Gaeta Vacation Rentals

About Gaeta (Latium)
100 km from Rome and Naples, the coast between Circeo and Gaeta is linked to Ulysses, Eneas and the Romans (Ulysses’ coast). Gaeta’s name is believed to originate from the name of Aeneas’ nurse, called Caieta. The witch Circe is mentioned in Virgilio’s Latin poem Aeneid and mount Circeo was the place where Ulysses and his mates were spelled by the beautiful witch. Still today if you look at mount Circeo from Gaeta, you can see the profile of a woman sleeping in the sea.
Many important Romans of 1st century B.C. appreciated Gaeta mild climate and sensually-beautiful coast. Roman orator and philosopher Marco Tullio Cicerone lived in Formia. Roman consul Lucio Munazio Planco had his mansion built of the top of Mount Orlando where still today you can see his well preserved funeral tomb. In 1957 impressive statues from one of emperor Tiberius' mansions were discovered in a sea grotto half way between Gaeta and Sperlonga. They are now exhibited in the local National Archeological Museum.
The city of Gaeta (20,700 inhabitants) is located on the promontory of Mount Orlando (now Regional Park) and for its unique position has always held strategic importance. In past centuries it became a fortress inhabited in turns by Normans, French and Spanish dominations. Some inheritance of the latter remain in cooking traditions (“babà”, famous local cake and “tiella” typical Gaeta pie) but also in historical monuments, like the thick medieval walls that surround the citadel and the Spanish structured castle. Today Gaeta still hosts the sixth fleet of the Nato.
Gaeta's catholic past and religious feeling is witnessed by its many churches and events. We advise you not to miss the Cathedral - its crypt and bell-house – with paintings by Sebastiano Conca and the Church of Annunciate with its Golden Chapel. Local pilgrimages to the Sanctuary of the Split Mountain (Mount Orlando) take place regularly. There you can see a huge split rock that witnesses the earthquake occurred in 33 A.D. when Jesus Christ died on the cross. After visiting the mystic church of the V.Holy Trinity you can step down all along the split of the mountain and see the hand print of a misbeliever, the chapel of the V.Holy Cross and the place where San Filippo Neri prayed during his ascetic retreat. You can also visit the majestic Turk’s grotto where rock-climbing and scuba diving are practiced.
A religious event that takes place once a year by half August strictly connected to Gaeta maritime tradition is the feast in honour of the “Madonna of Porto Salvo” - the “Madonna with real hair”! After a week of various events, celebrations culminate in a participated procession from the antique church of SS. Cosma e Damiano to the fishing harbour where the Statue is hauled onto a special boat (“pontone”) among band’s tunes and prayers and carried to the bay where a laurel shrine is thrown in the sea in memory of died mariners. Celebrations usually end with spectacular midnight fireworks over the sea.