Circeo National Park

Circeo National Park is a protected area on the central Italian Tyrrhenian coast in the Lazio region, conserving a coastal promontory, beaches, dunes and wetlands. It was established in 1934 and is one of Italy’s earlier national parks.

The park is centered on the Monte Circeo promontory, which rises directly from the sea and reaches a summit of 541 meters, offering panoramic coastal views and a compact network of trails. The park preserves stretches of sandy beach and dune systems along the shore as well as freshwater coastal lagoons and marshes that attract migratory and resident bird species.

People visit for short hikes up the promontory, seaside recreation, and to explore the park’s mosaic of habitats - from Mediterranean scrub to wetlands - within a relatively small area. The park’s proximity to Lazio’s plain makes it a common day-trip destination from nearby towns.

Created in 1934 to protect the distinctive promontory and its coastal environment, the park has been managed to conserve its dune systems, wetlands and forested slopes while allowing regulated public access. Over time the area has seen conservation measures introduced for the lagoons and shorelines.

The park sits along the Pontine coast of Lazio, between the towns of Terracina and San Felice Circeo, roughly 100 kilometers south of Rome by road. The landscape runs from the shoreline up the limestone promontory into wooded slopes.

• Monte Circeo height: The promontory summit reaches 541 meters and provides panoramic views across the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Pontine plain.
• Habitats: The park combines coastal dunes, Mediterranean maquis, woodland and freshwater wetlands, making it useful for short nature walks and birdwatching.

What to See #

• Monte Circeo: A limestone promontory rising directly from the sea with a summit at 541 meters, forming the park's highest point and a landmark visible from the surrounding coast.
• Coastal dunes and beaches: A coastal system of dunes and beaches along the Tyrrhenian Sea that forms part of the park's protected shoreline and supports maritime vegetation.
• Fogliano lagoon and wetlands: Lago di Fogliano and adjacent wetlands - a shallow coastal lagoon and marshes that support birdlife and are important for wetland conservation within the park.