How to get around San Felice Circeo

San Felice Circeo is a promontory comune, and getting around it means moving between a ridge and a plain.

It lies in the Agro Pontino, about 100 kilometres south of Rome, in the province of Latina.

The territory divides into two: the six-kilometre Circeo promontory and the flat part below. Almost everything a visitor wants is on the promontory or at its foot, and the two are separated by real gradient — the ridge reaches 541 metres at the Picco di Circe.

The old town sits on the eastern flank, ringed by the hills of Peretto, Guardia Orlando and Monticchio to the north and Monte Morrone and San Rocco to the south.

The Capo Circeo Lighthouse is three kilometres from the old town, which gives a useful sense of scale: this is a small comune where the distances are short but the climbs are not.

Neighbouring Terracina shares a border with it — 690 hectares of the present comune were Terracina's until 1934 — and Sabaudia lies immediately north.

Two Italian rules apply here as everywhere in the country. A ticket bought from a kiosk or machine must be validated on board before the journey starts, or an inspector will issue an on-the-spot fine. And driving into a historic centre usually needs a ZTL pass, with the boundary marked in black on a yellow sign.

From Rome. About 100 kilometres south, through the Agro Pontino.

Within the comune. Two zones: the Circeo promontory, six kilometres of it, and the plain. Plan the day around which one you are in.

To the lighthouse. Capo Circeo Lighthouse is three kilometres from the old town.

Up the ridge. The spine carries the Vetta di Paola, the Picco di Circe at 541 metres, Punta del Semaforo at 412 and Punta dell'Acropoli at 352 — walking country, not driving country.

Around the old town. It sits on the eastern flank among the hills of Peretto, Guardia Orlando, Monticchio, Monte Morrone and San Rocco.

Neighbours. Terracina to the south-east and Sabaudia to the north, the latter founded in 1934 partly on land taken from this comune.

Mobility note. The plain is flat and easy; the promontory is a limestone ridge with 541 metres of relief, and the archaeological caves are in that rock.

Validate your ticket. If you buy a ticket from a kiosk or machine, you must validate it on public transport before you start your journey. Officials patrol and issue an on-the-spot fine if your ticket is not validated.

ZTL. You need a pass to drive into the historic centre of many Italian towns in a private or hire car. The boundaries are marked with the letters ZTL in black on a yellow sign, and a camera reads your plate.

Strikes. Transport strikes in Italy are often called at short notice, which matters most if your visit depends on a single connection.

Taxis. Use only officially licensed taxis, which carry a taxi sign on the roof and a company name and number on the side.