The Marina, with its two arms stretching out to sea, was designed by the architect Strongoli; the Municipality helped pay for its construction by selling about 15 hectares of land at Quarto Caldo.
It was one of the many public works carried out by the Gemini administration, which took over the Municipality in 1956, to turn San Felice Circeo from a rural village into a tourist destination. However, the construction of the Harbour drew criticism, and recently it has again been at the centre of political clashes over its regrettable enlargement.
The main criticism concerned the choice of site, since building it meant destroying one of the most beautiful stretches of the Circeo coast. Originally the area had rocks alternating with pebbly coves, similar to the rocky coast that can still be admired today at Quarto Caldo.
In addition, covering this area in concrete triggered coastal erosion, causing the sea to advance and the coastal dunes to disappear: until 1956 they ran uninterrupted from the Hotel Neanderthal to Torre Olevola and beyond, towards Terracina. These are the “cons”.
At the same time, though, the new infrastructure boosted tourism and made it possible for holidaymakers and locals to moor small and medium-sized boats, giving this stretch of coast a new, wholly seafaring character. In the morning, when the fishing boats come back, you can buy good fresh fish here, sold by local fishermen. Via Ammiraglio Bergamini, the arcaded street above the Harbour, is also known for its small fish restaurants and its shops and little stores with a Mediterranean flavour.
In summer, ferries leave from the Marina for the Pontine Islands, from June to September; for timetables and prices, see www.circeoponza.it.
INFORMATION: The Circeo harbour consists of a 580-metre rock breakwater and a 215-metre inner pier, with quays partly available for leisure mooring. There are also a series of jetties for leisure mooring, offering 380 berths. The berths are managed by the Cooperativa Circeo 1°, and the maximum length of boats that can be accommodated is about 20 metres. Because of a sandbank near the harbour entrance, which is constantly monitored, we recommend consulting the Cooperativa Circeo 1° page “How to enter the harbour” for further information.
