Civitavecchia, Italy, is one of the Mediterranean's busiest cruise ports. Cruise lines often list the city of Rome as a port of call for Mediterranean cruises, but in actuality, passengers will be stopping in Civitavecchia. More than 500 cruise ships travel to Civitavecchia annually, bringing about two million visitors to the area.


The name Civitavecchia means "ancient town" in Italian. In 106 A.D., the Roman Emperor Trajan ordered the construction of the port to handle deep-water ship docking and originally named it Centumcellae. After Trajan's reign, various popes and counts controlled the port city, renaming it Civitavecchia and building a series of defensive structures such as Forte Michelangelo throughout the Middle Ages.

Cruise Terminals

The Civitavecchia Port ( has more than 20 piers, but only three -- situated along the outer harbor wall -- are used as primary cruise ship docking stations. Cruise Lines that frequent Civitavecchia include Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, MSC Cruises, Costa, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Azamara. The majority of the ships that stop in Civitavecchia have Mediterranean cruise itineraries heading to locations such as Turkey, the Greek Islands, Middle East and additional cities in Italy.


Several of Civitavecchia's attractions ( are a short drive from the city's cruise port. Forte Michelangelo is a Roman fortress built in the 16th century by Giluano Leno. Fortress walls are about 20 feet thick, and its central tower was designed by Renaissance architect and painter Michelangelo. La Scaglia Necropolis is an ancient tomb chamber with numerous underground passageways that date to the fifth and sixth centuries B.C. Civitavecchia's Archaelogical Museum, once owned by Pope Clemente XIII, is a three-story structure built in the 18th century. It showcases Roman and Etruscan artifacts including weapons, marble heads and statues, jewelry, vases and bronze objects. Just outside the city, two additional attractions include the Taurine Baths of Traiano and the Ficoncella Hot Springs. Visitors can take a guided or self-guided tour of each of these archaeological sites built around geothermal hot springs by former dukes and emperors.


There are a few restaurants in Civitavecchia, and most serve traditional Italian or Mediterranean cuisine. Lonely Planet recommends La Scaletta (no website; Lungoporto Gramsci 65, Civitavecchia; 011-39-766-24-334), a high-end restaurant in the heart of the city that offers various Italian entrees and seafood dishes. Other dining options recommended by Trip Wolf, Europe for Visitors and Civitavecchia city website include Taverna La Tana (no website; Via Traiana 28, Civitavecchia 011-39-766-58-0634) for its fresh fish catch of the day, Trattoria L'Angoletto (no website; Via Pietro Guglielmotti 2, Civitavecchia; 011-39-766-32-825) for its seafood dishes, exotic Tyrrhenian flavors and Mediterranean cuisines, and the elegant Piccadilly Restaurant in Hotel San Giorgio (, for its delectable Italian cuisine and views of the Mediterranean Sea.


Civitavecchia has a few transportation options that are within walking distance of the cruise port. The local train station offers hourly departures to Rome via the Eurostar City. Free shuttle buses also run often transporting visitors to various city attractions. City buses travel to neighboring towns for sightseeing, or visitors can rent cars and drive themselves. Ferries are also available from specified harbor docks and travel to nearby Sicily and Sardinia.

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