• Breakfast at the hotel. Bus to Termini.
  • From Termini we took the Line B metro to the Piramide station; arrived at 11:30 AM. We walked outside the station and noticed the Porta San Paolo. Its original – Latin – name was Porta Ostiensis, later, it was renamed to the Italian Porta San Paolo – from the nearby St. Paul Basilica Outside the Walls. We were also looking for the Pyramid of Gaius Cestius that according to the Rick Steves’ book should have been nearby. There were some construction works underway around the station and when we didn’t see the Pyramid after 5 minutes of looking, we got impatient and gave up. It was just too hot and we wanted to get to the beach as soon as possible. In fact, the almost 40-metres-high pyramid was just to the west of the Porta; how could we miss it?
    Porta Ostiense, Rome

    Porta San Paolo, Rome

  • Somewhat disappointed, from the Piramide station we took the Line B metro to EUR Magliana . From there we took the train to Cristoforo Colombo; arrived at 12:30 PM.
    [Notes: 1/ we were already quite far from the center of Rome and we were still able to use our integrated multi-day tickets; 2/ the second transportation option was to take the "Piramide-Cristoforo Colombo" train aka "Rome–Lido railway" - simply from Piramide metro/train station to Cristoforo Colombo.]
  • From the Cristoforo Colombo station we took the bus going to Pomezia/Torvaianica along the coast (first Via Cristoforo Colombo to the sea – reaching it at Lido di Castel Fusano; from there road SP601 (Via Litoranea), turning into SS601 (Lungomare delle Sirene) from Guardapasso later on). For that part of the trip we needed separate tickets, but they were cheap (€1.50 pp one-way). We didn’t know exactly where to get off; we saw the locals and maybe some tourists getting off and walking to the beaches – there were quite a many of them on that bus route. However, it looked like those beaches were private and we were looking for a public beach. NOTE: The other option for a beach trip is to turn right from Via Cristoforo Colombo at Lido di Castel Fusano, in the direction of Lido di Ostia and look for the beaches there (apparently more expensive). That trip can also include a visit to famous Ostia Antica to see the ruins of ancient Rome. However, to do that it may be easier to get off the train at the Lido di Ostia stop (not Cristoforo Colombo).
  • Anyway, our plan was to go in the Pomezia/Torvaianica direction and we were on the bus, strategically waiting for the best moment to localize the most convenient beach… Finally, when there were only we and few other passengers left on the bus and we saw that they were getting ready to get off, we did the same – at the Via Lago Maggiore stop. Later when coming back we realized that it was one of the last stops of that bus route.

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    Torvaianica beach near Pomezia

  • In fact, we didn’t know exactly where we were, but later on we found out that we did arrive in the village of Torvaianica near Pomezia. We noticed people with the swimming gear walking towards the sea and we just followed them. The beach was located a short walk from the bus stop and we liked what we saw, so we decided to spend there the afternoon. The beach was rather clean (both water and sand), not too overcrowded and the temperature of the water was just excellent to swim. There was a small coffee/snack bar there where were able to change our clothes (in a so and so WC). Also, for €3.00 we rented an umbrella.  We stayed at the beach from 1:10 PM until 4:30 PM.
  • After the beach, we did some grocery shopping in Torvaianica at a RE.PA store at Lungomare delle Sirene 528. The prices were great! Then we had a picnic to consume the goodies (fruits, beer, cheese).
  • We took the bus back to Cristoforo Colombo from that same stop at Via Lago Maggiore. The bus made a loop turn few blocks from there, turned into Lungomare delle Sirene and drove to Cristoforo Colombo, taking on a lot of beachcombers on its way back.
  • Train to Basilica S. Paolo station, arrived around 5:55 PM.
  • Meal at McDonald’s at Via Ostiense (6:00 PM).

  • Basilica San Paolo Fuori la Mura

    Basilica San Paolo Fuori le Mura, Rome

    Short walk to Basilica San Paolo Fuori le Mura (Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. We came there around 6:25 PM – it was almost closing time, so we were lucky to get there. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to see everything in that incredible church housing the remains of St. Paul’s. Click on the link above to see the website showing the beauty of that church. Here is more info about the Basilica.

  • 7:25 PM – Line B metro to EUR Magliana.
  • Short walk in the sunset to EUR ( 7:35 PM). But it was getting late and dark so we only saw Palazzo della Civilta del Lavoro – aka Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana or simply the Colosseo Quadrato (Square Colosseum) and made pictures of that famous example of Mussolini’s futuristic architecture.
  • Took the Line B metro from EUR Magliana to Termini (arrived at 8:15 PM).

    Palazzo della Civilta del Lavoro, E.U.R., Rome

    Palazzo della Civilta del Lavoro, E.U.R., Rome

  • Some shopping for chic clothes at Benetton (Termini/Via Giolitti) (8:31 PM), then for groceries at Conad (9:04 PM).
  • Bus from Piazza dei Cinquecento to the hotel.
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