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Dear Bloggers,

How are you? Today I want to talk about Sperlonga city. Sperlonga is a very picturesque small city in Italy south of Rome. Its white-painted houses make it like some Greek islands. It has some of the best beaches in the area.

Sperlonga can be reached by road. From Rome, take the via Appia or the via Pontina past Terracina, then follow the signs to Sperlonga along the via Flacca. Sperlonga can be reached by train. One of two major train lines between Rome and Naples (Roma-Napoli via Formia) stops in Fondi. The station is called Fondi-Sperlonga, and local trains stop there.

Sperlonga is fairly small, and getting around by foot is quite reasonable if one doesn't mind climbing lots of steps. The are two centers. On one hand there's the center on the top of the old town where you can enjoy magnificent views over the bay. The old town is closed to traffic. The other center is along the beach.

Sperlonga was built as a medieval fortress on a hill overlooking the Gulf of Gaeta. It is very picturesque, with narrow paved streets, many made up mostly of steps, and houses nearby with bridges connecting them. The town has been more than once attacked and taken by moorish pirates, most famously by Khayr al-Din (Barbarossa) in 1534.

The two beaches on the two sides of the old town of Sperlonga are quite popular. One beach stretches all the way to Terracina, 18km away. The other beach ends at a cave known as the "Grotta di Tiberio"

The main draw of Sperlonga is the beach. The beaches are good for swimming, and in summer the sea is generally calm. Nightlife is available in Sperlonga, including hanging out on the main square of the old town and the road leading to it, a good selection of restaurants, and a selection of night clubs.

The archeological museum of Sperlonga can be found along the Via Flacca, south of town. It sits on a villa built by Emperor Tiberius. It houses several sculptures and artifacts from the villa. The ticket for the museum includes entrance to the Grotto di Tiberius or Cave of Tiberius.

Along the via Flacca it is possible to find shacks selling "Mozzarella di Bufala", traditional Mozzarella cheese made with Water Buffalo milk. Many restaurants in Sperlonga serve seafood, as well as other foods including pizza (being relatively close to Naples, the pizza is fairly authentic). Most of the restaurants are situated either in the center of the old town or along the street next to the beach.

Sperlonga also benefits from being near the agricultural area centered around Fondi, so many local fruits and vegetables are very fresh. There is usually a farmers' market in the main square of the old town.

There are many other interesting towns and landmarks within one hour's driving distance of Sperlonga. In particular, the old town and harbor of Gaeta, the old city of Fondi (of which not much is left, beyond a spectacular city gate), the temple of Jupiter Anxur in Terracina, the tomb of Cicero near Formia.

I hope you will visit Sperlonga as soon as possible.

See you soon!

Pamela