Stretch of coast west of the Circeo promontory, facing the sunset, with views of the promontory itself and, on the clearest days, of the Pontine Islands on the horizon; ideal for those looking for afternoon sun and lovely views at the end of the day.
The western shore stretches from the foot of the promontory, at Torre Paola, to Latina, with a line of dunes separating the inland area from the sea for over 20 kilometres. This is one of the five environments that characterise the Circeo National Park, and it is also a Site of Community Importance (SCI IT6040018 “Dune del Circeo”). This dune, called the “recent dune” by some authors to distinguish it from the ancient dune inland, separates the coastal lakes from the sea, forming a wide bay that stretches as far as Anzio. The lakes (Paola, Caprolace, Monaci and Fogliano) owe their existence to this line of dunes, which acted as a true barrier to the flow of inland waters to the sea. The promontory also played a part, weakening and deflecting the coastal sea currents. The height of the dune varies considerably, reaching about 27 metres at its highest point. It is a site of great biodiversity and extremely delicate both geologically and botanically: the side facing the sea has pioneer salt-tolerant vegetation, while the inner side, sheltered from salt-laden winds, has low and tall Mediterranean scrub. The dune environment is highly dynamic and constantly changing, its balance delicate because of the many factors that constantly affect it. Despite the asphalt road, the many private villas and the hotels and restaurants, some stretches of the shore still look natural, thanks to the many free beaches and the small number of beach establishments. Because of this fragility and high biodiversity, wooden boardwalks have been built to reach the water’s edge without damaging the dune ecosystem, which is very busy in summer. Remember that every grain of sand took a very long time to form, and it is all these tiny grains together that make up the beach. So please respect this splendid and delicate environment: do not leave litter, and use the bins provided at the recycling points.
