Whenever I walk through the centro storico, or historical center, of an Italian town, I feel as if I’ve been taken back in time.  And Gaeta is no exception!  Near the Cathedral is Palazzo Arcivescovile.A little further down Via Bausan, you will find the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista a Mare.  This church dates from the 12th century.  While it might be tempting to save yourself the energy, and remain at sea level, I found it definitely worth the effort to climb to the top of the city.  As you navigate the different levels of the streets, and stairs, you find yourself rewarded with different, beautiful perspectives, which you would not have had if you stayed below.  You will notice things that it wouldn’t have been able to see from below, and this just makes your visit all the more memorable and enjoyable.  The higher that we climbed, the better the view became.At the top of the town, you will find the Castello Aragonese-Angevine.  This massive defensive structure is actually made up of two buildings, which were built at different times.  The lower part is the Angevine Castle, which dates to the 6th century.  The higher section is the Aragonese Castle, which was built under Charles V.  Today, it remains under the control of the military, and is closed to visitors.  As we slowly made our way back down to the hotel, we passed the Gallery of Contemporary Art of Gaeta.  It was closed at the moment, so we could not go in, but I made a note of it, for our next visit.At the very tip of the city, in what was once a fort, is the Scuola Nautica.  The Pinacoteca Comunale, or picture gallery, was also closed.  After a brief rest, and a change of clothing, we headed out for the evening.   We dined at a place that I highly recommend, “La Tana di Cagliostro”.  It is a set menu — so everyone eats the same thing.  But, you are served approximately eight or nine dishes, and the cost, at the time of our dining there, was € 25.00 per person, which included all beverages (bottled water, wine, after dinner drinks, and coffee or tea), as well as dessert!  The savory plates all centered around fish, which was fresh and delicious.  We had a wonderful time, and can’t wait to go back there some day.

Next up: We head across the bay, to the lovely town of Formia!

Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations which may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please check out our archives for additional posts from Gaeta, as well as other Italian destinations.  Grazie!