The seaside town Nettuno
Nettuno is a small, cute seaside town and it is very interesting and relaxing to visit. It is 67 kilometers away from Rome and in the south of Lazio, Italy.
The town took the name Nettuno because of a temple dedicated to the god of Nettuno. Nettuno is a god controlling fresh water and the sea in Roman religion.
The wife of Nettuno is Salacia who is the goddess of saltwater who controls the deep sea.
Nettuno is an exquisite town that has all the characteristics of a beautiful Italian town: seaside, beach, lungomare, historic center, medieval streets, fortification, fountain and so on. Furthermore, Nettuno also has an Italian Police School for training police dogs and a large military base.
11 Best Things To Do In Nettuno:
Port Marina of Nettuno
The port of Nettuno was built in 1986 and it is beautiful and peaceful. There are many different types of ships and boats anchored in the port.
Both the growth of population in the past and the connection with other ports have promoted the development of Nettuno.
Lungomare (Waterfront area)
Lungomare in Nettuno is a very nice walking path for enjoying both the seaside and the city. The environment of Lungomare is a little bit similar to some towns in Croatia.
Seaside and beach
As Nettuno is not far from Rome, many tourists come to the beach in Nettuno in summer, and many people enjoy sunbathing in the Mediterranean Sea in Italy. The beach in winter is quiet and peaceful, as if it is a place that painters and artists yearn for.
In the changes of weather and light, the sea and the beach seem to be constantly changing their mood and atmosphere.
Historical Center (Borgo Medievale)
Many small towns in Italy have many gray and dark buildings in their city centers. However, Nettuno’s city center has a very relaxed and spring-like feeling, because many buildings are yellow, orange and pink.
These lively colors, coupled with the blue sky and white clouds and the quaint stone ground, create a very comfortable and casual atmosphere.
One interesting thing is that many people hold conical paper cups that are full of fried seafood to eat in the historical center.
San Giovanni Church (Chiesa dei Santi Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista)
After the old church was torn down, the new San Giovanni church designed by Carlo Marchionni was completed in 1748. The church has a unique design on both the facade and interior. Some precious altar paintings are still preserved in the church.
Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial
The American military Cemetery was built for 7,861 Americans who died during World War II. The majority of soldiers who were buried here were involved in three operations for the liberation of Sicily.
There are also 3,095 missing persons during the operations. A wall inside the cemetery is engraved with their names, and those who were found later are marked by rosettes. There are green meadows, cypress trees, a small lake, an island and a cenotaph in the 31 hectares cemetery. It’s a quiet, peaceful and memorable place.
Santuario Santa Maria Goretti
The church was built in the 16th century and it was restored in 1718 and 1868. The church hosts the grave of Saint Maria Goretti and the wooden sculpture of “Our Lady of Grace”. The sculpture was originally planned to be sent to Napoli but a storm forced the ship to land in Nettuno.
The sculpture was never moved away from the church of Santa Maria Goretti since it arrived because it was believed that this landing represented the will of Madonna at that time.
Forte Sangallo
In 1501, Pope Alexander VI and his son Cesare Borgia built the Forte Sangallo, which was designed by a Renaissance architect Antonio da Sangallo the Elder. Before the Forte Sangallo belonged to Nettuno Council, the Forte Sangallo was owned by some important families successively, such as Borgia, Colonna, and Borghese family.
As Nettuno is called “breadbasket of Lazio” due to its importance for food storage, the Renaissance fortification can protect the town from potential attack by sea in the past.
Fontana Del Dio Nettuno
Fountain of Nettuno is the symbol of Nettuno. The sculpture was made by the artist Ottavio De Angelis. Though the fountain was in Piazza dei Pozzi di Grano at the very beginning, it has been moved twice in different locations.
The first movement was that the fountain served as a drinking trough for horses in Piazza G. Torretta. After the damage of the fountain during World War Two, the fountain was reconstructed and moved to the current location, Piazza Mazzini.
Nettuno Town Hall
The town hall of Nettuno is near the seaside, the light background color of the building blends into the blue sky and sea, the orange-red color jumps out, making the whole building full of life and vitality.
Palazzo Pamphilj
Palazzo Pamphilj was called “Casino Cesi” because the Cesi family owned the building. In 1648, the Cesi family sold the building to the Pamphilj family. The building was expanded by Pamphilj family. From 21 to 25 April 1697, Palazzo Pamphilj had hosted the Papal household who were officers assisting the Pope. Later the Palazzo Pamphilj belonged to the Noble Borghese family because of several marriages between Noble families.
Author: Hua
