalo farm. Based on the map at the entrance, some parts that should've been visitable were off limits behind fences.
The former property of a Duke, with a building housing glass cabinets of stuffed animals. But the path to walk along a large section of the lake (~2km return if you go all the way to the end) is nice, with trees and wildlife like Nuria (they look like big water rats only much cuter and with orange front teeth) and crabs and lots of birds. There is also a bird sanctuary with large swans, some of which also walk freely around the grassy area.
We were disappointed as we planned 2-3 hours to explore the park but there was not much to see except some birds and buffaloes. There was a nice picnic area as well but we expected more.
Absolutely amazing scenery, beautiful place.
More of Latina
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Latina →More attractions in Latina
All of Latina →
Background adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · ratings & place photos via Google · other photos with per-image credit. Ticket links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.