Would you like to know what to see in Sperlonga? With these lovely days, have you been thinking of a place by the sea, away from the big cities, where you can relax and visit something interesting?
If you fancy a stroll along one of the most beautiful stretches of coast near Rome, I can only recommend this delightful little town and its wonderful treasures.
Among the things to see in Sperlonga there is a stunning cave right by the sea. Now imagine that inside this cave there is a pool of water, like a private lake, and that at its centre there is everything needed for a lavish banquet. Imagine being there, surrounded by marvellous statues, while from the mouth of the cave you hear the sound of the waves and feel the cool sea breeze.
Doesn’t it sound like a dream?
And what if I told you that such a place exists, and that it was built 2,000 years ago?
If you want to know more and discover what to see in Sperlonga, below I tell you about one of the most fascinating places in the history of Rome. If you love the archaeological sites of ancient Rome, I also recommend visiting the beautiful archaeological park of Ostia, Pompeii, Herculaneum or the lesser-known abbey of Venosa, which preserves important Roman remains all around it.
Let’s begin!
What to see in Sperlonga: the villa of Tiberius
The village of Sperlonga perches on a rocky headland dropping straight to the sea. The view is a real spectacle, but one of the most beautiful things to see in Sperlonga lies a few metres below, on the shore, in a place as rich in charm as it is in history.
The beauty of the beaches of Sperlonga has always drawn thousands of visitors from Rome, and it did not leave the emperor Tiberius unmoved either: almost 2,000 years ago he decided to build his summer residence right here.
How were these ancient ruins discovered?
The villa of Tiberius in Sperlonga was discovered by chance in 1957, during works on the coastal road linking Terracina to Gaeta. Inside the cave they recovered not only high-quality marble elements but also more than fifteen thousand fragments of Hellenistic-age statues, later patiently pieced back together.
Unlike the emperor Hadrian, who had his Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli built from scratch, Tiberius chose to make use of a large natural cave that opened along the coast of Sperlonga, decorating it and turning it into what we now commonly call the “Grotto of Tiberius”.
What is left of the villa of Tiberius today?
Today all that remains of the villa of Tiberius in Sperlonga are the foundations of what must have been splendid buildings, fitted with every comfort and with beautiful terraces facing the sea. The cave, on the other hand, was monumentalised in the 1st century AD, when it was incorporated into the architectural project with a long portico and transformed into a refined nymphaeum.
Here’s a curious detail!
As well as its beautiful decoration, at the centre of the Grotto of Tiberius a small artificial island was built, where the emperor used to take his meals, surrounded by a large basin of sea water.
If you are curious to see the sculptures that decorated the cave, you can find them inside the museum of Sperlonga.
Let me tell you about it right away.
The archaeological museum of Sperlonga
The sculptures found at Sperlonga in 1957 were largely reduced to marble fragments but, once reassembled, they revealed the extraordinary quality of their workmanship. In 1963 a museum was built specifically to house them, together with the vases, portraits and other sculptures that decorated the magnificent villa.
Don’t worry: the archaeological museum of Sperlonga is not as big as the Vatican Museums or the Capitoline Museums, but it is very well organised. The real highlight remains the great sculptural groups that tell the scenes of the Odyssey, once set up inside the cave, and believed to be the work of the same sculptors as the Laocoön. According to an inscription found on the spot, the authors were the three Rhodian sculptors Agesander, Athenodoros and Polydoros.
They were certainly masterpieces of incredible artistic value, which will still leave you open-mouthed today.
But that’s not all!
There are also depictions of Odysseus facing the monster Scylla, dragging the body of Achilles, stealing the Palladium (of which only a few fragments survive) and so on.
But the sculpture that will amaze you most of all is the beautiful group depicting Odysseus and his companions in the act of blinding Polyphemus.
Let me tell you why.
The story of Odysseus and Polyphemus
Do you remember the story of Odysseus and Polyphemus?
Before I tell you about the beautiful sculpture in the museum of Sperlonga, let me give you a quick summary.
Odysseus, the cunning hero who devised the Trojan Horse, gives fresh proof of his intelligence in the episode of the Odyssey that sees him up against the cruel cyclops Polyphemus.
The legend tells that, having landed on an island, Odysseus and his companions decided to explore it in search of something to eat. As fate would have it, they ended up in a cave.
It was the home of the cruel Polyphemus, a one-eyed cyclops of enormous size who also fed on human flesh. Polyphemus was the son of the sea god Poseidon and, as soon as he saw the little group in his home, he blocked the mouth of the cave, devoured two of the hero’s companions and promised to eat Odysseus last.
Of course Odysseus did not give up, and hatched a cunning plan.
The next morning, when Polyphemus left the cave to graze his goats, Odysseus sharpened the trunk of a tree found inside and waited for the evening. Polyphemus came back tired and hungry, and the hero offered him wine to get him drunk.
At that point, with the red-hot stake, he blinded the monster’s single eye. Then he tied his companions under the bellies of the rams, so that they could escape easily.
The monster indeed rolled the boulder away from the entrance to call his brothers for help, unwittingly making it easier for the prisoners to flee. Now blind, he ran his hands over the backs of the sheep, but the heroes were clinging underneath: and so they managed to get away.
Odysseus and Polyphemus at the archaeological museum of Sperlonga
The statue you will find inside the archaeological museum of Sperlonga depicts the very moment in which the ingenious Odysseus is about to strike the blow and blind the giant Polyphemus.
Like all the other statues in the museum, the Polyphemus group too was housed in the Grotto of Tiberius. The setting of the cave was in fact perfect for depicting this passage of the Odyssey: it was as if the story were unfolding right there, in that very moment.
Do you want to know more about the sculpture?
The realism of the figures is rendered with great effect. Polyphemus is shown resting on a spur of rock, dazed by wine and weariness. Around him Odysseus and his companions move with extreme caution.
The scene is made even more tense by one of the sculptures, depicting a companion already on the move to escape: one arm raised in fear, in the other he carries the wineskin just used to make the giant drunk.
Here’s one last detail I want to point out to you.
If you look closely at Odysseus’ head, you will notice many similarities with that of the Laocoön in the Vatican Museums. Further confirmation that these were probably the same sculptors.
What to see in Sperlonga: the village
If a visit to the archaeological museum and to the villa and Grotto of Tiberius were not enough, among the things to see in Sperlonga there is, of course, the beautiful village.
The old town of Sperlonga is one of the loveliest on the Lazio coast, so much so that it belongs to the circuit of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy; its beaches, moreover, have flown the Blue Flag for years. Its look is the typical one of towns overlooking the Mediterranean, made of narrow alleys and white houses. Among the most interesting buildings I would point out the church of Santa Maria, already mentioned in a document of 1135, and Palazzo Sabella which, according to tradition, hosted the antipope Clement VII fleeing from Anagni in 1379.
But Sperlonga was also important in the past for its elevated position, which gave it good control over the sea.
Across this stretch of land there are in fact several watchtowers, part of a system built in the 16th century to defend the coast from pirate raids. The most famous is the Torre Truglia, right opposite the town on a spur of rock by the sea: built in 1532 on a pre-existing Roman tower, it was destroyed shortly afterwards by the raid of the pirate Barbarossa and rebuilt in 1611.
For me it was wonderful to wander through these little streets and breathe in the ancient charm of this village, which offers a breathtaking view of the sea.
And it is precisely the view that is one of the most beautiful things to see in Sperlonga: on one side you find the sea, on the other two lovely coastal lakes, the circular Lago di San Puoto and the Lago Lungo.
If you have the chance, I recommend a walk there.
Sperlonga: when to go
The best time to go to Sperlonga is certainly summer: with the warm days you will be able not only to visit beautiful places but also to enjoy one of the finest beaches near Rome.
I would, however, advise against the month of August: not only will you find huge crowds, but above all, because of the far from ideal road access, you risk spending hours stuck in traffic.
The best months are June and September, with pleasant but not scorching temperatures and beaches that are not yet crowded.
In this period you can also take a walk to the beautiful Garden of Ninfa, to Sermoneta or through the old towns of Gaeta and Formia. And if you love boat trips, one of the finest ways to discover the coast of Sperlonga is from the sea itself: a boat tour along the Riviera di Ulisse takes you all the way to Gaeta, sailing past the Grotto of Tiberius, with stops for a swim in the prettiest coves.
Practical information for visiting the villa of Tiberius in Sperlonga
Getting to the villa of Tiberius in Sperlonga is very easy. The museum and the archaeological area are along the Via Flacca, well signposted on the road linking Sperlonga to Gaeta, and they have a free car park.
- Ticket: full price €5 (a reduced rate, in force during the redevelopment works), reduced €2 for EU citizens aged 18 to 25, free for under 18s. A single ticket gives access to the museum, the cave and the remains of the villa.
- Hours: the museum is open from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm (last admission 7:00 pm); the archaeological area closes earlier, with hours that vary by season. Closed on Mondays, as well as on 1 January and 25 December. Always check the current opening times before you go.
Where to stay in Sperlonga
In the village and along the beach you will find dozens of places to stay for every budget, from small hotels right by the sea to holiday homes in the old town. In summer, and especially at weekends, it is worth booking well in advance, because Sperlonga is very much in demand.
If you love this kind of journey into Rome’s past, after Sperlonga I also recommend Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, the other great imperial villa of Lazio, and Ostia Antica: three different ways of walking inside the ancient world.
And you, what appeals to you most about Sperlonga: the Grotto of Tiberius with its statues, the white village or the beaches?
