Civitavecchia is a real working town, and its fort, old harbour and market are close to the port. You can see the fort, the old harbour and the market in 2 to 3 hours, and still be back on board with time to spare. If you prefer to go with a local guide, the 3-hour food and history tour starts right at the shuttle stop.
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Civitavecchia food and history walk (3 hours)
from €68 · rated 4.75/5 (345 reviews) at the time of writing
via Viator
What does the walk look like?
Take the free port shuttle from your terminal to Largo della Pace, a ride of about 10 to 15 minutes. From there everything on this route is close together, and you walk along the sea most of the way. Allow 2 to 3 hours in total for the walk, the stops and a coffee.
For example, if you step off the ship at 9:00, you can be back at the shuttle stop around 12:00 or 12:30, which leaves the afternoon free for lunch on board.
Why start at the fort?
The Forte Michelangelo is the first thing you notice, a square fortress with four corner towers and an octagonal keep facing the port. Pope Julius II ordered it to protect the harbour from pirates, and the first stone was laid on 14 December 1508. Work went on under architects who included Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, and the fort was finished in the sixteenth century. The keep is said by tradition to be the work of Michelangelo, which gave the fort its name.
The fort is the seat of the harbour master’s office, so what you can enter depends on the day. Ask at the Largo della Pace information point whether the courtyard is open; even from outside, the walls and towers are well worth the photo.
What else is on the old harbour?
A few steps from the Fortezza gate you reach the Fontana del Vanvitelli, set against the long wall that Pope Urban VIII had built in 1630 to defend the shore. It is made of travertine, with the head of an old faun in a niche and a curved staircase. Pope Benedict XIV paid for it in 1740 and Luigi Vanvitelli finished it in 1743.
From the fountain you can continue to Porta Livorno, to the Darsena Romana with its life-size reconstruction of a Roman ship, and to the Roman basin, which is attributed to Apollodorus of Damascus. This harbour goes back to the emperor Trajan, who had it built between 103 and 110 AD. When you stand here, you are looking at a port that has worked for almost two thousand years.
And the town itself?
Civitavecchia lost most of its buildings in the bombing of 1943, so a lot of what you see was rebuilt. The cathedral of San Francesco d’Assisi, for example, was rebuilt in 1950. In the old town, Piazza Leandra is the oldest square in the city, and the Church of the Stella dates from 1688.
If you like markets, go to San Lorenzo, in Piazza Regina Margherita, with fish, fruit and vegetables. Go in the morning: after 13:00 most stalls close. The streets around Piazza Fratti are full of restaurants and pizzerias, and local dishes to look for include fish soup, fettuccine allo scoglio, polpetti affogati and stuffed calamari.
The archaeological museum is a few steps from the fort. Part of it is being renovated, and the third floor is open with an exhibition on the Etruscan urn of Civitavecchia. Ask at the information point for the current opening hours.
Is a guided food tour worth it?
If you would rather not plan anything, the guided tour combines history with tasting. It lasts about 3 hours and starts at the Largo della Pace information point. You walk through the narrow streets of the old town, taste local specialities in a bakery and at the market, and hear the story of the city from your guide. Groups are small, with a maximum of 15 people, and the tour is offered in English and Spanish. Snacks are included. At the time of writing it is priced from €68, rated 4.75 out of 5 from 345 reviews.
When should I head back?
Take the shuttle from Largo della Pace at least one hour before the time you must be back on board. The ride lasts 10 to 15 minutes and the shuttle runs about every 20 minutes, so a comfortable margin is easy. As an example, if your all aboard is at 17:00, take the shuttle by 15:45 at the latest.
The total outing is short: 2 to 3 hours on foot, or 3 hours with the guided tour, plus 10 to 15 minutes of shuttle each way. Leaving the ship at 9:00 you are back around 13:00 at the latest.
Want to see Rome instead?
If you still have energy and a long call, read our guide to Rome from Civitavecchia in one day. For the shuttle, the stations and the information points, the Civitavecchia cruise port guide has the details, and the train and transfer guide covers the way to Rome. You can also go back to the port page for all the options in one place.
