Santa Severa Day Trip

July in Rome is all about blue skies and sunny days, but the heat can be intense! The CIEE Rome team thought this could be a great occasion to explore the Tyrrhenian coast, which is in easy reach of an amazing historic site, whilst also chilling by the sea!

On July 30th, during Summer Session III, we took a day trip to Santa Severa, a small town in the north province of Rome. This used to be a medieval town with a castle facing the sea, where an ancient Etruscan port – named Pyrgi, was once located. 

With our tour guide, we visited the castle and learned the history of the village. Pyrgi was built in the VII century AC, by the Etruscan, between the most important seaports of the whole Etruria. In the first half of the III century it became the seat of a Roman colony – whose remains are still present inside the walls. The actual castle was built in the XIV century and has gone through many owners (for five centuries it has belonged to the Order of the Holy Spirit). During World War II it was used by Germans as a strategic military emplacement and it is now seat of a public museum.

Before coming back to Rome, we had the chance to enjoy the beach, only 5 minutes away from the castle. It was a beautiful day and a light cool breeze made our stay pleasant and a great occasion to recharge and unwind, before going back to studying!