The best city hikes and walks around Parco regionale di Gianola e del Monte di Scauri

The Castle was built by Frederick II of Swabia between 1223 and 1226. The Castle had an important strategic function: from here one accessed the Kingdom of Sicily by sea. Frederick II's Castle remained standing for a few years because it was demolished during a revolt. In 1266, the new lord of Southern Italy, Charles I of Anjou, occupied Gaeta and rebuilt a fortress on the ruins of Frederick II's Castle facing the sea. A decisive year in the history of the Castle is 1435 because the Spaniard Alfonso V of Aragon established his seat and that of his court here, and from Gaeta began his expansion into the Kingdom of Naples. From the following year, Alfonso began the expansion and fortification works of the building. The French and the Spaniards long contested Gaeta, but the city and its Castle always remained in Spanish hands until the beginning of the eighteenth century. In 1734, the Kingdom of Naples came under the control of Charles III of Bourbon, who immediately began the restoration works of the Castle of Gaeta.

Stunning place with cliffs overlooking the sea....This structure represents an important testimony to the complex military fortification system of Gaeta dating back to the Aragonese and Bourbon periods. It was part of the stronghold's powder magazine triptych along with "Carolina" and "Ferdinando", and was originally used for storing gunpowder.

It was probably erected in the 6th century during the Gothic War or in the 7th century when the maritime areas of Lazio and Campania were the object of the expansionist ambitions of the Lombards. In the Gaetan documents of that period, Gaeta began to be referred to by the epithet "Kastrum". Certain news of the existence of the Castle of Gaeta dates back to the time of Frederick II of Swabia, who, during the period of struggles with the papacy, stayed in Gaeta on several occasions, and, sensing its strategic position, had the castle fortified there in 1223. The structure we admire today, approximately 14,100 square meters in size, is called the Angevin-Aragonese Castle because it consists of two communicating buildings built at two different historical moments, one lower down called "Angevin", built during the French domination of the Angevins, and one higher up called "Aragonese", commissioned by Emperor Charles V along with all the other military defense works that strengthened the Fortress of Gaeta. Until a few years ago, the Angevin wing was the seat of the Gaeta Military Prison; it is currently owned by the Municipality of Gaeta, closed pending restoration, and there is a memorandum of understanding signed between the City of Gaeta and the University of Cassino (FR) which intends to designate this wing of the castle in the future as the seat of university faculties for maritime disciplines. Until the end of World War II, the Aragonese wing was the seat of a Carabinieri Cadets Battalion; today, however, it houses the Guardia di Finanza's Nautical School. In the dome of the highest tower of the castle is the Royal Chapel, commissioned by King Ferdinand of Bourbon in 1849.

The city of Gaeta owes its name to Caieta, Aeneas's nurse, who, according to tradition, is buried right here. According to another interpretation, it derives from the Greek term indicating the “cavity” of the famous gulf. Whatever the truth, what is certain is that the city has a very ancient history, a past that can still be felt in some areas such as the medieval quarter of Sant’Erasmo, attested as early as the era of the Duchy of Gaeta and the maritime republics. A decadent nostalgia can be felt in the streets of the quarter, visibly marked by the bombings of World War II. However, houses dating back to the 12th century are still visible along narrow alleys made of stairs, underpasses, and arches. The medieval quarter has two hearts. The first is the Church of San Giovanni a Mare, a 10th-century Romanesque building with evident Byzantine influence. The second is the Cathedral, consecrated in the 12th century. Inside, a splendid marble Easter candelabrum is kept, while outside stands the imposing Arab-Sicilian bell tower, with interwoven arches, inlays, and majolica tiles. Above all dominates the Aragonese-Angevin castle, which dates back to the 8th century and was later enlarged in the 13th and then in the 16th centuries. Finally, visit the Church of the Annunciation with the Golden Grotto, the Sanctuary of the Split Mountain with the mausoleum of Lucius Munatius Plancus, and the characteristic Via dell'Indipendenza.

Wonderful and Fascinating Place The Sanctuary of the Most Holy Trinity at Montagna Spaccata is a place of deep spirituality, immersed in the extraordinary natural setting of Monte Orlando, in Gaeta. It stands on the remains of the Roman villa of Lucius Munatius Plancus, and owes its name to three imposing fissures in the rock, two of which are visitable. Founded around 930 AD by Benedictine monks, the sanctuary has always been a center of prayer and meditation. It is a place of attraction for pilgrims and visitors from all over the world, fascinated by the sacredness and history of the place. In addition to the suggestive Chapel of the Crucifix, the Church of the Sanctuary, and the Grotta del Turco, the complex offers visitors a spiritual journey between faith and nature, with breathtaking views of the sea. A point of reference for those seeking a moment of recollection and inner peace, immersed in an environment that combines religion, history, and the wonders of creation.

A quaint, typically local restaurant with fair prices. There are also very good fish dishes at "Fleischer". The landlord sometimes sings along with the local bard.

Preferred time for jogging early in the morning, 6:00 a.m.

Gaeta seafront: possibility of jogging or biking on the cycle path