Gaeta is an old Maritime Republic on the outcrop of Mount Orlando, already a holiday destination for the Ancient Romans. The town preserves several historical, monumental, and religious testimonies, and its coasts are enriched with beautiful beaches, bays and coves, bordered by rocky spurs and coastal towers.
The Medieval district is dominated by the imposing Castello Angioino – Aragonese. Among the religious monuments, noteworthy are the Cathedral of Sant’Erasmo, with its Cosmatesque bell tower from the late twelfth century, the Church of San Francesco, and the Church of the Santissima Annunziata, with the Cappella d’oro, decorated in wood and pure gold.
Church of San Francesco in Gaeta
Near the district of Sant’Erasmo, let us admire the Santuario della Santissima Trinità, located on Monte Orlando, a protected area within the Parco Regionale della Riviera di Ulisse.. After the Sanctuary, do not forget to visit the Grotta del Turco and the fissure in the Montagna spaccata.
The blue sign with the obligation to kiss along Viale degli Innamorati in Gaeta
Walking in the Sant’Erasmo district, along the Viale degli Innamorati, or the panoramic Via Fontania, you will come across a blue sign saying “Kiss me please“‘ where to exchange a kiss and take a photo under the sky is a must. The initiative by the Municipality is aimed at celebrating love by promoting some of the most beautiful and romantic corners of Gaeta.
Gaeta was the much-loved town of the writer Goliarda Sapienza, author of the internationally renowned masterpiece L’Arte della Gioia (The Art of Joy). As a sign of gratitude, the town of Gaeta has dedicated a small square to her, located a few steps away from the house where the writer wrote her most important work. The writing tree, a wall of poems by local and international authors, benches in the shape of open books, a small bust depicting the writer. Everything in this small square seems to express the importance of art and culture together with the love that Gaeta will forever retain for Goliarda Sapienza and her work.
The tiella of Gaeta
The rich and tasty cuisine of the Pontine Riviera is enhanced by dishes based on local fish. The Tiella (dialect word for baking pan), the typical seafood recipe, is a circular pot pie filled with anchovies, sardines, octopus and calamari, or vegetables, ricotta, tomato and onion. Black olives also play an important role in the culinary tradition of Gaeta.
The illuminations, artistic lights in Gaeta
Gaeta, with its Medieval neighbourhoud, is ranked among the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy”, and obtained both the Green and the Blue Flag. Its charm remains unaltered even in winter, especially from December to mid-January, when the impressive illumination show “Favole di Luce”, is held along the Gulf. A local folkloristic event, “Gliu Sciuscio”, is celebrated on the night of December 31, while orchestras play troughout the streets of Gaeta singing traditional auspicious songs.
Ice nativity scene in Gaeta – Facebook @ilpresepedighiaccio
The real treasure of Gaeta is the hand-sculpted Ice Nativity Scene (the largest one in Italy), a magnificent travelling crib made with over eighteen tons of pure crystalline ice.