Lido Saporetti, Sabaudia

In front of Torre Paola, in the heart of Circeo, lies one of the cult destinations of the Lazio coast. It has been operating for almost seventy years and its history is tied to the celebrities who chose Saporetti as their summer refuge, among whom deserves special mention the one considered the greatest actress in Italian cinema history, Anna Magnani, who had a home in Circeo. Founded in 1958 by Giulio Saporetti, today it is managed by his sons Claudio and Gino, with grandchildren Ludovica and Matteo already part of the team. The location is the best imaginable for a Lazio beach, as Saporetti ends where the rock begins to rise toward the peak of Circeo, occupying the very first part of beach on the northern side of the promontory. The road separates the establishment from Lake Sabaudia, and between road and beach we find vegetation and dunes. To the left stands Torre Paola, erected in the sixteenth century to defend the coasts from Saracen invasions. The surrounding beauty is such that nothing extraordinary needs to be imposed within the establishment, which is furnished in a simple and elegant way with wood, mirrors and furnishings in natural materials. The restaurant, open for lunch and dinner in high summer, features the freshness of fish guaranteed by Claudio’s fishing boat: among the most popular dishes are spaghetti with cuttlefish and zucchini, paccheri with amberjack pulp and clams, and split cod, although Saporetti’s undisputed bestseller is spaghetti “alla checca”. Sunset is best enjoyed at the second beach bar, the one on the north side. Being in such a beautiful place requires special attention to the environment and Saporetti has shown this by becoming plastic free, introducing naturalized water and obtaining ten different certifications.