A coastal town just to the west of the Rome city center, Civitavecchia is home to the Port of Rome. This historic town dates back to Ancient Roman times, when it’s harbor was built on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast. Now, it serves as one of the main cruise ports in Italy and the gateway to the Eternal City.
Explore the Port of Rome on These Civitavecchia Tours
Every cruise-goer whose itinerary includes a visit to Rome will stop at the historic Port of Civitavecchia, where lots of tours to the Italian capital depart. However, there’s also plenty to see and do in Civitavecchia itself. There’s so much character to discover and history to explore that we’ve created not one, but two different Civitavecchia tours.
Food Tasty Tour in Civitavecchia
For many cruise ship passengers, Civitavecchia will be the first place in Italy they’ve ever visited. As a historical coastal town, it boasts a phenomenal culinary tradition, a great introduction to the diverse cuisine of Italy.
One of the best Civitavecchia tours for foodies, our Food Tasty Tour in Civitavecchia takes you around the town’s culinary hotspots, from its most popular bakery through the narrow alleys of the town center to the amazing Civitavecchia Market.
This fun food-filled tour departs at 10 a.m. at the wonderful little garden in front of the Civitavecchia Cruise Terminal and is available from March through November. Its duration is about 3 hours.
Civitavecchia Cruise Port Tour
While going on a trip to Rome is the thing the vast majority of visitors do, it’s also worth spending some time in Civitavecchia. If you have extra time before or after your excursion to the Italian capital, why not explore the ancient Port of Rome on our Civitavecchia Cruise Port Tour.
The Port of Civitavecchia was built by Roman Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century and many remnants of that early period survive to this day. On our half-day tour, you’ll discover the secrets of Civitavecchia and visit some of its major attractions.
Arguably the main highlight of this tour is the mighty Fort Michelangelo (also known as Fortress Giulia). Dominating the Port of Civitavecchia, this historic stronghold was constructed by Bramante to protect the town against plundering pirates. The main tower, the “maschio”, is said to have been designed by Michelangelo himself, hence the fort’s name.
Other places to see in Civitavecchia include the Molo del Lazzaretto and the historic town center with its picturesque piazzas.
This tour also starts at 09 a.m. at the garden in front of the Cruise Terminal. It’s right next to the drop-off point of the free shuttle buses that run from the cruise pier, so it’s super-convenient to get there. The tour takes place from March through November.
So, whether you’re visiting Civitavecchia as part of a cruise or not, we encourage you to explore this amazing historic port town on one of our Civitavecchia tours. It’s not just the main Port of Rome, but there’s much more to this town than meets the eye. Let us show you around!
