Gaeta, the "Pearl of the Tyrrhenian"

G.:Gaeta's tiny old city offers something for everyone. Stroll along the Lungomare (sea road) and watch fishermen ply their trade. Look up and see the walls of the Angevin-Aragonese castle, thick and strong, high above the city. (Unfortunately, you can't visit the castle because the Italian military uses it.) The Romanesque bell tower tucked away between buildings in the old city, was built in 915. Walk right up to it and look closely at the building materials. You'll see blocks with carvings on them. Thrifty builders re-used items from ancient structures when they erected the tower.

G.:Don't miss Montagna Spaccata, or Split Mountain, on Monte Orlando. To get there, enter the Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity, a monastery complex run by the missionary P.I.M.E. Fathers. Look for signs to the Grotta del Turco (Grotto of the Turk) and follow the crowds. The cliffs overlooking the sea are split from top to bottom. Locals say that the mountain was cleaved in two at the moment Christ died on Calvary. Take the path down to the Grotto to visit this cavern, carved out of the mountain by the sea itself.

G.:The Cappella d'Oro (Golden Chapel), a chapel in the Annunziata church, was made famous by Pope Pius IX. He was in exile here in Gaeta when he officially announced the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary from this chapel on December 8, 1854.

G.:Gaeta's seven beaches are deservedly popular, with sparkling water, white sand and well-run lidos (pay-to-use beaches). Most visitors head to Serapo Beach, the closest to downtown.

G.:Monte Orlando, the prominent hill separating new Gaeta from the old city, has been designated an urban nature park. Hike to the top for stunning views of the sea. You can hike to the top for stunning views of the sea. On the mountain, you'll also find the ancient Roman Mausoleum of Lucius Muniatus Plancus.