Dunes, lakes and the forest
Established in 1934, the Parco Nazionale del Circeo is one of the oldest national parks in Italy, created to protect the last remains of the ancient landscape of the Pontine Marshes, before the great land reclamation of the 1930s transformed the plain into farmland. Although small, it encloses an extraordinary variety of environments in a short distance: the Promontory of the Circeo, a limestone mountain of 541 metres that rises from the sea, covered with Mediterranean scrub, with caves and cliffs; a long coastline of sand dunes, about 25 kilometres long, covered with junipers and other plants; four coastal lakes, Fogliano, Monaci, Caprolace and Sabaudia (or Paola), lagoons rich in birds; and the Selva di Circe, a plain forest of oaks, holm oaks and ash trees, a rare remnant of the forests that once covered the area. The park also includes the island of Zannone, in the Pontine archipelago.
The park is a paradise for birdwatching, especially in winter and during migrations, when the lakes host flamingos, herons, cormorants, ducks and many other species, which can be observed from huts and paths. It also offers beautiful cycle paths along the lakes and in the forest, trails on the promontory, such as the one to the Picco di Circe, the summit, with views over the sea and the islands, and the long beaches of Sabaudia, one of the planned towns of the land reclamation, with rationalist architecture of the 1930s. The park's visitor centre is in Sabaudia, with a small museum.
Tip: rent a bike in Sabaudia and ride along the lake; climb to the Picco di Circe for the view of the Pontine Islands.
Where it is
More things to see in Lazio
Where to stay near Sabaudia
Tours and activities nearby
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