Discover San Felice Circeo

San Felice Circeo is a town and comune of 10,051 people in the province of Latina, in Lazio. It stands in the Agro Pontino, about 100 kilometres south of Rome, and its territory covers 3,139 hectares. In antiquity it was the city of Circeii.

The comune divides into two clearly defined areas: the Circeo promontory, six kilometres of it, and the flat land below. The promontory is the reason anyone comes. Seen from Anzio it appears as the profile of a reclining woman's face, identified with the sorceress Circe, the summit called Picco di Circe corresponding to her nose; seen from Gaeta it appears as an island — the ancient Isola Eea.

It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia, and it lies inside Circeo National Park.

Its deepest claim is prehistoric. The Grotta Guattari is one of the oldest Neanderthal sites in Italy, and remains of nine Neanderthals were discovered in it.

The Capo Circeo Lighthouse stands three kilometres from the old town.

Why is the promontory associated with Circe? Because it looks like her. Seen from Anzio it appears as the profile of a woman lying on her back, with the summit called Picco di Circe — 541 metres — as her nose.

What is the Isola Eea? The ancient name of the promontory. Seen from Gaeta the headland appears as an island, and that is the name it carried.

Was it ever actually an island? Yes. In the Quaternary the promontory really was an island. The evidence includes a grey sandstone found on it that otherwise occurs only at 300 metres' depth, fossil marine notches, signs of marine erosion, and the Pliocene strata.

What was found in the Grotta Guattari? Remains of nine Neanderthals. Alberto Carlo Blanc's excavations from 1937 produced a ritually arranged skull, mandibles and infant remains dated to 50,000–60,000 years ago. It is one of the oldest Neanderthal sites in Italy.

Are there other prehistoric sites? Yes — the Grotta del Fossellone and the Riparo Blanc document uninterrupted occupation down to the Mesolithic, when hunter-gatherers lived here between 9,300 and 7,500 years ago.

What was the Roman name? Circeii. The Carthaginians agreed not to harm it in their treaty with Rome in 509 BC.

What happened in 209 BC? Circeii was one of twelve Latin colonies that refused any further military contributions to Rome. In 204 it was punished by having to furnish double the greatest number of foot soldiers it had ever provided and 120 horsemen, all chosen from the wealthiest inhabitants and sent out of Italy, with an annual tax on top.

Who was exiled here? The triumvir Lepidus, after his fall in 36 BC, by Octavian.

Why did the comune shrink? In 1934, with the founding of the new town of Sabaudia, 690 hectares of woodland north of the promontory were expropriated. In exchange, 690 hectares of Terracina's territory were assigned. The present extent is 3,139 hectares.

How far is Rome? About 100 kilometres north.

What is the climate like? Very mild — zone C, 1,254 degree-days — softened in summer and warmed in winter by the sea breeze.

Is it in a national park? Yes, Circeo National Park. It is also one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia.