The mega-port of Civitavecchia is the gateway to Rome. It has an ancient history supporting the Roman Empire and is still a major entry point for visitors to Rome. Civitavecchia itself has limited tourist appeal and most cruisers make the hour plus bus ride into Rome for tours. However, since we had little interest in a too-long-to-enjoy 11 hour touring day and had recently visited Rome for a week, we opted to take a nice walk in Civitavecchia during the morning hours and then enjoy a peaceful spa day on the ship later in the afternoon.

To start our day, we rode the shuttle bus from the ship’s dock to the tourist office located next to the Michelangelo Fort that once protected the port. Part of the fort was designed by Michelangelo and gives a hint at the strength once needed to protect such a significant link to Rome. Today, the fort looks tiny compared to the enormous modern ships that utilize the port. We started our walk from there after picking up some maps at the tourist office. We made our way down the main pedestrian walkway, Corso Centocelle, stopping to see the Trajan Theater and the Etruscan excavations on view below the sidewalk. We continued on to the local open air farmer’s market, and then returned back to the shuttle bus stop via some of the small side streets branching off the main pedestrian area. Our self-guided tour was a nice way to kick off another beautiful cruise day.